MICHEL JAZY, OF FRANCE, WON THE 5,000 METRES EVENT IN THE WORLD GAMES AT HELSINKI TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY) IN THE EUROPEAN RECORD TIME OF 13 MINUTES 27.6 SECONDS.

THE 29-YEAR-OLD FRENCHMAN, WHO HAS FEATURED IN FOUR WORLD RECORD-BREAKING RUNS IN THE LAST MONTH, TONIGHT ECLIPSED AUSTRALIAN RON CLARKE, HOLDER OF THE 5,000 METRES RECORD.

THE GREATEST 5,000 METRES FIELD EVER ASSEMBLED OUTSIDE THE OLYMPICS WAS SOON STRUNG OUT, AS CLARKE TOOK THEM TO THE TWO MILES MARK IN 8 MINS 37 SECS.

BUT THEN THE AUSTRALIAN RUNNER, WITH JAZY AND KIPCHONGE KEINO OF KENYA TRACKING HIM CLOSELY, EASED OFF. JAZY DECLINED TO PUSH THE PACE UNTIL THE LAST 300 METRES. THEN HE SPRINTED PAST THE AUSTRALIAN AND RACED TO AN EASY WIN, COVERING THE LAST 200 METRES IN 26.6 SECS.

CLARKE FINISHED ONLY THIRD, IN 13 MINS 29.4 SECS. IN SECOND PLACE WAS KEINO, WHO CLOCKED 13 MINS 28.2 SECS.

JAZY'S WINNING TIME WAS ONLY 1.8 SECONDS OUTSIDE CLARKE'S WORLD MARK OF 13:25.8, BUT NEVERTHELESS IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO CUT 1.4 SECONDS OFF THE EUROPEAN RECORD JAZY SET RECENTLY.

TWO AMERICAN OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS FINISHED OUT OF THE LEADING BUNCH. BILLY MILLS, WHO WON THE 10,000 METRES TITLE IN TOKYO, WAS EIGHT IN 13:42.2, AND BOB SCHUL, 5,000 METRES CHAMPION IN TOKYO, WAS TENTH IN 13:49.8