I agree with the OP, but not because I think Kirui is a bum. Moses Mosop has run 12:54 and 26:49; has a World Championship 10,000m bronze medal; and a World XC Championship silver medal. The guy really is a great athlete.
I agree with the OP, but not because I think Kirui is a bum. Moses Mosop has run 12:54 and 26:49; has a World Championship 10,000m bronze medal; and a World XC Championship silver medal. The guy really is a great athlete.
Since Wanjiru passed, Mosop may be the most talented Kenyan to try the marathon. I get the sense that the Kenyans feel that, when he is on, Mosop is their best athlete. The problem is that he is inconsistent (but tough enough to rally to a good finish).
G. Mutai had performed better overall than Mosop but may not have Mosop's talent. Makau may be close to Mosop in talent. Kipsang, E. Mutai and Lel are mainly marathoners.
If the '12 Olympics play out like Beijing, I think you need the guys with the most raw talent. Too bad Makau and Mutai DNF'd
Mosop and Kirui are both very different runners, each athlete has been successful, even if some of you believe that winning a world championship marathon is easy, or have won marathons with weak fields and so on. IF YOU PODIUM AT A MAJOR MARATHON SUCH AS London,Boston Rotterdam, World Champs, Chicago, Berlin or New York then you are more than likely to have a good chance of winning a Medal at the Olympics. I Agree with (RIGHT ON) that Mosop has good creditials at the shorter distances such as the 10000m and half-marathon. Also he has proven to be very consistant, 3 marathons 3 podiums all fast times and all obtained recently. And so what if he believes he can run 2Hours 2, and has not achhieved it yet. I remember A certain Haile Gebrselassie had predictions of running 2-03 back in 2002, and ended up running 2:06 and finishing third. It took many more years and attempts to get the elusive 2:03:59, so Mosop still has time on his side! As for Kirui, well he might not have the 2:03-2:04 times in him, but he has Good Championship experience, with 2 World Championship wins with good times in tough conditions. Some of best championship runners are not always the fastest athletes, Such as Stefano Baldini 2004 Olympic Champion, Jaourd Gharib 2008 Olympic Silver medalist, & 2 time World Champion, Luke Kibet 2007 World champion. Alot can happen in non-paced races, with tough humid and hot conditions. And yes the conditions won't be easy in London in August, with temperatures averging in the low 20's, and quite ofter higher. And I know this because I am British and have lived in London!
Lel ran a smart race and took second in a star-studded field. Kirui bonked at 20 miles, finished over a minute back of Lel, but you were more impressed with Kirui? If you are basing that solely on last Sunday's race, that's hard to fathom.