Orkney ultra distance athlete William Sichel, 55, takes on a strong field in this weekend’s Tooting 24 Hour track race in south London.

Organised by the Sri Chinmoy Athletic Club, a capacity field of 44 athletes, representing eight countries, will head off at mid-day on Saturday October 18th to run ‘round the clock’ finishing at mid-day on Sunday.

The field is one of the strongest assembled in Britain for many years with at least five runners capable of achieving over 140 miles.

“This will be my 25th 24 Hour race and I was keen to return to where it all started with a winning debut in 1996,” said William.

“The event is always very well organized and they always put the needs of the runners first.”

William will be competing just 5 weeks after achieving the silver medal in the Scottish 24 Hour Championships in Perth.  At the same time William surpassed the qualifying distance for next September’s inaugural Commonwealth 24 Hour Championships in Keswick, England.

William, the current world number two for the six-day event, explained that since moving up to multiday events his recovery from 24 hour races has become much quicker enabling him to compete again so soon.

Everything William is doing now is geared up to his second attempt on Scotland’s oldest athletic record – the 567 mile Six Day record, set 126 years ago in 1882.   William has decided to make his attempt in Athens starting on April 3rd.