Walker, Bayi, Coghlan in thrilling finish

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 30

Walker, Bayi, Coghlan in thrilling finish

NZPA Washington John Walker was narrowly beaten ■ by his archrivals, Filbert Bayi and Eanionn Coghlan, over a mile at San Diego on Friday night in. what he described as “probably the most exciting race I've ever had.” The three lunged at the tape together after the the 11-lap indoor contest which saw Bayi and Walker sprinting each other down the straights over

the last three laps, the Tanzanian managing to hold the advantage on every vital bend. Coghlan came down nowhere at the finish with Bayi getting the nod in 3mins 55.5 secs, Coghlan was placed second, with' an official 3.55.7 and Walker third in 3.55.8. But the New Zealander challenged the times, saying: ‘flbey were all to pot. There wasn’t two feet between the three of us, ?«nd no way was there a tenth

of second between Coghlan and me.” Walker admitted that the actual result was a dis-... appointment to him. But he said:; “It was the best indoor race I have ever run — it was the first time I’ve been really competitive on the boards. “If it had been outdoors I know I would have won.” Walker said that the race had concluded his best-ever indoor season! in the United States — three miles in which he clocked

3.55.2, 3.55.8 and 3;57.7. “It’s given me a hell of a lot of confidence, and I know I’m in good shape.” The first six runners beat four minutes on Friday night, and a capacity crowd was on its feet for the last three laps. Walker and B?,yi were at the front and locked in a bitter tactical battle. They sprinted each straight as though It were the last, both men striving for the advantage on the bends.

“I just couldn’t get past him,” We.lker said, “and I couldn’t afford to go wide.” As they lunged at the tape together, Coghlan, putting in one of his typical lightning finishes, came through on the outside to split the nair. The German, Thomas Wessinghage, was fourth. “In the last 10 metres you couldn’t have predicted who would win,” Walker said. Walker’s countryman.

Rod Dixon, finished third in a two miles ra.ee, in which the Kenyan, Henry Rono, blitzed the field. Rono, the world record holder outdoors over 3000 metres, the steeplechase, 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, set the second fastest indoor time with 8:15.6. He ran the last mile in 4 minutes 4 seconds to finish three-quarters of a lap ahead of the American, Steve Lacy (8.22.2), with Dixon third In 8.24.3.