biography
| name: |
Bannister, Sir Roger (Gilbert)
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1929– )
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| biography:
| Athlete and neurologist, born in Harrow, NW Greater London, UK. He studied at Oxford, and completed his medical training at St Mary's Hospital, London, in 1954. At an athletics meeting at Iffley Road, Oxford, on 6 May 1954, he became the first man to run the mile in under 4 minutes (3 min 59·4 s), with the help of pacemakers. He competed in the 1952 Olympics, finishing a disappointing fourth in the 1500 m final, and in 1954 captured the European and Empire 1500 m titles. In a race dubbed ‘The Mile of the Century’ he beat John Landy of Australia to win the Empire Games title in Vancouver in a time of 3:58·0 s. He was knighted in 1975, and appointed Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, 1985–93. |
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