Roger Bannister-1954-First Four Minute Mile (HQ-Full Race)

The 6th May,1954.Over half a century on and this still remains one of the most iconic sporting achievements in history.Run early season because his main rivals John Landy and Wes Santee both looked on the verge of getting there first (Landy lowered the record just six weeks later)the cool breezy day made no difference as Bannister,paced by Chris Brasher (future Olympic champion) and Chris Chataway (future 5K world record holder)powered round the last lap of the Oxford University Iffley Road Track to enter the history books for all time. This video is narrated by the man himself(ain't he posh?!).The four minute mile seems fairly quaint now,but I remember a much later world record holder having made the pilgramage to the track (Sydney Maree,I think)remarked,looking at the cinder surface,that he'd probably struggle to run that time on such a track! Just a few months later,having beaten Landy in the classic Empire Games Mile and then winning the European 1500 metre title,Bannister retired from athletics,aged 25.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Roger Bannister
• Chris Chataway
• Chris Brasher
• Four Minute Mile
• Oxford University
• Iffley Road Track
• 1954
• First 4 minute mile
• world record
• mile world record
• track and field
• athletics

[ARRISIPPY]

Would appear the first verified four minute mile was by a guy called James Parrott,a Londoner and professional (they all were ,then),who ran the time on the 9th May,1770.Does that mean I've got to change the title of this video?! (Look in Peter Radford's article from the 2nd,May,2004,in the Observer...it's on line)

[N1k1mon]

Is it just me or does anybody else notice the scene become surreal on camera? Wherever else sees it will know what I mean.

[ARRISIPPY]

@N1k1mon I guess it's partly because we're used to viewing athletics from the side of the track these days? A camera stuck in the middle makes it difficult to assess what part of of the lap you're watching...bit like watching it from a kids roundabout..makes you dizzy!

[N1k1mon]

Nobody could do it until he had done it, weeks afterwards it was being done all over the world.

Divine laws fit in here somewhere, I don't quite get it. I can't believe more people haven't commented.

[ARRISIPPY]

@N1k1mon I think all the world track records went stagnant for adecade because of WW2..Reckon Wooderson would have had the four minute mile in the early forties had it not been for that? Just four years after this race Herb Elliott ran 3.54,so guess it must have been psychological?

[aishanpatil1]

sir roger bannister n hicham el gourrouj r tha kings of runnin!:D imma mile nd 3k runner too, and every time i gt nervous b4 races i like tah watch videos of em.. but my best time is 4m 45 so still a lotta wrk needed:S

the all ireland mile race is on next march n i reckon 4m25 shud win it...

gr8 quality vid n im surprisd uv no oder comments:)

[ARRISIPPY]

@aishanpatil1 Thanks for the comments...good luck with the training!

[porkchop487]

Louis Zamperini would have been the first man to do it, but he was drafted to war. While at a training camp, he ran a 4:08. On sand. With no one pacing him.

[71Johnhoward]

A lot of people showed up to watch him run. Not sure if any of them were runners but it was nice to see so many people at a track meet.

[whatsername021]

I will be attempting to break five minutes in the mile for the first time tomorrow. That last kick is so inspiring.

[RealDesktops]

Wow! This Is My Cousin!!

[DICKIEMONSTER]

yo geeza sounds gay cnt watch this. Nice1 yea.

[DICKIEMONSTER]

run lyk a mhfuka

[RunninAD]

This is better quality than most the current race videos....

[linglingjr]

hey at 4:21 the guy with the hat is his coach right? I also am reading the perfect mile about 3/4ths the way through good book. this trackseason I'll be happy if I run a 1:58 800m. the pace they ran at for twice the distance.

[rdaines1]

I'm reading "The Perfect Mile" by Neal Bascomb right now, I would highly recommend it, the pressure that Bannister, Landy, and Santy had on them from a world begging for the record to be broken was tremendous, not to mention the training that they put themselves through to achieve this awesome goal

[linglingjr]

@porkchop487 im sure he was a great athlete but do you really think that he ran a 4:08? you say a sand course i doubt it was a mile probably much less than a mile... wes santee found how to avoid the draft, if him and easton could then im sure Louis zmperini could have too. I am almost certain he would have not ran a sub 4 mile.

[XxXLovelyLyricsXxX]

I can only run a 9m 24 mile with my bad knees and terrible asthma but it is significantly better, in grade school I could only do 3/4's before I got faint and went into an asthma attack. Then I improved to a full mile in 17mins. . .then I didn't run due to health problems and the first time I ran after a few years I got 9m 24.. . I literally collapsed with joy. I pushed myself so hard. I know it's not a record time. . . but it shows if you push yourself anything is possible!