Third world mark in six weeks for phenomenal Briton

Press, 17 August 1979, Page 24

Third world mark in six weeks for phenomenal Briton

NZPA-Reuter

Zurich, Switzerland

Britain’s phenomenal Sebastian Coe strode effortlessly into the history books at Zurich yesterday, breaking the 1500 metres world record and adding it to his 800 metres and one mile triumphs.

The 23-year-old Briton ; i surged round Zurich’s Letzi-il grund Stadium before 24,00011 frantically cheering specta- < tors in three minutes 32.1 k seconds, chipping one-tenth is of a second off the previous it record of 3.32.2 minutes set by the Tanzanian. Filbert [e Bayi, at the Christchurch i Commonwealth Games in. By his feat Coe became, the first athlete ever to hold! all three records at the same t time. He began his victorious | progress in Oslo six weeks i ago. establishing a new 800; metres world mark of Imin; 4233 s and added the mile record of 3:49.0 12 days later i in the same city. Britain’s Sydney Wooder-1 son held world bests at simi- [ Jar distances. In 1937 he set; a mile record of 4min 6.45, and a year later broke thei 800 metres and 880 yards records in the course of one j race. The times were 1:48.8> and 1:49.2. The classic double of 1500; metres and mile has been! achieved by only a small, band of athletes, including' Bayi, Jim Ryun, of the United , States, and the Australians: Herb Elliott and John Landy. i Coe still needs one morel world record to equal the! present achievement of the Kenyan, Henry Rono, the fastest man over 3000 metres, 5000 metres, 10,000 metres, and 3000 metres steeplechase. i Ron Clarke of Australia,' held seven world records si-1 multaneously for a few' months — three miles, 5000 metres, six miles, 10,000 metres, 10 miles, 20,000 metres and one hour. Photographers and fans I,

mobbed the slight, darkhaired runner as he jogged round the stadium in a lap ;of honour, waving, smiling and clapping his hands in response to a tumultuous ovation. Coe told reporters: “I am elated at having broken the world record, but I feel I

.could do better still under better conditions. We ran at much too fast a pace in the first lap. In fact my father yelled at me to slow down.” : Coe’s father, Peter, who is also his trainer, shouted his warning as Kenya’s William Koskei led the field at a furious pace over the first 600 metres. Passing the 400 metres mark at 54.25 seconds, 0.15 seconds faster than Bayi’s intermediate time on his 1974 record run.

Coe went in front just before the mid-distance and forged steadily ahead, fighting a rising wind as well as the clock. With long, smooth strides he stepped up his pace over the final lap and an electronic device at the finishing line recorded his time as three minutes 32.03 seconds. Officials said that in accordance with International Amateur Athletic Federation (1.A.A.F.) regulations for record performances over distances greater than 400 metres the time was rounded up to the nearest tenth of a second. Craig Masback, of the United States, finished second in 3:36.97, and Steven Foley, of Australia, came third in 3:37.36. The race was the highlight of an international track and field meeting featuring the I.A.A.F. “Golden Sprint” event.