Keino Outrun By Two Scots

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32359, 27 July 1970, Page 16

Keino Outrun By Two Scots

Two young Scots drew on their last reserves of energy to knock the Kenyan, Kipchoge Keino, off his 5000metres throne and complete events in the ninth Games in epic style on Saturday.

The European champion, lan Stewart, aged 21, and the talented but unpredictable lan McCafferty, aged 25, broke away from the 30-year-old Kenyan to take the gold and silver medals, respectively Keino, who won the mile and three miles titles in Jamaica four years ago, and took the gold in the 1500 metres last Wednesday, for once was unable to produce his devast ating final burst of speed. Stewart’s time of 13min 22.8 sec was the second fastest recorded, following only behind Ron Clarke’s four-year-old world record of 13min 16.6 sec. The Scot also chopped 2sec off the European record, as well as sweeping aside the Commonwealth and United Kingdom marks.

The New Zealanders Dick Quax and Roger Tayler, were never in the race, and finished seventh (13:43.4) and tenth (13:48.8), respectively. Keino was the prime target of the other 13 runners in the field, and Stewart admitted afterwards: “I felt good about beating Keino,. but I would have felt better if he hadn’t already run in the 1500." Keino did not appear troubled by his defeat. “Nothing went wrong. I am very happy with the result,” he said. The 5000 metres also marked the final appearance of Clarke in major competition. The Australian, who still holds five of the 19 world records he has broken during his distinguished career, finished fifth and goes into retirement still without a gold medal. Tail Of Field Quax and Tayler trailed the: field at the beginning of the; first lap and this was to be the story of the race for the| two Kiwis. The field was strung out at: the 3000-metre mark, with: Stewart, McCafferty, Keino, Clarke and Dick Taylor (England) in the front bunch.

Quax managed to stay about 20 yards behind them for another two laps but had no chance of catching the leaders.