Sir Roger Bannister, broke the four-minute-mile barrier, dies at 88

(CNN)Sir Roger Bannister, famed for being the first runner to break the four-minute-mile barrier, died Saturday in Oxford, England.

Bannister was 88. Bannister's family announced the news in a statement released Sunday.

In a statement distributed by the UK's Press Association, his family said that Sir Bannister died peacefully, "surrounded by his family who were as loved by him as he was loved by them."

Bannister accomplished a feat many deemed impossible when he ran a mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds at Oxford's Iffley Road track on May 6, 1954. Bannister's record time only stood for 46 days before being broken by Australian runner John Landy, but Bannister's accomplishment forever changed the perception of what was possible in distance running.

Bannister changed the world of distance running

Indeed, in a tweet from British Prime Minister Theresa May, Bannister was recognized as an "icon" whose accomplishments served to inspire generations.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com