BELOW LEFT Templeton and Brother Colm O’Connell. BELOW RIGHT Choge in front at the ‘06 Comm Games. MIDDLE IMAGE Rising star David Rudisha in action. LEFT Templeton celebrates with Bernard Lagat. But Templeton also has his critics. He’s they’re talking about Geoff Lawson coaching but Bernard has a 14 to 1 win/loss record over a bigger risk on this than I am – I’m convinced metre behind Ngeny!” laments Templeton. “After the Sydney Olympics,” says been accused of being unpatriotic and of not the Pakistan cricket team, or Greg Chappell Mottram, so he’s not exactly going to have of your talent, but you’ve got to be convinced It was in the following weeks that the Aussie Templeton, “Bernard thanked me, and he said helping to develop Australian talent. It all coaching India. Greg Chappell was sleepless nights worrying about him. And I that I can do this to your benefit.” Kimutai met Isaac Songok. “After Lagat won his bronze he considered Coach Li (Lagat’s coach, James started with that Commonwealth Games race. desperately hoping that India would win the think they do Craig a disservice; they put him was; and with Misoi onboard as well, in Sydney, I flew back to Kenya for a Li) and I to be 50-50 responsible for his “Melbourne was a wonderful experience,” he World Cup. And people understand that.” under too much pressure with all this hype.” Templeton was reborn an agent. Within two celebration,” explains Templeton. “He was success. I said, ‘Thanks, but I think it’s more says. “The race was fantastic, and they had an However, the dispute set up somewhat of a years, Kimutai was number one in the world. going to slaughter a goat and have a big feast at like 90-10 in favour of the coach.’ But I incredible crowd.” Having missed the ’05 rivalry between Templeton and Mottram’s Templeton was a distance runner who The Kenyan went on to have a stellar career. his home and I thought, ‘I can’t miss this.’” As understand that the ten percent is a very World Championships, Augustine Choge was coach, Nic Bideau. As the manager of many of competed at state level. “The highlight of my He ran four times under 1:43 and was the first well as celebrating Lagat, the village was also important part and that the management can itching for a championship race. “Colm and I the runners who dominate Mottram’s event, it career was running at the Commonwealth to beat Wilson Kipketer, the world record honouring the 15-year-old Songok, who had just in many cases make or break an athlete. set him the challenge of running under 13 was not surprising that Templeton would be Games trials in 1990 as a struggling 800m holder, in four years in 1998. After retiring in finished third in the junior national 5000m. “Coach Li and I have worked together for ten minutes. We said, ‘You’re not going all that labelled unpatriotic. But both seem to have an runner,” he says. Having attended St Ignatius’ 2004, he became Templeton’s assistant in “Bernard was very keen that we look after years and we understand each other, and way to run a 13:30 race and maybe getting College and University of New South Wales, Kenya. “I’m very close to Japheth,” explains Songok.” So Templeton took the young runner Bernard, incredibly well.” Which works in lucky on the last lap. We’d rather you come he lived in London in the early ’90s, working Templeton. “He named his first daughter after under his wing, and the next year Songok won Lagat’s favour: “Having this team behind third in 13 flat, having run an honest race.’” Agents dream of having in finance. With not many people writing on my sister, Charlotte, which was a nice touch.” at the world youth champs, leading all the way. me gives me the confidence that everything Everyone seemed to be backing Benjamin an athlete win an Olympic athletics, he published several pieces about is taken care of,” explains Lagat, “And I can Limo, a fellow Kenyan, and the reigning 5000m the Kenyan athletes in Europe. It was clear an It was through his involvement with Kimutai go about training without any worries.” world champ from ’05. Mottram, who placed medal. Yet Templeton, interest in athletics, and the Kenyans in that Templeton met his most famous charge, “It’s quite a different role But it wasn’t until a session ten days before third in that race, was talking of redemption; who manages a small particular, was ever present in Templeton. Bernard Lagat. Looking for someone to help to, say, Ian Thorpe’s the 2007 World Championships in Osaka that and the media was playing up the re-match. group of six Kenyan-born Templeton’s career as a manager began Kimutai in training and take some of the Templeton was confident