Historical information
As of 2016 Tony Benson is the last Australian to win the 5000m at one of the major meets (now called Diamond League). That year Tony Benson was undefeated in Europe something no Australian has done since. He was also undefeated in the USA in early 1972 and probably would have medalled in Munich 1972 except for an incurring a hamstring injury 10 days before the race AND not being able to find the team medical doctors until some 16 hrs after the injury due to them being away from the village. Despite running with a torn hamstring Tony Benson broke Ron Clarke's Australian Olympic record for the 5000m but had no 'kick' and finished 7th in the heat. None of those who made the final had ever beaten Benson. Kip Keino and Tony Benson became friends. Keino received the first ever Olympic Laureate Award by the IOC at the Rio opening ceremony in 2016.
Physical description
Five images from the Collection of Tony Benson.
.1) Tony Benson runs during the Ballarat Teachers' College Lap of the Lake, 1962
.2) Ballarat Teachers' College Athletics, 1963
.3) Ballarat Teachers' College Athletics, 1963. Lecturer and coach Peter Fryar hand out the oranges.
.4) Ballarat Teachers' College Tennis Team, 1963
.5) Tony Benson defeating the great Kip Keino at the 1971 Stockholm Grand Prix
