Did Kip Keino Really Run The 10k and 5k Before Crushing Jim Ryun in 1,500 at 1968 Olympics?

Also i thought it was cool the article states he was told he might die if he ran the 1,500 but he did it anyway, catching a bus to the stadium.

yes it was october 13th 1968.

They went very slow; 5k was passed in 14:55.

Naftali Temu won in 29:27.4h in front of Mamo Wolde (29:28), and Mohamed Gammoudi (29:34.2)

Keino had Stomach ache and dropped out with 2K to go.

In this same race Ron Clarke suffocates and was inanimate on the grass for long minutes before Mister Corrigan (Doctor) reanimate him.

Yes, that is how I remember his running described in the '68 Games. I have no doubt the article is 100% accurate.

Ron Clarke almost died on the infield? Am I reading this right?

Honest Opinion wrote:

Ron Clarke almost died on the infield? Am I reading this right?

Yeah. He ran like a 90 second last lap and passed out. He came to and didn't know where he was. He was never the same afterwards; I've seen speculation (in Lore of Running for one) that he damaged his heart in that effort.

Keino's achievements have never been given appropriate respect in the U.S.

In the 1968 Olympics, Keino ran six races in about eight days: (1) about 8800 meters of the 10,000 (running with the leaders until he collapsed); (2) a 5000 heat; (3) the 5000 final (silver, just edged out for the gold); (4) a 1500 heat; (5) a 1500 semifinal; (6) the 1500 final (gold, in an Olympic record 3:34.9). All while seriously ill, and all at 7300 feet altitude.

What do you mean "appropriate respect in the US"?! Find me a trie track fan in the states that doesn't completely respect or revere him. Besides, what did you want the Americans to do? Build a statue for a Kenyan?! Oh wait, that's for their president...

rojo wrote:I knew he had already won silver in the 5000 but had no idea he dropped out of the 10k with gallstones.

That's what this article says and I'm assuming it's accurate.

Can anyone confirm?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/mar/30/olympics-2012-athletics

big guy

i reckon at his peak that meet he was in shape on '70's synthetic :

~

49.0 / 1'44.6 ->3'27.4 , 7'19.5 , 12'42.9 , 26'48.2

which obviously looks complete nonsense, except that distances above 1500 require

" & his endurance lasted perfectly "

his didn't above 1500 ( albeit, his stunning 7'39 in oslo-'65 musta been worth <<7'30 )

he didn't get much time off to train except '68 camp with extra coupla chickens thrown in/week for protein, but he usually sent them to his family

I am surprised that you don't have the wherewithal to look this up yourself. Yes, he did. It is common knowledge for those of us who grew up before the internet.

We all "might die". Guess you gotta go for the Olympic 1500 gold when you can, huh?

I think the story goes that he also had to run a hard 2 kilometers from the doctor's office to the bus station.

...before the 1500 final

Why die?? wrote:

What do you mean "appropriate respect in the US"?! Find me a trie track fan in the states that doesn't completely respect or revere him. .

Avocado is correct, and you are not. The point was that many serious track fans, including me and rojo (I found this out about 6 months ago), were not aware that the guy TRIPLED at the '68 games (an unprecedented triple attempt in the modern games? anyone know?). So yes, if lots of people are not even aware of that fact, then surely they can not appreciate what they are not aware of. Secondly, so many track fans in the USA, and many reside right here on this site, whine and complain that "poor Jim Ryun" was "disadvantaged" in his 1500 race against Keino because the race was at altitude and KK had a teammate that

paced/"rabbitted" him the first 1/2 the race. Disadvantaged??? Keino was running his 3rd final and 6th race in 8 days, was very sick with gallstone complications (?), was ordered not to run the 1500 final by his doctor, crawled off the table in his office, missed the bus to the final and had to jog to the stadium, only barely arriving in time to sign in for the race! All of that against a fresh Jim Ryun whom he proceeded to, yes, "crush". Disadvantaged indeed.

So Avocado is certainly correct in his assessment of the lack of respect given to what Keino achieved at those games. It's probably the most amazing story I've heard regarding a performance at the Olympics, bar none.

He's lucky he didn't die then.

Why die?? wrote:

What do you mean "appropriate respect in the US"?! Find me a trie track fan in the states that doesn't completely respect or revere him. Besides, what did you want the Americans to do? Build a statue for a Kenyan?! Oh wait, that's for their president...

I count myself as a BIG track fan and I had forgotten that he Won the Steeple and placed second in the 1500m. I know I had read it before, but if you had asked me who won those medals in 1972 I probably would have given you the wrong names, except for the Steeple. I knew that Keino and Jipcho went 1-2.

"Train Hard Win Easy" pp. 95-96

He had yellow jaundice or hepatitis. With 3 laps to go in the 10000, he was lying flat on the track. He could not eat before the 5000. Part of the reason Ryun lost the 1500 is that Kip went out in Olympic Record pace and Ryun expected him to keel over any moment. By the time Ryun realized Kip was actually going to make it, Ryun was too far behind to make up the distance.

But why does a D1 distance coach not already know this?

keino was looking only for the 5k gold

he'd given up on 1500

( i got that from his day-job boss )

but ryun was ill & in retrospect after mono "only" 3'30 shape from the

??? 3'24/25 shape of '67

keino admitted he got hugely lucky that he won, but a "3'27" guy deserves a gold...

biggest injustice was the 800 with kiprugut blasting away from the gun with suicidal 200 & only hauled back in the stretch - essentially solo attempt

in a '70's synthetic, with wabbit to bell, i estimate that as

mid/high 1'42

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAaV0JarbY

( doubell woudn't have been close - he works out at

~ low-1'43

but got all the wabbiting )

further to Avocado's input... Ryun is routinely brought up here as a contender for greatest miler of all time, with Keino seldom if ever making the list of contenders.. despite what he achieved.

I wonder if Jim Ryun would have been crushed at sea level...