Chris Chataway
Winner: 1954
Chataway won the award after beating hot favourite Vladimir Kuts in the 5000m at White City stadium in London in a a world record time of 13 minutes 51.6 seconds.
Earlier that year he had been beaten into second place by Kuts in the European Athletics Championships.
The record-breaking distance runner went on to be a pioneer of a different kind.
In 1956, he became one of ITN's first four newsreaders, while still competing in athletics.
Four years later, he entered Parliament as a Conservative MP before embarking on a career in the City. He was knighted in 1995.
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