Filbert Bayi

Bayi in 1975
Personal information
Born	(1953-06-22)June 22, 1953 (age 72) Karatu,Arusha Region,Tanganyika Territory
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
Country	Tanzania
Sport	Athletics/Track,Mid-distance running
Event(s)	800 metres,1500 metres,mile,5000 metres,steeplechase
Achievements and titles
Personalbests	Outdoor[1] 800 m: 1:45.32 (Christchurch 1974) 1500 m: 3:32.16NR (Christchurch 1974) Mile: 3:51.0NR (Kingston 1975) 3000 m: 7:39.27NR (Oslo 1980) 2-mile: 8:19.45 (London 1980) 5000 m: 13:18.2 (Oslo 1980) 3000 m s’chase: 8:12.48NR (Moscow 1980) Indoor[1] Mile: 3:54.5NR (Los Angeles 1980) 3000 m: 7:50.4 (Edmonton 1980) 5000 m: 13:45.16 (Toronto 1981)
Medal record Representing Tanzania Olympic Games 1980 Moscow 3000 m steeplechase Commonwealth Games 1974 Christchurch 1500 m 1978 Edmonton 1500 m All-Africa Games 1973 Lagos 1500 m 1978 Algiers 1500 m

Filbert Bayi Sanka (born June 23, 1953) is aTanzanian formermiddle-distance runner^[2] who competed throughout the 1970s. He set the world records for1500 metres in 1974 andthe mile in 1975. His world record in the 1500 m was also theCommonwealth Games record until 2022.

Born in a small village ofKaratu, nearArusha, Tanzania, he had to run eight miles every day to and from school as a boy.^[3] His greatest moment was arguably the 1500 m final at the1974 Commonwealth Games inChristchurch, New Zealand, when he won the gold medal ahead of New Zealand runnerJohn Walker and KenyanBen Jipcho. Bayi set a new world record of 3 min 32.16 s, ratified by theIAAF as 3:32.2, and Walker went under the old world record set byJim Ryun as well. Third place Jipcho, fourth placeRod Dixon, and fifth place Graham Crouch also ran the fourth, fifth, and seventh fastest 1500 m times to that date. It is still classed as one of the greatest 1500 m races of all time. There was no jockeying for position in the race; Bayi led from the beginning in a fast pace and was 20 metres ahead at 800 metres, the other runners strung out in a line behind him.

"Think about the change that occurred in the 1500m at Christchurch. The 1500m was usually a slow race and then a sprint [at the finish]. But in 1974 I changed that from the beginning to the end. And not many people have thought about that."

In 1975, Bayi broke Ryun's eight-year-old mile record by clocking 3:51.0^[5] inKingston, Jamaica on 17 May. The record was short-lived as Walker became history's first sub-3:50 miler on 12 August of the same year, running 3:49.4 atGothenburg.

It was hoped that the Bayi-Walker clash would continue but, because Tanzania boycotted the1976 Summer Olympics inMontreal, it never materialized.^[6] However, since Bayi was suffering from a bout of malaria shortly before the Olympics, he may not have been able to challenge Walker even had there been no boycott.

Bayi won a silver medal in the 3000 msteeplechase at the1980 Summer Olympics inMoscow. He ran 8:12.5 behindBronisław Malinowski.^[7]

After retirement Bayi has spent much effort in setting up the Filbert Bayi Foundation which aims to guide young sporting talent in Tanzania. It is based inMkuza, about 50 km fromDar es Salaam. The complex also aims to educate young people aboutHIV andAIDS, plus ways of getting out ofpoverty. The foundation started in 2003. Bayi has also opened a Primary and Nursery school based in Kimara, as well as the Secondary school which is based in Kibaha. The schools have been partnered withBarlby High School as part of theDreams and Teams project set up by theBritish Council/Youth Sport Trust. The school hosted students fromBarlby High School in January and February 2008.^{[citation needed]} Bayi is also a member of theIAAF Technical Committee^[8] and is Secretary-General of the Tanzanian Olympic Committee.^[4]

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Tanzania
1972	Olympic Games	Munich,West Germany	46th (h)	1500 m	3:45.4
			31st (h)	3000 m s'chase	8:41.4
1973	All-Africa Games	Lagos, Nigeria	1st	1500 m	3:37.23
1974	British Commonwealth Games	Christchurch, New Zealand	4th	800 m	1:45.32
			1st	1500 m	3:32.16
1978	All-Africa Games	Algiers, Algeria	1st	1500 m	3:36.21
	Commonwealth Games	Edmonton, Canada	2nd	1500 m	3:35.59
1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union	2nd	3000 m s'chase	8:12.48

Wikimedia Commons has media related toFilbert Bayi.

• Filbert Bayi Schools – Homepage
• Filbert Bayi atWorld Athletics

Records
Preceded by Jim Ryun	Men's 1500 m World Record Holder February 2, 1974 – August 15, 1979	Succeeded by Sebastian Coe
	Men's Mile World Record Holder May 17, 1975 – August 12, 1975	Succeeded by John Walker

• USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners
• People from Arusha Region
• 1953 births
• Living people
• Tanzanian men middle-distance runners
• Tanzanian steeplechase runners
• Olympic athletes for Tanzania
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics
• Olympic silver medalists for Tanzania
• Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
• Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Tanzania
• Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Tanzania
• World record setters in the sport of athletics
• People from Karatu District
• Olympic silver medalists in athletics
• African Games gold medalists for Tanzania
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 All-Africa Games
• Athletes (track and field) at the 1973 All-Africa Games
• Medallists at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games
• Medallists at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
• Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics
• Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics
• African Games gold medalists in athletics (track and field)
• Medalists at the 1973 All-Africa Games
• Medalists at the 1978 All-Africa Games

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