{"id":15219,"date":"2018-03-05T07:43:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-05T07:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2018\/03\/05\/roger-bannister-first-runner-to-break-4-minute-mile-mark-dies-at-88\/"},"modified":"2018-03-05T07:43:00","modified_gmt":"2018-03-05T07:43:00","slug":"roger-bannister-first-runner-to-break-4-minute-mile-mark-dies-at-88","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/roger-bannister-first-runner-to-break-4-minute-mile-mark-dies-at-88\/","title":{"rendered":"Roger Bannister, First Runner To Break 4-Minute Mile Mark, Dies At 88"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Doreen McCallister<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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\n On May 6, 1954, Britain’s Roger Bannister hits the tape to become the first person to break the 4-minute mile in Oxford, England. His family said Sir Roger Bannister died peacefully in Oxford on March 3 at age 88.<\/p>\n

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In 1954, at the age of 25, Roger Bannister made headlines around the world as the first person to run a mile under 4 minutes.<\/p>\n

Bannister’s 3:59:4 mile unlocked the door to what was possible in track \u2014 both physically and psychologically.<\/p>\n

It had long been thought that a sub 4-minute mile was far from achievable and perhaps deadly for those who tried.<\/p>\n

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Sir Roger Bannister was a great British sporting icon whose achievements were an inspiration to us all. He will be greatly missed.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Theresa May (@theresa_may) March 4, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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British Prime Minister Theresa May led the tributes to the former athlete, who later became one of Europe’s leading neurologists and was made a knight.<\/p>\n

“Sir Roger Bannister was a great British sporting icon whose achievements were an inspiration to us all. He will be greatly missed,” she said on Twitter.<\/p>\n

At the same time Bannister was training on the track, he was going to school to become a doctor. At the end of 1954, he retired from sports to pursue his medical career.<\/p>\n

Long after his record had been broken, Bannister said he considered his contributions to neurology more satisfying.<\/p>\n

Former Associated Press writer Marcus Eliason, shared his memories of interviewing Bannister to mark the 30th anniversary of his historic track achievement.<\/p>\n

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“In 1984, while stationed in London for The Associated Press, I phoned Roger Bannister to request an interview for the 30th anniversary of his becoming the first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes. His initial response was: “Is there still any interest in this?”<\/p>\n

“One has only to look at the worldwide reaction to his death at 88 to grasp what an understatement that was. And the interview remains one of the most enjoyable I ever had.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n