Kenyan Defeats Ryan In Olympic 1500 Race

Jim Ryun, who came back from a bout with mononucleosis to compete in the Olympics, fell behind Kenya's Kipchoge Keine early and never caught up, as he failed in his attempt to win the gold medal in his specialty, the 1500-meter run.

Keine, who had finished second to Ryun in many races, ran away from his Kansas opponent to cop the gold medal in record Olympic time of 3:34.9. Ryun finished second with a time of 3:37.8.

This upset smashed the United States' hopes for its first gold medal in the 1500-meter run in 60 years. It also destroyed his dream for a first gold medal that Ryun has nurtured for four years, since he competed in the 1964 Olympics as a high school senior.

The U.S. men's and women's 400-meter relay teams won gold medals with Olympic records. The U.S. men's 1600-meter relay team easily out-distanced the Kenyan squad in record time for another gold medal.

In the men's high jump, two U.S. jumpers won the gold and silver medals. Dick Fosbury, famous for his backward flip, won, and Ed Caruthers was the runner-up.