2017 New Year’s Honours for Roger Bannister

January 18th, 2017 → 8:58 am @ admin

Congratulations to Sir Roger Bannister, CBE, former Master (1985-1993) and Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College, who was made a Companion of Honour for services to sport in the New Year’s Honours list for 2017. Sir Roger, 87, becomes one of only 54 living people to have received the honor.

Sir Roger Bannister – Master of Pembroke College (1985-1993)

‘I have always been astonishingly lucky in my career, which has encompassed both sport and neurology,” he said. “I never anticipated or predicted or wished particularly for a further honor but I am delighted to receive this.’

Sir Roger breaks the tape and the world’s record- 3:59.4

Sir Roger astonished the sporting world when, on May 6, 1954, on the Iffley Road track, he became the first person to run a mile under four minutes. At the conclusion of the race, the track announcer, Norris McWhorter, reported to a large group of spectators over the track’s loud speaker:

“Ladies and gentlemen, here is the result of event nine, the one mile: first, number forty one, R. G. Bannister, Amateur Athletic Association and formerly of Exeter and Merton Colleges, Oxford, with a time which is a new meeting and track record, and which—subject to ratification—will be a new English Native, British National, All-Comers, European, British Empire and World Record. The time was three…”

As the papers of the day reported, the roar of the crowd drowned out the rest of the announcement: Sir Roger’s time was 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.

Sir Roger with his history-making running spikes

Sir Roger greets the world’s media at the Iffley Road track on the 50th anniversary of his historic run, May 6, 2004

After completing medical school, Sir Roger had a distinguished career as a neurologist before being named Pembroke’s Master. While Master, Sir Roger oversaw completion of the Geoffrey Arthur Building and worked to create the Pembroke College Foundation, among other accomplishments.