FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Four Minute Mile Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Four Minute Mile Quizzes, Trivia

Four Minute Mile Trivia

Four Minute Mile Trivia Quizzes

  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Sports Trivia
  6. »
  7. Track & Field

Fun Trivia
4 quizzes and 40 trivia questions.
1.
  The Ultimate The Four Minute Mile Quiz   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Beating four minutes for the mile was once the goal of every top middle distance runner in the world. 10 questions on that 'magic' mile. Have fun.
Average, 10 Qns, trojan11, Jan 24 07
Average
trojan11
645 plays
2.
  Just a Four-Minute Hero?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
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.
Average, 10 Qns, patricck, Jul 15 09
Average
patricck gold member
255 plays
3.
  The Four Minute Mile Multiple Choice Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The first sub-four minute mile was run on 6th May 1954.
Average, 10 Qns, Mugaboo, Jan 09 16
Average
Mugaboo gold member
488 plays
4.
  The Magic of the Mile    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The mile remains one of the "Blue Ribband" events of Track and Field. The four-minute mile is still acknowledged as a "badge of entry" into world-class middle-distance running.
Difficult, 10 Qns, PJL, Nov 10 07
Difficult
PJL
355 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Bannister had two well known pacemakers to help in his record breaking run. What were their names?

From Quiz "The Four Minute Mile"





Four Minute Mile Trivia Questions
1. It was over 30 years between the first sub 4 minute 10 second mile and Roger Bannister's first sub 4 minute mile in 1954. Starting with the first runner under 4 min 10 sec, how many different individuals held the record before Bannister?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: 6

Jules Ladoumegue of France ran the first sub 4 min 10 sec mile in 1923. Improvements were made by Jack Lovelock (New Zealand), Glenn Cunningham (USA), and Sydney Wooderson (GB). During the Second World War, a series of races saw Gundar Haegg and Arne Andersonn of Sweden each break the record 3 times with Haegg claiming the fastest time of 4 min 1.4 secs in 1945.

2. The world record for the mile went under four minutes for the first time on May 6, 1954. Who was the first man to accomplish this feat?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Roger Bannister

Roger Bannister was possibly the first top class athlete to adopt a scientific approach to his training methods. Studying to be a Doctor of Medicine (he put in a full day at his training hospital on the day that he broke the record) he had a small room kitted out with a treadmill (not automatic) oxygen mask and heart monitor. He would drive himself into the ground running on the treadmill in order to assess his lung/heart capacity and to assess his ability to run the mile under four minutes. Conditions were not good on the day, very blowy, and Bannister was not hopeful of gaining the required result. Nevertheless, he achieved his aim and the flood gates opened as one after another of his competitors broke the 'magic' barrier.

3. Who ran the first official sub-four minute mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: R.G. Bannister

On 6th May 1954, the 25 year old Roger Gilbert Bannister (of England) ran the mile in 3:59.4. He was paced by first Chris Brasher and then Chris Chataway. Australian John Landy ran the second sub 4 minute mile in 3.58.0. Wes Santee, from Kansas, although a contender for the first sub-four minute mile, never achieved it. Gunder Hagg (Sweden) had held the mile record previously (4:01.03, set 9 years earlier in July 1945).

4. 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?

From Quiz Just a Four-Minute Hero?

Answer: His sprint finish

His sprint finish became famous enough for some commentators to call it the 'Bannister Burst'.

5. The month following Bannister's first sub-4 minute run in 1954, John Landy of Australia broke the record with a run of 3 min 57.6 sec. In August 1954, the two met in a "showdown" dubbed the "Mile of the Century". What was the meet?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: British Empire and Commonwealth Games

The British Empire Games were renamed the British Empire and Commonwealth for the Vancouver Games in 1954. The name was changed again in 1970 (Edinburgh) to the Commonwealth Games. The race between Bannister and Landy, at that time the only two sub-4 minute milers, lived up to its billing. As Landy glanced over his shoulder leading into the final straight, Bannister seized the moment and won the race in 3.58.8 to Landy's 3.59.6 - the first time that two runners had broken four minutes in the same race.

6. What was Bannister's time when he broke four minutes for the mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: 3:59.4.

Because of the windy conditions Bannister had to run harder, to beat the four minute barrier, than he intended. He reckoned that his run was equivalent to a 3:56 mile. At 1500 metres he clocked 3:43 which was world record pace, but fifty yards from the finish he looked, and was, completely used up. Somehow he kept his momentum and went into the history books as 'First to...'

7. 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?

From Quiz Just a Four-Minute Hero?

Answer: 800m

His powerful sprint finish was well suited to the 800m.

