A past Scottish junior cross-country representative, Kenny has established an impressive athletic record since moving to New Zealand in 1974 and making Dunedin his home.
Not many 73-year-olds can lay claim to winning five open 5000m races, as Kenny did in a National Heart Foundation series in Glasgow in July last year.
The races were part of a series of 5000m events held simultaneously throughout Britain for the NHF.
Kenny contested only five of several races held on Saturdays during the northern hemisphere summer, while competing in British, Scottish, Irish and Welsh masters championships.
In recent years he has also has success in the American and World masters competitions.
Among the peers Kenny has impressed in Dunedin with his middle-distance ability is the handicapper for Saturday's mile, Marc Boulle.
"Bill ran almost 30sec quicker than he has for some time," Boulle said.
"But if someone had to win today, what better than a Scotsman?"For the first time in more than 30 years of contesting handicapped events, Kenny found himself as the front-marker, and he used a 1min 25sec start on the rest of the field to his advantage by almost completing the first of four laps before the second runner in the field of 20 had started.
"I knew then I may be in with a show," Kenny said afterwards.
Kenny has often led into the home straight only to be overtaken, but when leading a fast-finishing Lyndon Brown (Caversham) by slightly more than 100m on Saturday, Kenny knew he had it in the bag.
Crossing the finish line still full of running, he recorded 7min 5.83sec.
Brown, who ran off a handicap of 2min 55sec, recorded an actual mile time of 4min 28.18sec, with Bryan Simpson (Hill City) third, from a handicap of 2min 30sec, with an actual mile time of 4min 55.47sec.
International mountain running representative Dougal Thorburn (Ariki) recorded the fastest time - 4min 19.21sec - in finishing sixth.
The Caledonian mile was long held in association with the Caledonian Society's annual Highland games, but over the past six years has been incorporated into the Athletic Otago summer programme.
In other events on Saturday's programme, sprinters Corey Innes (Taieri) and Blair Grant (North Otago) impressed.
Innes exploded out of the blocks in the 100m, but had to fight off a determined Matt Robinson (St Pauls, Invercargill) over the last 20m.
It was the first race of the season for Innes and he posted an encouraging 11.07sec, with Robinson second in 11.10sec.
Grant, who came third in 11.59sec, then stepped up to win the 200m outright in 23.94sec.
Grant (15), a year 11 student at Waitaki Boys High, is the national secondary schools 100m champion and attributed his form on Saturday to the Christmas break and having the chance to freshen up.
Daniel Balchin (Caversham) set a torrid pace in the 1500m, and recorded a comfortable victory in 4min 1.59sec.
Fiona Harvey (Taieri), Marshall Hall (Taieri) and Catherine O'Sullivan (Ariki) were the stars of the field programme.
Harvey set a record in the women's 50-54 discus with 26.41m, while Hallwon the senior men's discus with 45.21m.
O'Sullivan won the senior women's long jump, recording 4.76m.
