When Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954 at the Iffley Rd track, the entire world heard of Oxford’s athletic prowess. The record of 3 min 59.4 sec was held for only 46 days, but the achievement was made far greater by Bannister’s concurrent training as a junior doctor, and he went on to lead a fulfilling career in academic medicine.

Oxford’s sporting scene continues to flourish with many recent Olympians both living in the city and attending the universities. Of particular note is the golden post box on the corner of Divinity Rd, painted in honour of Lily van den Broecke, who raced to victory as the coxswain of the mixed coxed four in the 2012 Paralympics. The rowing pedigree of Oxford is embodied in the annual Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, rowed on a 6.8km stretch of the Thames in London, but there is just as much spectacle in the semi-annual Bumps racing on the Oxford stretch.

Oxford United FC continue to flourish, although the team’s greatest success remains their 1986 Milk Cup triumph. Equally important was the relocation of London Welsh RFC to the Kassam Stadium in 2012, cementing their position in the Premiership and allowing for greater attendance figures throughout the season.

The city offers an enormous wealth of amateur sports clubs, ranging from Korfball to Nordic Walking. Clubs like the Oxford City Stars, playing ice hockey, and the City of Oxford Rowing Club, continually perform well on a national stage, offering amateur sportspeople the opportunity to compete at a high level. Getting involved with teams is very easy as most clubs are keen for members and offer taster days throughout the year. The Council runs comprehensive programmes for disabled and young people in sport, providing opportunities and incentives to get involved in new sporting activities and become more active.