Roger Bannister

Roger Bannister (Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, born March 23, 1929 in Harrow, Middlesex ) is a former British middle distance runner and neurologist.

His special disciplines were the 1500 -meter run and the mile run. In 1946 he started with the Running, but in 1948 he ran the mile in 4:18,7 4:17,2 and min.

At the European Athletics Championships in Brussels in 1950 he won the bronze medal in the 800 -meter run. For the 1,500 - meter race of the 1952 Olympics, he was one of the favorites, but it seemed not enough, that a semi-final was postponed because of the high number of participants. In the final he missed despite the British record time of 3:46,0 min fourth by 0.6 seconds, the bronze medal went to the West Germans Werner Lueg. Surprise winner was the Luxembourg Josy Barthel in 3:45,2 min before the simultaneous Americans Bob McMillen.

Then he sat down to run under four minutes the goal of the first man to the mile ( = 1609 m). On 2 May 1953, he improved the British record of Sydney Wooderson ( 4:04,2 min, 1945) on 4:03,6 min, and on 27 June he ran 4:02,0 min. This time, however, was not recognized as a British record since Bannister unduly the lapped Chris Brasher began as a pacemaker.

But two other runners approached this season the mile world record of 4:01,4 min, Gunder Hägg the 1945 had erected. The American Wes Santee ran in June 4:02,4 min and the Australian John Landy at the end of 4:02,0 min.

In the first months of 1954 Landy remained three more times under 4:03 min. Bannister now took advantage of the break between the Australian and European season for his own record attempt on May 6 on the track and field facility of the University of Oxford at the Iffley Road. The race was broadcast by the BBC live on the radio, with athletics legend Harold Abrahams as a commentator.

Since the windy weather was not ideal for a record attempt, Bannister first played with the idea to move the record attempt, but decided but for a start, as calmed the wind gusts just before the start at 18:00 clock. As a pacesetter initially acted Chris Brasher for the first two rounds that have been completed in 1:58,2 min, then Chris Chataway. In the last half lap Bannister was on his own. Under the utmost effort he struggled to the finish and fell exhausted into the arms of his friend Nicholas Stacey. Norris McWhirter stadium announcer had the honor of announcing the world record: When he started, the time to read, broke the word " three " such a jubilation that the rest went down.

Bannister's world record of 3:59,4 min only a few weeks had stock. On June 21, Landy undercut the brand with 3:57,9 min ( rounded up to 3:58,0 min). On August 7, both athletes came together at the mile run of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. Only Bannister, who started for England could follow the Australians, who had sat down already in the first round to the top. The dramatic high point of the race, as in the last corner Landy looked back over his left shoulder and Bannister simultaneously vorbeizog right at him. Bannister won in 3:58,8 min, and Landy was second in 3:59,6 min. For the first time in a race over a mile two runners were left under four minutes.

Three weeks later, Bannister won at the European Championships in Bern in the " metric mile", the 1500 m, in 3:43,8 min. Although he was selected by the magazine Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, he finished after this season his performance athletic career and focused henceforth on his medical training.

His training was a mix of the best currently known methods. It was individualized and took a number of elements in advance, have been linked to later success only by Arthur Lydiard.

Even during his career as a neurologist, he remained the sport in many functions obtained. From 1971 to 1974 he was Chairman of the Sports Council of Great Britain from 1976 to 1983 and President of the International Council of Sport and Physical Education. In 1955 he was awarded the CBE, and in 1975 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He was director of the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases in London and publisher of scientific journals in the field of neurology.

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