Today a plaque will be unveiled in Westminster Abbey to Sir Roger Bannister –not among the sportsmen but among the scientists. I believe that would please him. When I cast him away on Oxtopia in 2011, he most wanted to talk about his career in neurology. His scientific achievements were more appreciated in the US than here They gave him a lifetime achievement award . Writing the Oxford Castaway series was such a privilege – I interviewed many inspirational people. What struck me about Sir Roger was his complete lack of boastfulness. What I loved about the people the editor Tim Metcalfe and I set to Oxtopia was that they were achievers rather than celebrities and none more so than Roger. His contributions to Sport for All is under appreciated.
One of his last public appearances was at the launch of Oxford Castaways 3. This photo with his daughter Charlotte was taken then and I love it. Because of castaways I was also able to review his memoir Twin Tracks i.e. his lives in Sport and Science As I got to know him better I sensed how important family life was to him. He excelled at everything he touched.