8. Roger Bannister was the first man to run under 4 minutes for the mile but who was the first man to run exactly 4 min 0.0 sec?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: Derek Ibbotson

Derek Ibbotson, who broke John Landy's world record with 3.57.2 in July 1957, was the first man to run exactly 4 minutes when finishing 4th in race won by Herb Elliott at the White City track, London in September 1958.

9. Bannister had two well known pacemakers to help in his record breaking run. What were their names?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Chris Chataway & Chris Brasher

Both Chataway and Brasher were fine athletes in their own right. Chataway was an excellent 5,000 metre/three miler and Brasher went on to win Olympic gold in the 3,000 metre Steeplechase in Melbourne.

10. Who came second in that mile race at Iffley Road, Oxford on 6th May 1954?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Chris Chataway

Chattaway ran 4:07.2, third was Tom Hulatt (4:16.0), fourth was Scotsman Alan Gordon and sixth was Brasher. American George Dole was the other man in the field.

11. 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?

From Quiz Just a Four-Minute Hero?

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.

12. Who was the first U.S. citizen to run the mile in under four minutes?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: Don Bowden

Wes Santee came desperately close with 4.00.5 in 1955. Don Bowden ran 3.58.7 when winninng the PAC-10 Championships for Berkeley on June 1, 1957.

13. What nationality was Roger Bannister?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: English

Roger Bannister was born in 1929 and typified the 'gentleman amateur'. He studied medicine at Oxford and was later awarded a Knighthood for his achievments. His inspiration for athletics would seem to have been another great old English miler, Sydney Wooderson.

14. Who broke the world mile record in 1999, and still held 5 years later, on the 50th anniversary of the first 4 minute mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Hicham El Guerrouj

El Guerrouj of Morocco (3:43:13), Ngeny of Kenya (3:43.40), Morceli of Algeria (3:44.39) and Cram of England (3:46.32) were the first fastest milers on the time of the 50th anniversary.

15. This mile world record holder had an all too brief track career. Retiring at 22, he had the incredible record of never being beaten at the mile or, its metric equivalent, the 1500m. Who was he?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: Herb Elliott

Aussie Herb Elliott's career from 1957 to 1961 ended with his being undefeated in thirty-six one mile and nine 1500m races. He broke 4 minutes for the mile 17 times. His Olympic gold medal and world record in the 1500 meters at Rome in 1960 was one of the most impressive performances of all-time. His margin of victory was 20 meters!

16. Who was the second man to break four minutes for the mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: John Landy

At Turku in Finland just 46 days after Bannister's epic achievement, John Landy of Australia smashed Bannister's record by a second and a half: his time was 3:58.0. Landy's run was all the more remarkable by virtue of the fact that he did not use a pacemaker. He took the race on from the front and stayed there. Chris Chataway, one of Bannister's pacemakers and a participant in the race against Landy (he came second) was astonished. Bannister had needed both Chataway and Brasher to get him around in record time, but Landy had run from the front and done all the work himself.

17. Which time was run by the athlete who held the world mile record, on the 50th anniversary of the first 4 minute?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: 3:43.12

Hicham El Guerrouj broke the record in Rome on 7th July 1999, beating Noah Ngeny who ran 3:43.40, in what was a great race. 3rd was Rui Silva of Portugal in 3:50.91. Guerrouj ran 55.21 for his last lap, the leaders quarter mile splits were 55.07, 1:51.58 and 2:47.91.

18. 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?

From Quiz Just a Four-Minute Hero?

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.

19. Who was the first high school student to run the mile in under 4 minutes?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: Jim Ryun

On 5th June 1964, Jim Ryun became the first high schooler to break 4 minutes with a 3.59.0 clocking. He went on to break the world mile record twice with 3.51.3 (1966) and 3.51.1 (1967). Most believe that the thin air of Mexico City cost Ryun his chance of the 1968 Olympic Gold in the 1500m. He had to settle for the silver behind Kip Keino of Kenya. His hopes to make amends at the 1972 Munich Olympics were dashed when he fell in a qualifying heat of the 1500 metres. Jim Ryun went on to become an member of the U.S. Senate.

20. What was the name of the American miler whose attempt on the four minute barrier resulted in a new 1500 metre world record, but failed to crack four minutes for the full mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Wes Santee

Wes Santee was America's top miler of the time and he was widely tipped to be the first to beat four minutes for the mile. His attempt on June 5, 1954 was a superb run but he failed by fractions to beat four minutes. He went through 1500 metres in the time of 3:42.8. a new world record for that distance and it seemed certain that he would crack not only the four minute barrier but the world record as well. However, Santee faltered on the home straight and his time of 4:00.6 was just six-tenths of a second outside four minutes. He had become the third fastest miler of all time but had failed to achieve his goal. Santee would never run as fast again.

