After a sensational performance in Oslo, where he shattered Sir Mo Farah’s long-standing British 5000m record, George Mills arrived in Stockholm looking to build on that momentum.
But in a tactical men’s 1500m at the BAUHAUS-Galan Diamond League meeting, things didn’t quite go to plan for the 26-year-old Briton.
Mills finished fifth in a race dominated by Sweden’s Samuel Pihlström, who thrilled the home crowd by storming to victory in 3:31.53, his first major triumph at this level.
Italy’s Federico Riva (3:32.17) and Denmark’s Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen (3:32.60) completed the podium, while Mills, running just three days after his record-breaking 12:46.59 over 5000m in Oslo, struggled to summon his trademark finishing kick.
Speaking after the race, Mills acknowledged the toll that a packed competition schedule had taken on him:
“Obviously I was looking for the win but I came here on the back of a very good 5000m in Oslo, so I did what I came to do which was to run fast with only a short recovery. It worked pretty well until the last lap or so when the legs started to get heavy, but I think it was a good couple of days’ work.”
The son of former Leeds United and England footballer Danny Mills, George has firmly established himself as one of Britain’s premier middle and long-distance runners. His Oslo run saw him slice over six seconds off Mo Farah’s 14-year-old national record, catapulting him to second on the European all-time list, behind only Mohamed Katir of Spain.
2025 has already been a memorable year for Mills. He claimed gold over 3000m at the British Indoor Championships in February, setting a championship record, before collecting silver at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn.
Outdoors, he secured a 5000m silver at the European Championships behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen and earned selection for the 2024 Summer Olympics after winning silver at the British Championships.
While Stockholm’s result wasn’t quite what Mills had hoped for, it was always part of a bigger plan. He now has just a few days to recover before lining up again in Paris on Friday, another crucial stop on the road to this summer’s major championships.
With his rapid rise in both the 1500m and 5000m, and a fearless racing style, Mills remains one of the most exciting names on the British athletics scene.