Claim: For the 12 km Senior men's race at the 1976 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, which were held in Chepstow, Wales, Carlos Lopes of Portugal had the fastest time, and Vladimir Merkushin of the Soviet Union came in twelth with a time of 35:30.
Evidence: The 1976 IAAF World Cross Country Championships was held in Chepstow, Wales, at the Chepstow Racecourse on 28 February 1976. Carlos Lopes Portugal 34:47.8 Tony Simmons 35:04 Bernie Ford 35:07 Karel Lismont 35:08 Detlef Uhlemann 35:09 Enn Sellik 35:17 Gary Tuttle 35:19 Franco Fava 35:21 Jacques Boxberger 35:24 Tapio Kantanen 35:28 Mariano Haro 35:28 12 Vladimir Merkushin 35:30