Runner's Revenge

Ever since he paced Dr. Roger Bannister to the world's first four-minute mile (TIME, May 17), Distance Runner Chris Chataway has been a British favorite. Even though he won the three-mile race at the Empire Games in August, most of his fans remember him as the man who always finishes second. Last summer, at the European championships in Bern, Chris managed to nose out the great Czech runner, Emil Zatopek, in the 5,000- meter run--and still he finished second, behind Russia's Vladimir Kuc (rhymes with coots).

When British authorities invited Moscow to send a track and field squad to London for an intercity meet, one night last week, Londoners were mainly interested in the 5,000-meter race and Chris Chataway's chance for revenge. The Soviets, as usual, were interested in anything they could win.

Although their invitation called for only 30 athletes, the Soviets sent a squad of 69, promised to pick up the tab for the extra guests, and made double entries in every event. Every day after they got to London, the Soviet trackmen put in a hard morning of training, and turned in early. "The one who has trained the hardest will win," said cocksure Champion Kuc. British sportswriters agreed: they knew that Chataway spends precious little time on the track, smokes, drinks beer, and is notoriously lazy about training. "It is fascinating to read all the gibberish which is being written and spoken about sporting good will between the two nations," said the Daily Mirror's Peter Wilson, "when all the good is on our side and all the will (to win) is on theirs."

In the 5,000-meter race, no one could have doubted Chataway's will to win. As expected, Kuc jumped into an early lead, but Chataway was right on his heels. When the Russian.sprinted, Chataway turned on the power and stayed with him. Lap after lap they rounded the track, close as a pair of vaudeville tap dancers. The Russian could not shake his pursuer.

As they took the last turn, a spotlight focused on the pair and picked up Chataway's final move. His smooth style remained, but there was no sign of the stamina needed for a sprint when the Briton moved out on the track to get racing room. Fifty yards from the tape, he was half a pace back. Twenty-five yards to go, and he was still behind. But the gap was smaller now. By the time they passed the tape, Chris Chataway, the man who always finishes second, was first by a stride. His time: 13:51.6, a new world's record.

Moscow won an easy team victory (159-89), but for London, the 5,000-meter race was the meet. Only Chris Chataway had some sober second thoughts. Looking ahead to the next Olympics, he shook his head and mumbled: "I'd still back Zatopek to beat us both."

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