- Naftali Temu
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Medal record
Temu at Mexico City 1968Men's Athletics Competitor for Kenya
Olympic Games Gold 1968 Mexico City 10000 metres Bronze 1968 Mexico City 5000 metres All-Africa Games Silver 1965 Brazzaville 5000 metres Naftali Temu (April 20, 1945 – March 10, 2003) was a Kenyan athlete, who won the 10.000 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
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Early career
Born in Nyamira District, Naftali Temu started running at the age of 14. After completing schooling, he joined the Kenyan Army.[1]
Temu competed at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, where he finished 49th in marathon [2]
He won 5000 metres silver medal at the inaugural All-Africa Games in 1965, the race was won by Kipchoge Keino. He burst onto the international long distance running scene at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, where he won gold medal and beat the world record holder Ron Clarke in the six miles. Two days later, Temu finished fourth in the three miles.
1968 Olympics
At the Mexico Olympics, in the 10 000 m final, only Mamo Wolde from Ethiopia managed to keep Temu's pace. Wolde went to lead at the bell, but Temu passed him with only 50 m remaining to win the gold. Four days later, he contested the 5000 m final, where he won the bronze medal, only narrowly beaten by Mohammed Gammoudi from Tunisia and fellow countryman Kip Keino. Later, he also contested the Olympic marathon, where he had again a great battle with Wolde, but the latter broke free just after the 30 km mark, and exhausted Temu managed to finish only in nineteenth place.
Retirement and afterwards
The rest of the Temu's athletics career went downward. He finished nineteenth in the 10 000 m at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, and was eliminated in the heats of the 10 000 m at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
He retired in 1973. After his career he ran a farm in North Mugirango. The farm was a gift from then president Jomo Kenyatta [1]
Naftali Temu died of prostate cancer in Kenyatta National Hospital, aged 57. The diagnosis had been made many months before his death, but he could not afford the US$ 600 needed for medical treatment.
References
- ^ a b Daily Nation, March 11, 2003: Kenya's track hero Temu dies aged 58
- ^ Men Marathon Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo (JPN) - Wednesday 21.10
Olympic Champions in Men's 5 miles and 10,000 m As five miles 1908: Emil Voigt (GBR)
As 10,000 metres 1912: Hannes Kolehmainen (FIN) · 1920: Paavo Nurmi (FIN) · 1924: Ville Ritola (FIN) · 1928: Paavo Nurmi (FIN) · 1932: Janusz Kusociński (POL) · 1936: Ilmari Salminen (FIN) · 1948: Emil Zátopek (TCH) · 1952: Emil Zátopek (TCH) · 1956: Vladimir Kuts (URS) · 1960: Pyotr Bolotnikov (URS) · 1964: Billy Mills (USA) · 1968: Naftali Temu (KEN) · 1972: Lasse Virén (FIN) · 1976: Lasse Virén (FIN) · 1980: Miruts Yifter (ETH) · 1984: Alberto Cova (ITA) · 1988: Brahim Boutayeb (MAR) · 1992: Khalid Skah (MAR) · 1996: Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) · 2000: Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) · 2004: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) · 2008: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
Commonwealth Champions in Men's 10000 m 1930–1966: 6 miles · 1970–present: 10000 metres 1930: Billy Savidan (NZL) · 1934: Arthur Penny (ENG) · 1938: Cecil Matthews (NZL) · 1950: Harold Nelson (NZL) · 1954: Peter Driver (ENG) · 1958: Dave Power (AUS) · 1962: Bruce Kidd (CAN) · 1966: Naftali Temu (KEN) · 1970: Lachie Stewart (SCO) · 1974: Dick Tayler (NZL) · 1978: Brendan Foster (ENG) · 1982: Gidamis Shahanga (TAN) · 1986: Jon Solly (ENG) · 1990: Eamonn Martin (ENG) · 1994: Lameck Aguta (KEN) · 1998: Simon Maina (KEN) · 2002: Wilberforce Talel (KEN) · 2006: Boniface Kiprop (UGA) · 2010: Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (UGA)
Categories:- 1945 births
- 2003 deaths
- Deaths from prostate cancer
- Kenyan long-distance runners
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes of Kenya
- Olympic gold medalists for Kenya
- Olympic bronze medalists for Kenya
- Cancer deaths in Kenya
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
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