Lagat would be the Even his cousin warned him: “I’m sorry, James, unexpectedly in 1996 during the athletics pressure off him, Templeton had heard of a manager. He’s not so one to beat. “It was more than the times, it I’ve been reading all about this race for weeks, runners, has several World Junior Championships in Sydney. He Kenyan running well in college meets in the much involved in the was just how comfortable he looked at race and they never even mentioned Augustine.” athletes shaping as the was approached by an old friend from his own US. A member of the same tribe as Kimutai, actual performance – he’s pace. And he and I knew the implications of Templeton was quietly confident: “We knew ones to beat in the men’s athletics days, David Tarbotton, who was the young Lagat sounded perfect, so they flew that. We knew that he was ready to run with Choge would be very tough to beat. He was organising the event. Knowing of Templeton’s him out to Kenya. “I brought him over in 1998 there to get him Oakley anyone, and to out-kick anyone.” the Kenyan cross-country champion and had middle distance events passion for the Kenyans, Tarbotton asked him and he was going to be a good influence on and Speedo contracts.” And they were right. Lagat won the 1500m beaten Limo twice by ten seconds in the weeks come Beijing. to look after the Kenyan athletes during their Kimutai,” says Templeton. “But we never and 5000m as he does best – speeding past before. We thought Mottram would certainly stay. “They had all sorts of problems,” says thought that Lagat was going to be a superstar. the field in the final few hundred metres. be capable of running under 13 minutes; Templeton. “They arrived without their Nike There was nothing previously that would Templeton is quick to emphasise the role “It was just fantastic for me to win in Osaka,” he was more focused on the Commonwealth understanding for the other’s role. For his uniforms and without enough warm clothing indicate that. Bernard laughs at me, saying, of the athletes’ coaches as being the most says Lagat. “To win 1500m gold in a major Games than anyone else. But we were confident part, Templeton makes little comment about because Australia in August was colder than ‘You never thought I’d be anything!’” important factor. However, there’s no denying championship was so important to me after so Augustine had enough strength to run a good, Bideau: “It’s well known that Nic can often be they thought. So I arranged to get them a kit.” Templeton is the first to admit he Templeton’s close involvement in each of his many years of trying.” In doing so, he hard race and still be strong on the last lap.” a difficult guy to deal with, but you have to He built up a good relationship with the underestimated Lagat’s abilities. He now has athletes’ careers. “It’s quite a different role replicated the double win that his lifetime And that’s exactly how it played out. respect what he has done with his athletes. athletes, especially two middle distance nothing but praise for the world champion. to, say, Ian Thorpe’s manager. He’s not so rival and 1500m world record-holder, Hicham Immediately after Choge’s victory, “Craig’s a great athlete and he does his runners, Japheth Kimutai and Kipkirui Misoi. “He is a great talent, but a lot of Kenyan much involved in the actual performance – El Guerrouj, won in the Athens 2004 Olympics. accusations of Templeton ruining fellow best competing against some wonderful East Kimutai called Templeton up to his room athletes are. What sets Bernard apart is his he’s there to get him sponsorship contracts. In Now retired, El Guerrouj would message Australian Mottram’s glory started flowing; African talent. He’s rightly got the respect of two days before the championships and focus, his hunger and his ambition,” he says. running, you’ve got the shoe contracts, which Lagat with encouragement every night after he was labelled a spoilsport. Had he taken everyone on the circuit.” But Templeton has asked the Australian to manage him. When “At the end of his first season in 1998, Bernard are great, but you’re looking at a hard sell to his races. It seems to have worked. away Mottram’s victory – a win 90,000 people words of warning for Mottram: “You can Templeton told him that he could choose said, ‘Now I’ve got a taste of this, you’ll be pull in anything else.” While Templeton is not were cheering for? Templeton doesn’t think forget the comments that go around in the anyone as a manager, such was his talent, impressed with what I do next year.’” Two a coach, he is involved in all aspects of Kenyan runners dominate nearly every so.