John Kipkurgat

John Kipkurgat (born 16 March 1944) is a Kenyan former middle-distance runner who won gold in men's 800 metres at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games.

John Kipkurgat
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Kenya
British Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place1974 Christchurch800 metres
All-Africa Games
Silver medal – second place1973 Lagos800 metres

Career

Kipkurgat won silver in men's 800 metres behind fellow Kenyan Cosmas Silei at the 1973 All-Africa Games in Lagos, Nigeria.[1] At the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand Kipkurgat won gold, leading the 800 m final from gun to tape;[2][3] his winning time of 1:43.91 was a new African and Commonwealth record, and only two-tenths off Marcello Fiasconaro's world record of 1:43.7.[4]

Kipkurgat attempted to break Fiasconaro's world record two months later in Pointe-à-Pierre, Trinidad and Tobago.[4] He split 1:13.2 for 600 m, but ran completely out of energy and almost walked to the finish; his 600 m split, however, remains the fastest ever in an 800 m race and one of the fastest 600 m times in any conditions.[4][5]

Kipkurgat later joined the International Track Association, a professional circuit; at the time, athletics was primarily an amateur sport where most athletes only received under-the-table money, and turning openly professional disqualified him from running in further major international meets.[6][7][8]

References
  1. "All-Africa Games". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  2. Prokop, Dave (1975). The African running revolution. World Publications. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-89037-058-2.
  3. Tanser, Toby (2008). More Fire: How to Run the Kenyan Way. Westholme. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-59416-074-5.
  4. Cimbrico, Giorgio (30 January 2014). "Una storia al giorno" (in Italian). Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  5. "The All-Time World 600-Meter List". Track & Field News. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  6. Uhuru 13: Kenya Yearbook 1977. Newspread International. 1977.
  7. Rono, Henry (2008). Olympic Dream. AuthorHouse. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-4343-9170-4. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  8. "Africa Special Report: Bulletin of the Institute of African American Relations". Institute of African American Relations. 1976. p. 46. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
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