View source for Filbert Bayi

{{short description|Tanzanian middle-distance runner}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name = Filbert Bayi
|image = Filbert Bayi 1975b.jpg
|image_size =230px
|caption = Bayi in 1975
|sport = [[Sport of Athletics|Athletics]]/[[Track and field#Running|Track]], [[Middle-distance running|Mid-distance running]]
|event = [[800 metres]], [[1500 metres]], [[Mile run|mile]], [[5000 metres]], [[steeplechase (athletics)|steeplechase]]
|country = {{TAN}}
|alias =
|club = 
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|06|22}}
|birth_place = [[Karatu (Tanzanian ward)|Karatu]], [[Arusha Region]], [[Tanganyika Territory]]
|height = 1.83 m
|weight = 59 kg
|turnedpro = 
|retired =
|pb = {{unbulleted list
|'''Outdoor''' <ref name="IAAF">{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/tanzania/filbert-bayi-5394|work=[[International Association of Athletics Federations|IAAF]]|title=Filbert BAYI - Athlete Profile}}</ref>
|'''[[800 metres|800 m]]:''' 1:45.32 ([[Christchurch]] 1974)
|'''[[1500 metres|1500 m]]:''' 3:32.16 '''[[Tanzanian records in athletics|NR]]''' ([[Christchurch]] 1974)
|'''[[Mile run|Mile]]:''' 3:51.0 '''[[Tanzanian records in athletics|NR]]''' ([[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] 1975)
|'''[[3000 metres|3000 m]]:''' 7:39.27 '''[[Tanzanian records in athletics|NR]]''' ([[Oslo]] 1980)
|'''[[Two miles|2-mile]]:''' 8:19.45 ([[London]] 1980)
|'''[[5000 metres|5000 m]]:''' 13:18.2 ([[Oslo]]&nbsp;1980)
|'''[[3000&nbsp;metres steeplechase|3000 m s’chase]]:''' 8:12.48 '''[[Tanzanian records in athletics|NR]]''' ([[Moscow]]&nbsp;1980)
|'''Indoor''' <ref name="IAAF"/>
|'''[[Mile run|Mile]]:''' 3:54.5 '''[[Tanzanian records in athletics|NR]]''' ([[Los&nbsp;Angeles]]&nbsp;1980)
|'''[[3000 m]]:''' 7:50.4 ([[Edmonton]] 1980)
|'''[[5000 m]]:''' 13:45.16 ([[Toronto]] 1981)
}}
|olympics =
|worlds =
|highestranking = 
|coaching =
|updated =
|medaltemplates = 
{{MedalCountry | {{TAN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow]]|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metre steeplechase|3000 m steeplechase]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1974 Commonwealth Games|1974 Christchurch]]|1500 m}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1978 Commonwealth Games|1978 Edmonton]]|1500 m}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[All-Africa Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Athletics at the 1973 All-Africa Games|1973 Lagos]]|1500 m}}
{{MedalGold|[[Athletics at the 1978 All-Africa Games|1978 Algiers]]|1500 m}}
}}
'''Filbert Bayi Sanka''' (born June 23, 1953) is a [[Tanzanian]] former [[Middle distance track event|middle-distance runner]]<ref name="Moore1998">{{cite book|last=Moore|first=Kenny|title=Best Efforts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MjLYAAAAMAAJ|access-date=8 May 2011|date=May 1998|publisher=Cedarwinds|isbn=978-0-915297-10-8|pages=87}}</ref> who competed throughout the 1970s. He set the world records for [[1500 metres]] in 1974 and [[World record progression for the mile run|the mile]] in 1975. His world record in the 1500&nbsp;m was also the [[List of Commonwealth Games records in athletics|Commonwealth Games record]] until 2022.

==Running career==
Born in a small village of [[Karatu (Tanzanian ward)|Karatu]], near [[Arusha]], Tanzania, he had to run eight miles every day to and from school as a boy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Webster |first1=Jim |title=World record to Tanzania |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=lL5f5cZgq8MC&dat=19740203&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=23 December 2018 |work=[[The Sun-Herald]] |issue=43 |date=3 February 1974}}</ref> His greatest moment was arguably the 1500 m final at the [[1974 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Christchurch]], New Zealand, when he won the gold medal ahead of New Zealand runner [[John Walker (runner)|John Walker]] and Kenyan [[Ben Jipcho]]. Bayi set a new world record of 3 min 32.16 s, ratified by the [[IAAF]] as 3:32.2, and Walker went under the old world record set by [[Jim Ryun]] as well. Third place Jipcho, fourth place [[Rod 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.

