Roger Bannister running track, Athletics track in Oxford, United Kingdom
The Roger Bannister running track, also known as the Oxford University track, is a 400-metre athletics track and stadium in Oxford, England. It forms part of the Iffley Road Sports Complex and is owned and operated by the University of Oxford.
The track opened in 1876 as a cinder track at Iffley Road, and it was here that Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954. It was later resurfaced and renamed in his honour in 2007.
The track is a working athletics facility used by Oxford University students and local clubs, and on race days you can see runners warming up and spectators cheering from the small stand. The name of Roger Bannister is everywhere, from the sign at the entrance to the conversations of athletes who come to test themselves on the same ground.
The track is on Iffley Road, a short distance from the city centre, and can be reached on foot or by local bus. Visitors can watch athletics events from the stands, but access to the track itself is usually limited to athletes and members of the university sports club.
The stadium's capacity is limited to 499 spectators, a direct result of safety recommendations made after the Hillsborough disaster. This small size means that even local meets feel close and intense, with the crowd right next to the action.
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