Bannister’s sub-four pacer Christopher Chataway dies

Christopher Chataway, who helped pace Roger Bannister to the first ever sub-four-minute mile performance, has passed away.

Chataway set the pace for not only Bannister’s world record in the mile, but also John Landy’s world record that broke Bannister’s less than two months later.

The Oxford grad went on to excel in other walks of life also. He was a a popular British newscaster before transitioning into a political career where he held a cabinet minister position as a member of the Conservatives. He also raced in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics. For a short period the athlete also held the world record in the 5000m after running 13:51.6 in Moscow.

He was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and died Sunday at the age of 82.

The Briton was selected to pace Bannister in the historic event because he was one of the athlete’s training partners. They also went to school together at Oxford, although Bannister went on to become a doctor.

Partially raised in Sudan as the son of a British government official, Chataway attended Oxford where he studied politics and economics and later took to a job after retiring from politics in the financial industry.