
A Page from an Autograph album Handwritten and Signed by Roger Bannister, Christopher Chataway and Chris Brasher who were involved in breaking the 4 Minute Mile Barrier. This historic event took place on 6 May 1954 during a meet between British AAA and Oxford University at Iffley Road Track in Oxford, watched by about 3,000 spectators. With winds of up to twenty-five miles per hour (40 km/h) before the event, Bannister had said twice that he preferred not to run, to conserve his energy and efforts to break the 4-minute barrier; he would try again at another meet. However, the winds dropped just before the race was scheduled to begin, and Bannister did run. The pace-setters from his major 1953 attempts, were future Commonwealth Games gold medallist Christopher Chataway and future Olympic Games gold medallist Chris Brasher. They combined to provide pacing for Bannister's run. The race went off as scheduled at 6:00 pm, and Brasher and Bannister went immediately to the front of the pack. Brasher led both the first lap in 58 seconds and the half mile in 1:58, with Bannister tucked in behind, and Chataway a stride behind Bannister. Chataway moved to the front after the second lap and maintained the pace with a 3:01 split at the final lap bell. Chataway continued to lead around the front turn until Bannister began his finishing kick with about 275 yards to go (just over half a lap), running the last lap in just under 59 seconds. Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister 1929 – 2018 was an English neurologist and middle-distance athlete who ran the first sub-4-minute mile. Sir Christopher John Chataway 1931 – 2014 was a British middle- and long-distance runner, television news broadcaster and Conservative politician. Christopher William Brasher 1928 –2003 was a British track and field athlete, Olympic champion, sports journalist and co-founder of the London Marathon. Condition is very good. Size of each sheet is 160mm x 160mm.