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Quiz about Just a FourMinute Hero
Quiz about Just a FourMinute Hero

Just a Four-Minute Hero? Trivia Quiz


Who was the first person to run a sub four-minute mile? I'm sure you know the answer to that one, but is that all you know about Sir Roger Bannister? Take this quiz and learn more about him.

A multiple-choice quiz by patricck. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
patricck
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
312,704
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
254
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Roger Gilbert Bannister was born on the 23rd March 1929 in the country for which he would do all his international running. Where was he born? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In the late 1940s, Roger Bannister adopted a Swedish training technique called Fartlek, which involved an easy running pace at training interspersed with short sprints. Which aspect of his running did that significantly improve? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Although Roger Bannister is best known for running the mile and the 1500m, he won a bronze medal in the 1950 European Championship while competing in another event. For what event did he win that bronze medal? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In 1951, Roger Bannister captured the British mile record. In 1952, he was in such good form that he was seen by many as the favorite for the Olympic 1500m. However, his result in Helsinki was a disappointment. Where did he finish in that event? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Roger Bannister's failure at the 1952 Olympics galvanized him into making a concerted effort to break the magical four-minute barrier. On the 6th May 1954, he succeeded with the help of two runners whose more aggressive early running style helped set the tempo. What were the names of those two athletes? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Many people had said that running a four-minute mile was 'impossible'. So when Roger Bannister achieved that feat, he was breaking a psychological barrier as well as a physical one. What was Bannister's recorded time for that historic event? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In August 1954, Roger Bannister won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the mile. It was a such an amazing race between Bannister and one other runner, that a statue of the two stands outside the stadium in Vancouver capturing the moment at which Bannister took the lead. Who is the other runner depicted on that statue? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What Olympic Games medals did Sir Roger Bannister win? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Sir Roger Bannister completed his medical studies and became a respected practitioner in his chosen field. What branch of medicine did he concentrate on? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Dr Roger Bannister was knighted and became Sir Roger Bannister, ironically in the same year that a mile was run under 3 minutes and 50 seconds for the first time. In what year did he receive his knighthood? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Roger Gilbert Bannister was born on the 23rd March 1929 in the country for which he would do all his international running. Where was he born?

Answer: Harrow, England

He was born to working class parents from the North of England. His family moved to Bath at the start of World War II, where he attended the City of Bath Boys' Grammar School.
2. In the late 1940s, Roger Bannister adopted a Swedish training technique called Fartlek, which involved an easy running pace at training interspersed with short sprints. Which aspect of his running did that significantly improve?

Answer: His sprint finish

His sprint finish became famous enough for some commentators to call it the 'Bannister Burst'.
3. Although Roger Bannister is best known for running the mile and the 1500m, he won a bronze medal in the 1950 European Championship while competing in another event. For what event did he win that bronze medal?

Answer: 800m

His powerful sprint finish was well suited to the 800m.
4. In 1951, Roger Bannister captured the British mile record. In 1952, he was in such good form that he was seen by many as the favorite for the Olympic 1500m. However, his result in Helsinki was a disappointment. Where did he finish in that event?

Answer: 4th

Even though he was just one place away from winning a medal, this did not sit well with the British public. Their mood was not helped by the fact that the British team as a whole did much worse than had been expected. Bannister, being in a high profile event, copped more flak for the poor overall performance than was warranted.
5. Roger Bannister's failure at the 1952 Olympics galvanized him into making a concerted effort to break the magical four-minute barrier. On the 6th May 1954, he succeeded with the help of two runners whose more aggressive early running style helped set the tempo. What were the names of those two athletes?

Answer: Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway

Chris Brasher took the early lead with Roger Bannister in 2nd place. When Brasher began to tire, Chris Chataway came to the front to hold the lead until about halfway through the final lap. Roger Bannister sprinted past him and managed to maintain that speed all the way to the finish.
6. Many people had said that running a four-minute mile was 'impossible'. So when Roger Bannister achieved that feat, he was breaking a psychological barrier as well as a physical one. What was Bannister's recorded time for that historic event?

Answer: 3 minutes 59.4 seconds

In 1954, there were no electronic scoreboards, so the crowd had to wait for the time to be announced. Nobody heard more than just the word 'three' because the roar of the crowd completely drowned out the rest of the announcement.
7. In August 1954, Roger Bannister won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the mile. It was a such an amazing race between Bannister and one other runner, that a statue of the two stands outside the stadium in Vancouver capturing the moment at which Bannister took the lead. Who is the other runner depicted on that statue?

Answer: John Landy, Australia

John Landy took a big early lead, but Bannister didn't panic and kept to a pace that enabled him to catch Landy at the top of the home straight, and sprint past him to victory. Their times were 3:58.8 and 3:59.6, the first occasion that two runners had gone under four minutes in the same race.
8. What Olympic Games medals did Sir Roger Bannister win?

Answer: None

4th place in the 1500m in 1952 was the only time that he would compete in an Olympic Game. At the end of 1954, he retired from running competitively to concentrate on his medical studies. He would continue running as a means of keeping fit until 1975, when he broke an ankle in a car accident.
9. Sir Roger Bannister completed his medical studies and became a respected practitioner in his chosen field. What branch of medicine did he concentrate on?

Answer: Neurosurgery

Neurosurgeons treat the brain, the spine, and the spinal cord with both surgery (as their name implies) and also non-invasive techniques. Sir Roger has written a textbook on the subject called, 'Brain and Bannister's Clinical Neurology'.
10. Dr Roger Bannister was knighted and became Sir Roger Bannister, ironically in the same year that a mile was run under 3 minutes and 50 seconds for the first time. In what year did he receive his knighthood?

Answer: 1975

John Walker of New Zealand ran a mile in Sweden in a time of 3:49.4, exactly 10 seconds quicker than the first sub four-minute mile 21 years earlier. Sir Roger Bannister was also Chairman of the Sports Council of Great Britain from 1971-1974, and President of the International Council for Sport and Recreation from 1976-1983.
Source: Author patricck

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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