Diane Leather
Diane Leather (born 7 January 1933, Streetly, West Midlands) is the first woman to run a mile in less than 5 minutes. Representing the Birchfield Harriers, Leather broke the 5 minute barrier with a time of 4 minutes and 59.6 seconds, during the Midlands Women's AAA Championships at Birmingham's Alexander Sports Ground[1][2] on 29 May 1954 - just 23 days after Roger Bannister became the first ever man to run a sub 4 minute mile. In 1955, Diane broke the mile record by a further 15 seconds, achieving her personal best of 4:45.[3] This mile record remained untouched for a further 7 years until Marise Chamberlain ran a 4:41.4 in 1962. It was not until after 1967 that the IAAF started recognising women's world records at this distance.
Leather competed as "Mrs. Diane Charles" by 1960.[4] Her trainer was Mrs Nelson Neal.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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This article uses bare URLs for citations. (January 2013) |
- ^ http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=9168
- ^ The Independent (London) http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics-50-years-ago-roger-bannister-became-a-sporting-legend-with-his-fourminute-mile-why-is-his-female-equivalent-just-seen-as-an-alsoran-560512.html Missing or empty
|title=(help). - ^ Sears, Edward Seldon (2001). "The Modern Superstars (1950-2000)". Running Through the Ages. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 283. ISBN 9780786409716. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ^ http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics/great-britain/diane-leather-422/two-world-records-in-1957_a08872/
- ^ "Almost the 5 Minute Mile". British Pathe. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
[edit] External links
- Profile at UK Athletics
- "Almost the 5 Minute Mile" Pathe newsreel featuring Leather, 31 May 1954
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