Roger Bannister

Everybody thought it was impossible, but through his athletic ability and technical knowhow, Roger Bannistr was able to smash the four-minute mile barrier. Roger Bannister was born in Harrow,Middlesex, in 1929. He first enjoyed success as an athlete in his early teens, winning several races, but it was the combining of his later educational knowledge with his athletic ability that would enablehim to become a legend. In 1946, Bannister went to Oxford University to study medicine. He devoted all his spare time to the track and became an accomplished middle distance runner. The fascination atthe time for all middle distance men was the four-minute mile. Basically, it was widely assumed that to run the distance in under four minutes was impossible for a human being. Bannister believed itwas possible, and used his knowledge as a physician to give him as much help as possible. He painstakingly researched mechanical aspects of running, and developed scientific training methods to aidhim. By the time 1954 had come around, Bannister was vying with the Australian John Landy to try and be the first to break the four-minute barrier. Both had run quite close to the time, but the magicfigure still proved to be elusive. It was at Iffley Road in that same year that Roger Bannister finally achieved his dream. It was not a standard race as such. He was to be aided and abetted by twopacemakers, Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway. He had prepared for the race the previous week at Paddington Green in high winds. The weather at Iffley Road was pretty bad as well, a 15mph crosswind withgusts of up to 25mph, and Bannister very nearly called the attempt off. When the race started Chris Brasher took the lead as the first pacemaker. Bannister slotted in behind, with Chataway in thirdplace. When Brasher began to tire, Bannister gave the signal for Chataway to take over, and at the bell it was he who led in a time of just over three minutes. Just over two hundred yards from the...