World Athletics honours Bayi as museum to be inaugurated

Dar es Salaam. Two world athletics records set by Filbert Bayi have been listed in the World Athletics Museum (Mowa).

Bayi, who is now the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) secretary general, set the world records for 1500 metres in 1974 and one year later he broke an eight-year-old record for the mile in 1975. He is still the 1500m Commonwealth Games record holder.

World Athletics (WA) president Sebastina Coe announced that yesterday ahead of the inauguration of the museum on March 11, this year, in Monaco, France, where the WA headquarters is located. Bayi is one of the world stars invited to attend the video launch event.

In his statement, Coe said they have decided to establish the museum aiming to keep records and inspire young athletes about the game. The veteran athlete, who visited Tanzania in early 2010, said there were challenges for many countries around the world to find a museum, but the presence of the museum is an innovative technology in sports that keeps memories for generations. He said the world athletics museum would provide the history of the sport, including explaining the history of world championships and the Olympics. “The inauguration of the palace will also involve other champions of the sport, including Filbert Bayi, a Tanzanian athlete who broke two world records,” said Coe.

For his part, Bayi said the move will continue to make him alive in the game.