World 5000m record breakers rejoin for anniversary

Britain’s David Moorcroft and Christopher Chataway, two former World 5000m record holders met for a special anniversary last night at the Kingsmeadow track in Kingston, Surrey.

The date 13 October 2004 was the 50th Anniversary of the occasion on which Chataway at a London versus Moscow City match at London’s White City stadium met with the then World record holder and newly crowned European champion Vladimir Kuts in what turned out to be an epic clash over 5000m.

Kuts led from the gun with Chataway only taking the lead in the last 20 metres, in a fierce confrontation which slashed a full five seconds off the World record which passed to the feet of the fleet Briton in 13:51.6. Kuts finished second in 13:51.7.

Kuts who recaptured the record just ten days later in Prague - he was to set another two 5000m records later in his career - and in 1956 became Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion is sadly no longer living, but yesterday evening Chataway, who has since had a distinguished career in national politics, decided to celebrate the anniversary in the only appropriate manner by having a race over a 5000m!

In a fun track outing, UK Athletics Chief Executive David Moorcroft who broke the World 5000m record in 1982 (13:00.41), joined Chataway and a field of approximately 30 runners composed mainly of members from the latter’s club ‘Thames Hare and Hounds’, over a handicapped distance of 5000m.

Given that Chataway is 73 years of age and Moorcroft is only 51, the former British Member of Parliament who famously was one of the two men to pace Roger Bannister to the first sub-4 minute Mile in 1954, started with a significant distance advantage in the handicap but that still didn’t stop Moorcroft sauntering home ahead.

Finishing times?  No, this was probably the one occasion in both men’s distinguished running careers that time was not at all relevant. Instead it was the date which said everything!

Chris Turner for the IAAF