The greatest issue in sport in the post war years was: "Is it possible for a man to run a four-minute mile... and if so, who will be the first to do it?"
Some used to say "It could never be done... man's heart could not resist the exceptional strain... the ultimate of man over the distance had already been reached...".
All these doubts were relegated to the dustbins on that momentous day of May 6, 1954 when at 6.10 p.m. at the Iffley Road Track, Oxford, under a steel grey sky, six men lined up for the mile event.
The field included Roger Bannister, Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher, who after failing to win any medals two years earlier in the Helsinki Games, decided to plan and go for a 'prize' that would long be remembered in the history of athletics - the breaking of the four-minute barrier for the mile.
After a nervous false start by Brasher, the six were away. Brasher darted in front as planned and completed his first lap in 57.4 seconds, detaching Bannister and Chataway from the rest of the field.
At the half way mark, the order was unchanged with Bannister one-and-a-half yards behind Brasher. Just before the two-and-a-half lap mark, Bannister shouted "Chris" and Chataway took the lead, passing the bell in three minutes 00.4 seconds.
With just 220 yards to go, Bannister changed into his characteristic great white hoop top gear, pulling round Chataway for the final lonely chase to the finishing tape.
The 25-year-old medical student, catching his breath in sheer exhaustion, asked: "Did I do it?"
Interminable seconds followed until the voice of well-known commentator Norris McWhirter gave out the news... "With a time of three minutes..." the 59.4 seconds was lost in the ensuing roar from the crowd.
The record-breaking news was flashed all around the world. Bannister's pictures of his epic feat made front page headlines.
However, Bannister's critics were quick to try to minimise his achievement, by saying that he could only run against the watch.
Soon after, on June 21, in Turku, Finland, Australia's John Landy became the second man to run the mile under four minutes and the stage was set for a meeting of the titans during the British Empire Games in Vancouver, the following August.
The 35,000 crowd and millions of listeners had long waited for the "Race of the Century" as both Bannister and Landy were in the line-up. Bannister was eager to prove his point of taking on the only other four-minute miler in the world.
Landy led the field all the way up till the 1,500m mark which the pair reached practically neck and neck (3:41.9). It was here that Landy looked to his left and Bannister passed him on the outside.
As they rounded the home straight, excitement reached fever pitch as Bannister stormed home to win by five-and-a-half yards in 3:58.7. For the record, Landy finished his fatigue in 3:59.5.
I had the great pleasure of re-living that race with Chataway when I interviewed him in 1958 and again with Bannister himself when he was invited as guest of the Malta Marathon Organising Committee in 1992.
At that time, I was Director of Information and it was my duty to arrange for a meeting of this legendary athlete with Dr Censu Tabone, the then President of Malta, during which the two 'medical men' clinically analysed this immortal page in the annals of athletics.
One of my most treasured mementos I have in my library is a letter of thanks which Sir Roger sent me upon his return to England for arranging the meeting with Dr Tabone as well as for "the particular kindness you showed to us." During his visit to Malta, Sir Roger was accompanied by his wife.