{{quote|"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."|Filbert Bayi<ref name=heraldscot/>}}

In 1975, Bayi broke Ryun's eight-year-old mile record by clocking 3:51.0<ref>milerman, (17 November 2009). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oK3d7Ckh2o "1975 Miracle Mile:  Filbert Bayi runs 3:51.0"] – via YouTube.</ref> in [[Kingston, 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 at [[Gothenburg]].

It was hoped that the Bayi-Walker clash would continue but, because Tanzania boycotted the [[1976 Summer Olympics]] in [[Montreal]], it never materialized.<ref name=bayi-walker1>{{cite web|title=The Montreal Olympics boycott|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/montreal-olympics-boycott|website=nzhistory.net|access-date=1 January 2016}}</ref> 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 m [[Steeplechase (athletics)|steeplechase]] at the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in [[Moscow]]. He ran 8:12.5 behind [[Bronisław Malinowski (athlete)|Bronisław Malinowski]].<ref>[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ba/filbert-bayi-1.html "Filbert Bayi Bio, Stats, and Results"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922171532/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ba/filbert-bayi-1.html |date=2013-09-22 }}. ''Olympics at Sports-Reference.com''.</ref>

==Later life==
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 in [[Mkuza]], about 50&nbsp;km from [[Dar es Salaam]]. The complex also aims to educate young people about [[HIV]] and [[AIDS]], plus ways of getting out of [[poverty]]. 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 with [[Barlby High School]] as part of the [[Dreams and Teams]] project set up by the [[British Council]]/[[Youth Sport Trust]]. The school hosted students from [[Barlby]] High School in January and February 2008.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}  Bayi is also a member of the [[IAAF]] Technical Committee<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/committees#iaaf-technical-committee "IAAF: Committees"]. ''iaaf.org''.</ref> and is Secretary-General of the Tanzanian Olympic Committee.<ref name=heraldscot>[http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/commonwealth-games/cwg-news/bayis-record-may-be-gone-but-it-should-never-be-forgotten.23308390 "Bayi's record may be gone but it should never be forgotten"]. ''HeraldScotland''.</ref>

==International competitions==
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
!colspan="6"|Representing {{TAN}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1972
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Munich]], [[West Germany]]
|46th (h)
|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]
|3:45.4
|-
|31st (h)
|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase|3000&nbsp;m s'chase]]
|8:41.4
|-
|1973
|[[Athletics at the 1973 All-Africa Games|All-Africa Games]]
|[[Lagos, Nigeria]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|3:37.23
|-
|rowspan=2|1974
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games|British Commonwealth Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Christchurch]], New Zealand
|4th
|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 800 metres|800 m]]
|1:45.32
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]
|3:32.16
|-
|rowspan=2|1978
|[[Athletics at the 1978 All-Africa Games|All-Africa Games]]
|[[Algiers, Algeria]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|1500 m
|3:36.21
|-
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Edmonton, Canada]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m]]
|3:35.59
|-
|1980
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Moscow, Soviet Union]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase|3000&nbsp;m s'chase]]
|8:12.48
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Filbert Bayi}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080227015836/http://filbertbayischools.com/ Filbert Bayi Schools – Homepage]
*{{World Athletics||name=Filbert Bayi}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Jim Ryun]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[World record progression 1500 metres|Men's 1500 m World Record Holder]]|years=February 2, 1974 – August 15, 1979}}
{{s-aft|after={{flagicon|GBR}} [[Sebastian Coe]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[World record progression for the mile run|Men's Mile World Record Holder]]|years=May 17, 1975 – August 12, 1975}}
{{s-aft|after={{flagicon|NZL}} [[John Walker (runner)|John Walker]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 1500m Men}}
{{Footer All-Africa Champions 1500 m Men}}
{{Footer WBYP 1500m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor Mile Men}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bayi, Filbert}}
[[Category:People from Arusha Region]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tanzanian men middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Tanzanian steeplechase runners]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Tanzania]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Tanzania]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Tanzania]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Tanzania]]
[[Category:World record setters in the sport of athletics]]
[[Category:People from Karatu District]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:African Games gold medalists for Tanzania]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1973 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:African Games gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1973 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1978 All-Africa Games]]