The oldest British Championships record in the book has stood the test of time for an amazing half century

Fifty years ago in July 1972, the British Championships (officially then the AAA) staged the Olympic Trials at Crystal Palace.

At the time, Edward Heath was Prime Minister and Puppy Love by Donny Osmond was the No.1 record in the music charts.

The event was considered the greatest championships in the 92-year history of the event with huge crowds, great weather and a fantastic atmosphere.

Undoubtedly some of the crowds and atmosphere were due to the charismatic Dave Bedford.

The previous year he had set an European 10,000m record on a baking hot day on a cinder track in Portsmouth and his presence had led to sell out crowds at Crystal Palace where he attempted the world 5000m record at the AAA Championships and set a British record in the steeplechase in the IAC/Coca-Cola meeting.

In 1972, everyone thought he was focusing on the 10,000m and it was that this event that was chosen for the sell-out (3.25pm ) Saturday day two crowd with the 5000m on the Friday evening at 7.50pm.

Bedford was not mentioned in the Athletics Weekly 5000m preview though 13 names were picked out to look out for.

Bedford himself was not sure about risking running the shorter distance and though he was entered his participation was unexpected and he even changed his mind seconds before the start.

Though he had not run a fast 5000m for over a year he had run a British 2000m record of 5:03.0 the week before.

He started quickly – almost stumbling – as he powered into the lead at 200 metres and completed the first lap in 61.6. He followed that with laps of 62.4, 62.8 and 62.6 for a first mile inside 4:11.

Only Ian Stewart and Ian McCafferty could live with this staggering pace. The two Scots had fought out a brilliant Commonwealth Games race two years earlier (ahead of Olympic 1500m champion Kip Keino and world record-holder Ron Clarke) and run the then second and third fastest times in history of 13:22.8 and 13:23.4.

Dave Black followed 40 metres back.

Bedford’s fifth circuit was 63.0 which meant his 2000m time of 5:12.4 put him five seconds up on Clarke’s equivalent time during his 13:16.6 world record in 1966 and both Stewart and McCafferty were forced to let him go.

Gradually Bedford’s tempo slowed (laps of 63.8 and 64.4) but he was still through halfway in 6:32 and a 65.2 brought him through 3000m in an unprecedented 7:53.6, still over three seconds quicker than Clarke’s mark during his world record.

Stewart (7:59.2) and McCafferty (7:59.4) were around 40 metres back but still with a clear gap to Black (8:01.0).

Not surprisingly, the tempo began to slow further and laps of 65.8 and 66.0 brought him to 4000m in 10:38.6, just 1.4 seconds up on Clarke’s time.

Had there been pacer lights at Clarke’s pace, it would have overtaken the Briton with 600 metres to go.

At this stage, McCafferty had left Stewart behind and was closing. Bedford then rallied and after passing the bell in 12:17.6 he completed the lap from 4400 to 4800 in 62.4 and was 0.7 down on Clarke’s equivalent with 200m to go.

Having run 29.6 for his penultimate 200m, he needed 29.4 for his final one but despite a big effort he covered it in 30.0 to miss the Australian’s mark by just 0.6 of a second.

His winning time of 13:17.2 was still easily the second fastest time in history and a European record and no one has bettered that in the British Championships in the past half century.

McCafferty settled for second in 13:19.8 to be only the third man ever to break 13:20.

A disgruntled Stewart was third in 13:24.2 to seal his Olympic team spot and he led the British challenge in Germany with a bronze medal.

Mariano Haro, who had defeated Bedford in the European 10,000m and would again beat him in the Olympic 10,000m final, set a Spanish record of 13:26.0 in fourth with Dave Black finding a 13:28.0 insufficient for Olympic selection.

The sheer quality of this event is illustrated by mid-July that six of the seven fastest times in the world were set in this race.

The following day Bedford still turned up for the 10,000m and in front of a wildly enthusiastic and supportive crowd, he ran a time that only he and Clarke have ever bettered and his 27:52.8 made it the greatest double ever achieved within 24 hours. A hard last lap and he could have broken his own European record but he chose to ease around in 67.4 and veer into the fifth lane down the straight to acknowledge the cheering crowds.

He won by 46 seconds from Commonwealth champion Lachie Stewart.

Bedford went on to finish sixth in the Olympic 10,000m and finish 13^th in the 5000m.

He would never run another world-class 5000m but he did break the world 10,000m record in 1973 and finished fourth in the Commonwealth Games 10,000m.

He won a fourth consecutive AAA 10,000m title in 1974 but injury prevented him ever reaching the same level of form again.

He went on to become a leading official, and highly regarded London Marathon race director.

It’s worth noting the 2022 British Championships 5000m was won in 13:42.82 by Marc Scott and the 2022 English Championships in 14:46.49 by Daniel Bebbington.

After winning his latest title this year, Scott paid tribute to Bedford’s mark, saying: “It’s very impressive. Especially in a championship race. All credit goes to him. He was a great athlete himself.

“Maybe in the next couple of years if we get good conditions we can possibly go after it.”

Other winners in 1972 included

100m: Vassilios Papageorgopoulos (GRE) 10.2 (CBP)
200m: Alan Pascoe 20.9 (CBP)
400m: David Jenkins 45.4 (CBP)
1500m: Peter Stewart 3:38.2 (CBP)
3000m steeplechase: Steve Hollings 8:31.2 (CBP)
110m hurdles: Alan Pascoe 13.9 (CBP)
400m hurdles: David Hemery 49.7 (CBP)
Shot: Geoff Capes 19.47 (CBP)
Discus: Bill Tancred 61.06 (CBP)

To read about Dave Bedford’s early career click here

For his early international career click here

Bedford’s 1972 to 1974 career click here

And his top 100 races click here