I have noticed various postings to the list concerning the Brussels 10,000m
- and the 'errors' committed by Larry Rawson etc. concerning Felix Limo at
the finish.
I was in Brussels, and with Steve Ovett commentated on the race in its
entirety for ISL's clients, who may not have received this commentary, as
the 10k was before the main 2 1/2 hour programme began. The last lap or two
was inserted into the main programme later.
May I support Larry - and Walt Murphy's comments on this subject - because
despite watching the race throughout (with a very few interruptions) neither
Steve nor I had any doubt at the time (and said so on our commentary) that
Limo was a lapped runner who helped Tergat to a decent finish. The other
commentators that I have spoken to were all of the same opinion.
However, subsequent investigation does appear to support the official result
that Limo finished 2nd.
I had noted the file of runners behind the early pacemaker Ben Limo - and
then the main protagonists Tergat and Ivuti - and, for instance, at the
5000m point Limo was not in the next five or so runners (I am told now that
he went through in about 13:27 compared to Tergat's 13:18.98).
The file had sorted itself out by 2k to the pacemakers (Damiao, Ornellas,
and Ben Limo) and then: Tergat, Ivuti, Maina, Rutto, I Kirui, P Kosgei ...
and I think from memory that that order of those Kenyans was more or less
retained for many laps. I did not note Felix Limo at all.
>From 5km to 6km Ivuti challenged Tergat as they went clear of the pack, but
then it was Tergat (who ran the 6th and 7th kilometres in 2:42.09 and
2:42.64) against his target of the world's fastest time of the year - and we
noticed Ivuti gradually falling back.
Now it may be that Limo ran a more consistent pace and passed all those
other men - Maina, Kalya, Ivuti etc. - but it is curious that neither of us
noted that - but then it would have been well behind Tergat (and not shown
on our TV monitor) - and there was 1 large field of 24 runners.
Tergat certainly slowed from the 7k point with kilometres of 2:47.48,
2:49.70 but then produced a last km of 2:42.98.
Having initially dismissed Limo's time - I am now adding it to my lists in
view of authoritive opinion. But I retain some scepticism and would love to
see a lap chart or details of Limo's splits throught the race.
Peter Matthews,
Editor International Athletics Annual, Co-publisher Athletics International
10 Madgeways Close, Great Amwell, Ware, Herts SG12 9RU, England
Tel. 44 (0)1920 870434, Fax 44 (0)1920 877392
