Roger Bannister RIP

I grew up listening to my parents talk of the legends that lit up the austerity of post-war Britain, two names that stood out because of the sheer magnitude of their achievements were Edmund Hillary and Roger Bannister. The latter died last weekend and is of course remembered for running the mile in less than four minutes. Instead of monetising the success, he retired from competitive athletics “to do something serious”, he had got what would have been called a proper job.

“Now that I am taking up a hospital appointment I shall have to give up international athletics. I shall not have sufficient time to put up a first-class performance. There would be little satisfaction for me in a second-rate performance, and it would be wrong to give one when representing my country.

He worked as a neurologist for the rest of his practicing life.

How times change.

Inspired by John Naughton

We can still admire his landmark run in May 1954.

Published by Alun Rees


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