Tanzanian legend Filbert Bayi inducted into Hall of Fame at World Athletics Museum
Filbert Bayi (left) presents his singlet to World Athletics president Sebastian Coe during a ceremony held in Paris, France. PHOTO | AGENCIES
What you need to know:
- Bayi’s most notable achievement was his victory in the 1500 metres final at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he won a gold medal, defeating New Zealand’s John Walker and Kenya’s Ben Jipcho.
Dar es Salaam. World Athletics (WA) has honoured the remarkable achievements of Tanzanian legend Filbert Bayi by enshrining two of his world records in the World Athletics Museum.
The ceremony, led by WA President Sebastian Coe, took place at the World Athletics Museum (MOWA) in Monaco.
Bayi, alongside other record-breaking athletes from various nations, participated in the celebration, which coincided with the ongoing Olympic Games.
Bayi’s most notable achievement was his victory in the 1500 metres final at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he won a gold medal, defeating New Zealand’s John Walker and Kenya’s Ben Jipcho.
In that race, Bayi set a new world record of 3:32.16 minutes, approved by the IAAF (now WA), breaking the previous record held by American Jim Ryun.
Bayi’s Commonwealth Games record stood unchallenged for 48 years until it was broken by Australian athlete Ollie Hoare at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
During the 2022 Games, Bayi had the honour of awarding a medal to Hoare, who set a new record of 3:30.12 minutes.
Aside from his 1500 meters record in 1974, Bayi also broke the one-mile record in the "Dream Mile" race held in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1975, surpassing the previous record held by Jim Ryun.
Another significant milestone in Bayi’s career came at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, where he was one of two Tanzanians to win a medal.
He claimed silver in the 3000 meters steeplechase, while Suleiman Nyambui won a silver medal in the 5000 meters race.
To this day, Tanzania's Olympic medal count from the 1980 Games remains unmatched.
However, there is renewed hope that the nation’s medal tally could grow, with Alphonce Simbu, Gabriel Geay, Magdalena Shauri, and Jackline Sakilu set to compete in the men’s and women’s marathons on August 10 and 11.
Bayi, who currently serves as the Secretary-General of the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC), expressed his pride in a phone interview from France, noting the significance of having his achievements memorialised in the World Athletics Museum.
"This is not just for me; it is part of Tanzanian history.
It’s something that our counterparts value highly, and it continues to honour athletes who have excelled in athletics.
It also inspires the younger generation to follow in these footsteps," Bayi said.
