AUGUSTINE CHOGE (KEN) 21 January 1987
800m.........1:48.7h......Kampala.....28 May 2004
1500m........3:36.64......Heusden.....31 Jul 2004
3000m........7:36.82......Rieti.......05 Sep 2004
5000m.......12:57.01......Berlin......12 Sep 2004
10000m......29:06.5h(A)...Nairobi.....17 Jun 2002
at 16 set still standing WYB16 of 3:37.48 (2003)
World Youth Best 12:57.01 (2004)fastest ever 17 and under
Augustine possesses all the tools to become a challenger not only to the Ethopians but to newly crowned distance Emperor Kenenisa Bekele as well, but the probablity of that ways against Augustine. There is no doubt Augustine have the talent but without a team that backs and support the young Kenyan like the Ethopians his road to surplant them will be even tougher.
The Ethopians and the world first tasted Augustine's ability when he placed 4th at the World Junior Championships at age 16 behind winner Eliud Kipchoge. Later in 2003 Augustine won the 3000m World Youth Ch in 7:52.53 in July 2003. The next Junior Championship he competed in he dispatched his country at altitude 13:29.0hA and then the Ethopians (and Tariku Bekele-Kenenisa brother) at the Jr. World Championships winning the 5000m title with his kick in over 1.52 seconds.
If Augustine can avoid the route of destruction that plagues so many of his countrymen-burnout, corrupt federation, overracing, injury-he may very well be the one to push Kenenisa and himself to UNIMAGINABLE performances in the upcoming years!
Below are Augustine's two most IMPRESSIVE races that shows a glimpse of the potential for the young Kenyan.
VIPAM
-------
BERLIN GP
12:57.01.1)Augustine K. Choge (KEN) Jan 1987.. 09/2004
12:57.05.2)Mulugeta Wendimu (ETH) Feb 1985.....09/2004
RIETI GP
After a 3rd-place in 7:30.62 at Memorial Van Damme two evenings earlier, Bonfiace Kiprotich Songok might have been a logical choice to win the 3000m for men in Rieti. With four-times Prefontaine Classic 5000m titlist Luke Kipkosgei also starting, the race well could have come down to one of those two.
Instead Augustine Choge got the win. Now you may ask yourself, who is Augustine Choge? Neither last summer’s 6th place 13:20.88 for 5000m at KBC Night of Athletics nor 11th-place 7:51.52 for 3000m at ISTAF drew much attention. However, last February, Choge’s Kenyan Rift Valley Provincial Cross Country Champs 8K title signaled he was perhaps progressing differently this year.
In Rieti Songok and Kipkosgei were indeed in the mix of top three finishers, but it was Choge who gained a greatly improved 7:36.82 victory in front of Songok’s 7:39.25 and Kipkosgei’s 7:41.72.
RACE RESULTS
3000 METERS
MEN Stats from IAAFResultsSvc
1 Augustine Choge KEN 7:36.82
2 Boniface Songok KEN 7:39.25
3 Luke Kipkosgei KEN 7:41.72
4 Hicham Bellani MAR 7:43.45
5 Samir Moussaoui ALG 7:44.43
6 Khoudir Aggoune ALG 7:46.75
7 Hudson de Souza BRA 7:49.19
8 Justus Kiprono KEN 7:49.34
9 Nathan Lagat KEN 8:03.16
Tariku Bekele ETH dnf
Ivan Hierro ESP dnf
Martin Keino KEN dnf
Joseph Kosgei KEN dnf
Do you feel the Kenyan can/will challenge Ethopia's dominance in the track and field and x-country?