May 6, 1954 - British runner Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile

In the sport of athletics, the four-minute mile is the act of completing the mile run (1,760 yards, or 1,609.344 metres) in less than four minutes. It was first achieved in 1954 by Roger Bannister in 3:59.4. The “four minute barrier” has since been broken by many male athletes, and is now the standard of all male professional middle distance runners. In the last 50 years the mile record has been lowered by almost 17 seconds. Running a mile in four minutes translates to a speed of 15 miles per hour (24.14 km/h, or 2:29.13 per kilometer, or 14.91 seconds per 100 meters).

Mar. 28, 1990 - Jesse Owens received the Congressional Gold Medal from U.S. President George Bush

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The highest honor Owens received came a full ten years after his death. Congressman Louis Stokes from Cleveland lobbied tirelessly to earn Owens a Congressional Gold Medal. The award was finally given to Owens’s widow by President Bush in 1990. During the ceremony, President Bush called Owens “an Olympic hero and an American hero every day of his life.”

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“If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race it’s up to you.” - Dave Scott

“If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race it’s up to you.” - Dave Scott

“Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.” - Jesse Owens

“Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.” - Jesse Owens

“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.” - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.” - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

“The most important thing about motivation is goal setting. You should always have a goal.” - Francie Larrieu Smith

“The most important thing about motivation is goal setting. You should always have a goal.” - Francie Larrieu Smith

“Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.” - Roger Bannister

“Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.” - Roger Bannister