First Four Minute Mile-HQ(Roger Bannister:1954)

AthletixStuffChannel
AthletixStuffChannel
833,426
0
Published 2012-12-18
Nearly sixty years on and still one of the most iconic sporting moments in history,Bannister had intended to retire after the 1952 Olympics,but having only come in 4th in the 1500m final,hung on for another two years to make an attempt on the holy grail of middle distance running,the four minute mile.Knowing that two other milers had the same intent John Landy of Australia and Wes Santee of the USA Bannister ran very early in the season at Iffley Road in Oxford, and, paced by his old freinds Brasher and Chataway, came home under the magical time,taking 2 seconds off of Gunder Hägg's nine year old mile WR.Amazingly after all the hype the record only stood for six weeks,when John Landy ran 3.57.9 in Finland .Bannister then went on that season to defeat Landy in the "Mile of the Century"in the Empire Games,before winning the European 1500m title and then retiring from the sport,aged 25.
All Comments (21)
  • @alydar21
    His personal commentary adds tremendously to this achievement.
  • @garethlloyd4716
    Amazing to think that this took decades of attempts for people to try this and after Roger Bannister finally accomplished this seemingly impossible task and two months later the four minute mile was broken again by Australian John Landy. It was as if the psychological impact was no longer there and the belief that because it has been done, that it can be done. All credit has to go to Roger Bannister for that, for giving people the belief that they can achieve the "impossible".
  • @aydensalazar5762
    0:12 "Feeling tremendously full of lov...--full of running." Apparently Bannister was a poet :)
  • @darkesttimeline7026
    Who else is here out of respect for his amazing life? RIP Sir Roger Bannister
  • @rdr555
    Bannister says at the end of the video. "I felt that I was too close to have failed".
  • @malcolmdale
    I saw this on our little black and white TV and after the race the announcer said "the winner was Roger bannister in a new track, English native, English national, European, Commonwealth and World record time of......three minutes..." and the crowd went wild! we couldn't hear the 59.4 seconds at all.
  • @jorgecalderon6527
    For decades, the 4-minute mile seemed like an impossible barrier to break. On May 1, 1954, Sir Roger Bannister of England finally broke that barrier with a time of 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds and finally achieved what was once thought to be impossible.
  • @nickstoyles75
    I was born in 1975 yet I still grew up with the knowledge that Sir Roger Banister was the 1st person to break the 4 minute mile. The fact we are still talking about his feat all these years later shows how great an achievement this was. Rip Sir Roger, you will always remain with me!
  • @roaming_gnome
    Kudos to the cameramen for capturing this piece of history. 🏃💨 🔥
  • @rhysnichols8608
    After watching this video did anyone else have the sudden urge to go sprint for as long as possible or just me? Haha
  • @mollyb8329
    It feels so great to be related to him I hope I will be as good as him someday I'm 13 and at a 5:52 mile
  • @lonestar6709
    No drugs. Just courage and heart. Rest in peace Sir Roger.
  • @maximatosis654
    Running is the ultimate test between mind and body. I constant battle between one side telling you to stop and end the self-imposed torture and the other saying 'one step further'. Along with boxing and cycling it's one of the ultimate tests
  • @philiphartnett
    this man was a stone cold legend RIP Sir Roger Bannister. And RIP the two pacemakers who played a huge part in this historic occasion
  • @rahulbhaikiit
    its hard to imagine now , but the camera work is amazing for the era