Less than four minutes, actually...
Sixty years ago today, on May 6, 1954, Sir Roger Bannister became the first athlete to run a mile in less than four minutes.
Bannister, who later became a distinguished neurologist, set the record at the Iffley Road track, in Oxford, with a time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.
After failing to win a medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics (despite setting a new British record in the 1500m final), Bannister decided to concentrate on the four-minute mile. The record was only to last 46 days, as Australian John Landy recorded a time of 3 minutes, 57.9 seconds, in Turku, Finland.
Still, that day in May remains one of the most notable days in sporting history.
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