21. Which American ran the fastest mile for the year 1972?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Jim Ryun

Jim Ryun who ran 3:52.8 also held the world record at the time (3:51.1) set in 1967. Foster (Britain) ran 3:55.9 that year. Vasala (Finland) won the Olympic 1500m title that year. Jazy (France) had held the world mile record in 1965, a time that remained a European mile record until 1975.

22. Fibert Bayi of Tanzania was the first African to hold the World Record for the mile when he ran 3.51.0 in 1975. He was renowned for which particular running style/tactic?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: He liked to set a blistering pace from the start of the race

Fibert Bayi was a crowd favourite with his lead from gun-to-tape tactics. At the 1974 Commonwealth Games 1500 meter final in Christchurch, New Zealand, the hometown favourite John Walker failed to catch the front running Filbert who won the Gold in a world record of 3.32.2 sec.

23. Where was the first 'four minute mile' run?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Iffley Road. Oxford

The first sub four minute mile was run at Iffley Road Oxford in May 1954. Iffley Road stadium was a sparse affair with a cinder track and very open to the wind. In those days times were taken by stopwatch and they were some way away from guaging performance times down to the thousandths of a second.

24. Who was the first man under 3:50 for the mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: John Walker

John Walker (New Zealand) broke Filbert Bayi's (Tanzania) record in Goteborg in 1975 with 3:49.4. Steve Ovett (Britain) held the mile record twice, and Steve Scott set the American record at 3:47.69 in 1982 (and it was still standing 22 years later on the 50th anniversary). Walker later improved to 3:49.06 in 1982.

25. What Olympic Games medals did Sir Roger Bannister win?

From Quiz Just a Four-Minute Hero?

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.

26. The first man to break the 3.50 barrier for the mile would have worn which emblem on his unifrom in international competition?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: A Silver Fern

John Walker of New Zealand was the first man under 3min 50 sec with his 3.49.4 victory in Gothenburg, Sweden in August 1975. He became the third New Zealander after Jack Lovelock and Peter Snell to hold the world mile record. He won the Olympic 1500 meter Gold at Montreal in 1976. However, his performances were soon to be eclipsed by the formidable English duo of Coe and Ovett.

27. The two men, Bannister and Landy, who had broken four minutes for the mile were to meet in an epic contest that same year. What was the name of the games/championships at which they finally faced each other?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: Empire Games

Landy and Bannister came together on August 7, 1954 at Vancouver, Canada in what was then known as the Empire Games. Billed as 'The Mile of the Century', it was one of the most eagerly awaited contests ever seen in athletics. Such was the excitement generated by this race that the rest of the Games became mere window dressing. Landy was a strong favorite to win by virtue of his recent times and seemingly greater stamina. Observing his training methods one athlete commented "He (Landy) certainly is a machine." Landy predicted that a 4:02 mile would be enough to beat Bannister and that was a time that he could run easily in his present form.

28. To the nearest meter, how many meters are there in a mile?

From Quiz The Four Minute Mile

Answer: 1609

There are 1760 yards in a mile, which is 1609 meters.

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

From Quiz Just a Four-Minute Hero?

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'.

30. Remarkably, less than 40 years after the first 4 minute mile, the record was to fall below 3 minutes 45 seconds. In which country was this feat achieved?

From Quiz The Magic of the Mile

Answer: Italy

Noureddine Morceli of Algeria was the first man under 3.45 with 3.44.39 at Rieti, Italy, September 5, 1993. Moreceli had the formidable record of being unbeaten in 45 1500m/mile finals between 1992 and 1996, including the Olympic 1500m title in Atlanta 1996.

This is category 20696
play trivia = Top 5% Rated Quiz, take trivia quiz Top 10% Rated Quiz, test trivia quiz Top 20% Rated Quiz, popular trivia A Well Rated Quiz
new quizzes = added recently, editor pick = Editor's Pick editor = FunTrivia Editor gold = Gold Member

Teachers / educators: FunTrivia welcomes the use of our website and quizzes in the classroom as a teaching aid or for preparing and testing students. See our education section. Our quizzes are printable and may be used as question sheets by k-12 teachers, parents, and home schoolers.

 ·  All questions, answers, and quiz content on this website is copyright FunTrivia, Inc and may not be reproduced without permission. Any images from TV shows and movies are copyright their studios, and are being used under "fair use" for commentary and education.