Roger Bannister celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first four-minute-mile on Thursday but insisted there were other events in his life worthy of greater respect.
”None of my athletics was my greatest achievement,” Bannister told reporters as he returned to the Iffley Road sports ground where he set his landmark exactly 50 years ago.
”My medical work has been my achievement and my family, those are real achievements.”
He added that the smashing of the four-minute barrier was not even his finest moment on the track — that honour he said was winning Empire Games gold in Vancouver, two months after he broke the four-minute-mile barrier.
In that race, he defeated Australian John Landy, who went on to set a new sub-four minute time just 46 days later.
As part of a day of celebrations, the historic race was restaged on the same track featuring teams from the Oxford University Athletics Club and the Amateur Athletic Association.
Bannister clocked 3:59:4 when he was a 25-year-old medical student to break the four-minute barrier.
Since those golden days, the record has tumbled further and the current mark stands at 3:43:13 set by Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj.
Bannister, now 75 and who quit athletics for a career in medicine, told reporters here on Thursday that his reactions on crossing the line were mixed.
”I knew I was very close, I wasn’t sure whether my legs were playing me false and pretending they were keeping up the speed and weren’t.
”All I knew was that there was unity, with no pain in particular, which enabled me to throw myself over the line.
”The weather and other conditions made it a very 50/50 chance on that particular day and of course, I only managed it by six yards.”
Thursday’s restaged mile race was won by Australia’s Craig Mottram in a time of 3:56:64, a new track record. Mo Farah, of Britain, was second in a time of 4:00:17 with John Mayock third in 4:01:23. Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan was the winner of the women’s race in 4:27:79.
Bannister used the original bell used in 1954 to signal the final lap.
”I hope this acts as an inspiration to sportsmen and women everywhere to keep striving to achieve their best through personal effort alone,” said Bannister reflecting on his record.
”It may seem incredible today that the world record at this classic distance could be set by an amateur athlete, in bad weather, on a university running track.
”The many great milers whom I hope will be able to join me on 6 May demonstrate the lifelong satisfaction that such achievements bring.” – Sapa-AFP