Track Singlet, worn by Roger Bannister

Track Singlet, worn by Roger Bannister

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Description (Brief)
Track singlet worn by Englishman Roger Bannister (b. 1931) at the 1954 Commonwealth Games, Vancouver, Canada. Bannister won the Gold Medal for the one-mile event, beating Australian John Landy. At the time, the two competitors were the only runners to have completed a mile race in under four minutes.
Earlier that summer, Bannister first broke the four minute mile mark with a time of 3:59.4.The accomplishment made international headlines, exposing the effectiveness of Bannister's training techniques. Six weeks later, Landry also completed a mile in under four minutes, breaking Bannister's time by over a second (3:57.9.)
Bannister barely beat Landry in the highly anticipated Commonwealth Games race, Bannister finishing at 3:58.8, Landy at 3:59.6.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
jersey
jersey, track
track jersey
track singlet
singlet, track
date made
ca 1954
user
Bannister, Roger
maker
Tangeru-Umbro
Physical Description
fabric, cotton (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 29 in x 17 in; 73.66 cm x 43.18 cm
ID Number
1979.0614.01
accession number
1979.0614
catalog number
1979.0614.01
Credit Line
Sir Roger Bannister
subject
Track and Field
Sports
Professional
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Highlights from the Culture and the Arts Collection
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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