Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi ( born June 23, 1953 in Karatu ) is a former Tanzanian middle-distance runners and obstacle. He broke at the British Commonwealth Games in 1974 in Christchurch the 1,500 -meter world record in alone and took an Olympic silver medal.
Filbert Bayi made his international debut at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he was eliminated in the flow above 1500 m and 3000 m steeplechase, respectively. Soon after this sobering prelude began Bayis rapid rise in the world's best, associated with the development of its tactics of daring escapes and it alone. This brought him back in 1973 to win at the Pan-African Games in Lagos. In the box was beaten among others, the legendary Kip Keino. At the World Games in Helsinki, he ran in the same year to the third position of the all-time best list above 1,500 meters.
His place in the history books Athletics secured Bayi at the age of 20 years on February 2, 1974 at the British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch. With the launch he sat down at the top of the 1500 m field. He completed the first lap in 54.9 seconds and kept the pace high on. On the last lap, John Walker ( NZL) began to shorten the distance and was initially the home straight only one meter behind Bayi. But the thought, however, increased their lead again and had improved the world record in the destination of Jim Ryun by almost a second on 3:32,16 minutes. In order to assess performance Bayis properly, one must understand clearly that since then with the exception of the 800 -meter indoor world records by Wilson Kipketer no middle and long distance world record more has come with a start - to-finish victory about.
On May 17, 1975, Bayi brought in Kingston with another impressive solo run the world record in the mile run in a time of 3:51,0 minutes. This record he lost three months later at the Kingston again second-placed Walker.
The rivalry between Walker and Bayi certain the 1500m and mile race in 1975 and 1976, so that the meeting at the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal was eagerly awaited. The African Olympic boycott made the dreams to the ground on a high class duel, Walker won the gold medal in the absence of Bayi. Bayi was in 1976, however, also not at his best, as he was suffering from malaria, which led to competition breaks again and again in later years.
In the Commonwealth Games 1978 Bayis alone was crowned in the 1500 m final not successful, just before the finish overtook him David Moorcroft (GBR ), and he had to settle for silver.
Two years later at the Olympic Games in Moscow came Bayi still to honor Olympic medal when he won the 3000 m steeplechase in 8:12,5 minutes behind Bronisław Malinowski (POL ) the silver medal. Again he had the race clearly begun under world record pace and settled already far from the field. But the more experienced Malinowski took a meter by meter on and pulled on the last ditch past the fully depleted Bayi. In the last years of his career he was active as a long-distance runner and has been successful in road races. So he won about 1984 at the Grand Prix of Bern over ten miles.
After his sports career Bayi showed great commitment in setting up the Filbert Bayi - foundation based in Mkuza (Tanzania ), which is dedicated since 2003 to promote new talent on athletics. Furthermore, educating young people is one of the dangers of AIDS and ways out of poverty to their destinations.