Sports · 2
Who was the first athlete to break the 4-minute mile?
Answer
Roger Bannister
Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile barrier on May 6, 1954, at Oxford, England, with a time of 3:59.4. This achievement shattered a psychological barrier that many experts believed was impossible for human physiology to overcome. Bannister ran at Oxford University's Iffley Road track with pacemakers carefully positioned to help him maintain the necessary pace. His sub-4-minute mile became one of sports' most iconic moments and sparked an era of rapid distance-running improvements. Within weeks, others replicated the achievement.
💡 Did you know?
Within two months of Bannister's historic 3:59.4 mile in 1954, John Landy also broke the barrier, then Bannister beat Landy's record.
Other options people guess
- Herb Elliott
- John Landy
- Steve Cram
Topics
- athletics
- running
- history
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