Roger Bannister, born in Harrow, London, early showed a talent for running. University education was beyond the 1 of his working-class parents, but he was 2 to secure a place at one of England's top universities and pursue a career in 3 .
Luckily, owing to his academic efforts, Bannister was awarded a scholarship by Oxford University, where his exceptional speed on the track soon earned him the attention and 4 from the sports media. Surprisingly, he 5 to compete in the 1948 Olympics in London, preferring to focus on his 6 and his medical studies. By 1951, Bannister had won the British championship in the mile and felt 7 for Olympic competition. 8 , a last-minute change in the schedule 9 him to compete without resting between events and he finished just fourth in the 1500-meter race at the 1952 Olympics. To break the four-minute mile barrier, Bannister 10 45 minutes every day from his full-time medical studies for training. On May 6, 1954, at Oxford, his 11 eventually paid off. At age 25, Bannister made history, crossing the finish line at 3: 59.4. When the announcer read out the time: "3…", the rest was 12 by the cheering crowd. In the following famous "Mile of the Century" race, Bannister 13 Australian runner John Landy with a time of 3: 58.8 to Landy's 3: 59. 6, both under four minutes. In 1955, Bannister's autobiography, First Four Minutes, was published.
Bannister's 14 to academic medicine is equally remarkable, but his spirit of the four-minute mile is 15 to not only people of our era, but to before and after.
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