Running shoes in which Sir Roger Bannister became the first man to run a sub four-minute mile to be sold for £30,000 to £50,000 in the Christie’s ‘Out of the Ordinary’ sale
When Sir Roger Bannister CBE became the first man to run a sub four-minute mile in 1954, he wore a specially adapted pair of running shoes made by GT Law and Son of Wimbledon Park, London. They are now set to be auctioned as part of the Christie’s Out of the Ordinary sale on 10th September and are expected to make as much as £50,000.
Described by Forbes as “the greatest athletic achievement of the 20th century”, the shoes worn by Sir Roger on this historic occasion – which took place during a meet between the British Amateur Athletics Association and Oxford University at the Iffley Road Track in Oxford – weighed just four and a half ounces and featured unusually thin spikes that were made even thinner with a grindstone.
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Of them, Sir Roger – whose four children include the CEO of The Phoenix Group, Clive Bannister – remarked:
“They served me great purpose, I’m grateful to them… I think it’s the right time to part with them and I plan to give part of the proceeds to the Autonomic Charitable Trust which encourages the area of neurological research to which I have devoted most of my life… Other worthwhile causes in which I have an interest will also benefit”.
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Readers have their say
7 comments
A lovely man and so pleased he is using his shoes to do good.
His son is a friend and former associate of Maurice Kanbar. I know how much you love that man, Matthew. He he.
Maybe RB isn’t such a lovely man afteral?!
Well done Sir Clive. He has not been well so it is good to see him being interviewed. Fiona is right – he’s a lovely chap.
Jeffrey Archer auctioned the Omega stop watch used to time this record for eighty thousand at Christie plus buyers premium abput four years ago….
so watch out for another interesting ‘ record ‘ in prospect….
Sirs Christophers Brasher and Chattoway played such significant parts in the four minute mile that is worth a read
Chris Brasher made a fortune through sports shoes; he sold the company to Reebok, founded the London Marathon, was a super chap…..
Perhaps Reebok have a museum? Or the Boot Inn, outside Witney, where there is an amazing collection of boots belonging to people as diverse as Sir Stirling Moss, ‘ Bungalow Bill ‘ Wiggins, Lord Hurd and Barry Gibb
Phew! I bet they “pen n ink”