“How did he know he would not die?” a Frenchman asked of the first runner to break the four-minute mile.
Some thought that rather than a lifetime of glory, honour and fortune, a hearse would be waiting for the first person to accomplish the feat.
Although many had come agonisingly close to the mark, for decades the world’s best middle distance runners had tried and failed to break the barrier.
The time stood until Oxford medical student Roger Bannister clocked 3:59.40 in 1954, with Australian John Landy breaking the record again just six weeks later.
With the world’s attention on them, the two met to compete in ‘the perfect mile’, with both breaking the magic mark.
The University of Queensland will relive the passion and excitement of the great race when it holds the Bank of Queensland Celebration 2007 Milers Meet tomorrow evening.
A number of Australia’s elite middle distance runners will assemble to chase the elusive sub four-minute barrier and go after Lachlan Chrisholm’s 2005 meet record (3.56.27).
Athletes will include Youcef Abdi, Lisa Corrigan, Jeremy Roff, Brad Woods and Corrie Tucker.
The 2007 Milers Meet will be held at the UQ Athletics Centre on Friday, May 4, with the major races beginning at 8.10pm.
Media: Kelly Chapman at UQ SPORT (07 3365 6041, kellyc@uqsport.uq.edu.au)
