They probably did on accident sometimes without timing it.
They probably did on accident sometimes without timing it.
1954. Kenya under British colonial yoke, in the thick of the Mau Mau uprising. Black people needed a permit to get into Nairobi, let alone engage in athletic activity.
For the same reason distance running was dominated by whites for 100 years. They didn’t allow blacks to compete. Heck, we didn’t even let women run the same races as men!
Well, you never broke 430 for the mile. If you had you would better understand that the mentality of the Kenyans wasn't focused on the physicality needed to run sub 4.
They probably did and timed it. However, without a flag, photographers, and uppity officials there to "claim it," it didn't happen according to the Brits and western world.
Kind of like Hillary being the first up Everest following the route established and practiced by the sherpas.
Opinionated guy wrote:
They probably did and timed it. However, without a flag, photographers, and uppity officials there to "claim it," it didn't happen according to the Brits and western world.
Kind of like Hillary being the first up Everest following the route established and practiced by the sherpas.
The Sherpas did not establish the route up Everest, except for Tensing who did so under the direction of Hillary. Their primary job was to put in logistical ropes and ferry supplies.
The sherpas never made it to the summit, however. Hilary and Norgay were the first to summit. Sadly, everyone in the Western world has heard of Hilary; few know who Norgay was. Without each other, neither would have made it.
For the same reason that biological intersex "women" didn't win all the world titles before 2010. Instead they were won by pharmaceutically intersex "women". The CAS in their infinite wisdom decided that naturally intersex was indeed a righteous way to deal with all the pharmaceutically intersex XX females.
They didn't need the money back then. They had affluent lifestyles before the white man came and plundered and pillaged their peaceful, prosperous kingdoms.
the430miler wrote:
Were white people genetically and physiologically superior in that time period?
During the Olympic weeks of 2012 I was at a bar for Trivia night. The theme that night was, of course the Olympics and out came the question:
"Which country has totaled the most medals in distance running in Olympic History?"
Everyone's eyes at our table shifted at me. We had a few moments to talk about it. A few non-serious track runners propositioned, "Kenya, right?" Someone else "Or maybe it is Ethiopia..."
I sat there and pondered it internally...
Kenya became an independent country in about 1964....in fact, most African countries were not independent until the 1970s and it's debatable some still aren't indepepdnet at all....this leaves 9 or 10 modern olympiads to the unknown....Kip Keino 1968...I read somewhere that Lasse Viren was part of the Renaissance of Finnish Distance running...
I looked up to my teammates and said, "This is a historically involved question. Finland. " And to add emotion I said, "Final Answer." They all gave me very perplexing looks (and laughs). When the trivia guy read off the answer every one looked back at me and smiled in relief. I shrugged my shoulders! No other trivia team in the building got the question right. We won trivia night by one question, we got the gift certificate and free drinks. What a great night!
To answer your question, more than likely they could have broken four well before Roger Bannister. They just didn't have the opportunity to show it yet.
the430miler wrote:
Were white people genetically and physiologically superior in that time period?
Athletics in general, for roughly 80 years was an upper-middle-class to upper-class activity. Prior to Olympic era, Lon Myers and Walter George raced for gamblers at pubs. Circa 1896 to circa 1976, amateurism. Who has leisure time to train 15+ hours a week without getting paid? Upper-middle-class to upper-class.
There was no EPO back then.
not Killian wrote:
The sherpas never made it to the summit, however. Hilary and Norgay were the first to summit. Sadly, everyone in the Western world has heard of Hilary; few know who Norgay was. .
This is the point I was trying to make. Whose history are you using? There are plenty that substanciate that sherpas did summit and many who could have but it was only those who trumpeted their achievements that were recognized. Much like you contend with Norgay v Hillary. I believe that Kenyans surely 'could have' and possibly 'did' run sub 4:00 for a mile prior to Bannister.
There is ZERO chance that Sherpas got anywhere near the summit of Everest without European ropes and equipment. ZERO.
Africans running a 4:00 mile is another thing. Could well have happened, but not with accurate measurement or timing. Those who invent civilization get first crack at these things.
Opinionated guy wrote:
They probably did and timed it. However, without a flag, photographers, and uppity officials there to "claim it," it didn't happen according to the Brits and western world.
He wasn't the first Brit. He was the first amateur. Pro Brits did it earlier but the records were scrub by Victorian era amateur rules.
Really Bro wrote:
Opinionated guy wrote:
They probably did and timed it. However, without a flag, photographers, and uppity officials there to "claim it," it didn't happen according to the Brits and western world.
He wasn't the first Brit. He was the first amateur. Pro Brits did it earlier but the records were scrub by Victorian era amateur rules.
During WW2 Swedes Gunder Hagg and Arne Anderson had a series of mile races against each other that brought the mile record down from 4:07 to Hagg finally running 4:01.2 in 1945. Deadly rivals, one of them, probably Hagg would have possibly run under four minutes had they continued, but he was subsequently banned from competing for receiving payments for running.
sbeefyk2 wrote:
For the same reason distance running was dominated by whites for 100 years. They didn’t allow blacks to compete. Heck, we didn’t even let women run the same races as men!
Who didn't allow blacks to compete for 100 years? How did Jesse Owens win all those medals in the '36 Olympics if he wasn't allowed to compete?
the430miler wrote:
Were white people genetically and physiologically superior in that time period?
Have a bit of respect please, of all days you post this. DIsgusting pondweed that frequent these boards.
Really Bro wrote:
Opinionated guy wrote:
They probably did and timed it. However, without a flag, photographers, and uppity officials there to "claim it," it didn't happen according to the Brits and western world.
He wasn't the first Brit. He was the first amateur. Pro Brits did it earlier but the records were scrub by Victorian era amateur rules.
No. Walter George held both the amateur (4:23) and professional (4:12)records, although his best run was a handicap mile he ran in 4:10 on a track that was 6 yards too long over the four laps.
Obveeous wrote:
There was no EPO back then.
It was a game of stimulants at that point but it was still a cat and mouse game.