Sir Roger Bannister

Roger Gilbert Bannister was born on March 23, 1929, in Harrow, Middlesex, England. He went to Vaughen Road Primary School in Harrow. Roger Bannister participated in the school cross country meet when he was 12, 13 and 14, for three years in a row. Later on, he continued his education at City Bath Boys School and University College School, London, followed by medical school at University of Oxford and St. Mary's  Hospital Medical School (now part of Imperial College London).

On March 22, 1947, he was running as pacer for members of the Oxford first team. He started his running career at Oxford in Autumn of 1946 at age 17. In 1948, Bannister ran his first big race, the Kinniard Cup, and came in fourth. Then he won both the AAA (Amateur Athletic Association) race, came in fifth in 1948, and won a race in the United States in 1949. In 1951 on July 14th at the AAA championship, he set a 4:07.8 record, defeating defending champion Bill Nankeville. He competed in the 1500 meter in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. In the semifinal, he came fifth. On June 27, 1953, he ran 4:02 with the help of two other friends, Chris Brasher and Don Macmillan, as pacers. Although 4:02 was the British record, the authorities did not allow it to be placed in the record book, due to the prohibition of using pacers.

On May 6, 1954, Roger Gilbert Bannister became the first mortal to break the four-minute mile. Tt was believed that to run a mile under four minutes wasn't humanly possible because it had never been done before. His time was 3 minutes 59.4 seconds, achieved at Iffley Road track in Oxford and watched by 3000 spectators. In the same year on August 7th, he competed in the British  Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, competing against John Landy in a race billed as "The Miracle Mile." Roger Bannister then retired form athletics in 1954 before he married the Swedish artist Morgan Elves in Basel, Switzerland.

Roger Bannister took part in the Royal Army Medical Corps at Crookhom, with the rank of lieutenant in March 1957, before he became the first chairman of the sports council and knighted as Sir Roger Bannister in the 1975 New Years Honours. Age is just number; it won't be able to prevent you from achieving something great unless you let it. In the year of 1975 when Sir Roger was 49 years old, he received honorary degrees (Doctor of Science) from the University of Sheffield, and from the University of Bath in 1984. Later on in 1986, Bannister went on to become a distinguish neurologist and master at Pembroke College, Oxford, and was retired from being a neurologist in 1993. On September 10, 2000, Bannister unveiled the Bannister Plaque. In May 2004, Bannister was made an Honorary Freeman of London Borough of Harrow, and granted the Freedom City of Oxford. Four years later, he received honorary degrees from the University of London. Later in 2011, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He was then appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to sports. On March 3, 2018, Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister drew his last breath at the age of 88.

Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister not only had a great contribution to sports, but he also affected many aspect of life. By his action, Roger Bannister has proven that the human mind and heart are powerful. Bannister may not be the best runner that ever competed on earth, however he is the man that able to bring out many people's best versions of themselves. After May 6, 1954, there was sum of people who willing to tried to break the four-minute mile. In fact right on June 21, 1954, John Landy became the second man to break the record, with 3:57.9. By breaking the four-minute barrier, which was considered impossible for human beings, Sir Roger Bannister with hardwork, focus, and determination toward his goal proved that the human body, mind, and soul have something greater, beyond explanation of scientific evidence.