When you stop and think about it, it's a bit strange that Europeans and Americans are always organizing races for East Africans to win. What do East Africans organize?
This is not a scientific argument. How many tall people don't make it to the NBA? I would say the vast majority of them don't. Only few with the hunger and dedication do. Long distance running is no different.
But it is evident that height is an advantageous trait to NBA players, right? You can have all the hunger and drive you want to get into the NBA, but if you are 5'4" you are categorically unlikely to make it into the NBA. People who are extremely tall as a group are definitely more likely to play basketball, and a small percentage of them do play in the NBA. Compared to the population at large, the percentage of extremely tall people who play in the NBA is astronomically higher than the percentage of NBA players in the general population. i.e. you are more likely to find an NBA player in a group of extremely tall people than in a group of random people.
This is the same way Nike operated with east Africans. I'm not saying Nike picked up every single east African and tried to get them to train. But I'm saying they figured, because of the build of the average east African, they were more likely to find talented runners in east Africa than in places like North America, where people's builds differ greatly. It's not outlandish to say you will find more people per capita who can run 14:00 in a 5k in east Africa than in the United States.
Companies have always followed what statistics and science says will be the best bet for their money. This is what is happening here. Especially factoring in the reality that most east Africans wouldn't have an alternative prospect in life that would make them as much money as being a trackstar would, so these runners do have the hunger and drive to become the best... enter the doping discussion.
When you stop and think about it, it's a bit strange that Europeans and Americans are always organizing races for East Africans to win. What do East Africans organize?
When you stop and think about it, it's a bit strange that Europeans and Americans are always organizing races for East Africans to win. What do East Africans organize?
Race winners.
Doping. Tea money collections. Epo over the counter without a prescription in Iten pharmacies. Texts from anti-doping testers 48 hours before every random test...
Though to be fair, it's probably the Italian and Spanish managers and coaches that are organizing most of this.
Lefties talk about race all day while then claiming that everyone is exactly the same. The really believe that women can run as fast as men. They believe that anyone can be a pro football player if they put in the work. They believe that everyone has the same IQ. They believe that everyone can run 13:00 for 5000 if they work at it from childhood.
Doping. Tea money collections. Epo over the counter without a prescription in Iten pharmacies. Texts from anti-doping testers 48 hours before every random test...
Though to be fair, it's probably the Italian and Spanish managers and coaches that are organizing most of this.
My guess is generations at altitude (process oxygen more efficiently) and seemingly naturally more lean. But I imagine if you an east african lived their whole life in the US they might be able to be obese.
They threw up the occaisional star like Bikile and Kieno in the 60's when they had the advantage of being full-time athletes when the rest of the world were amateur part-timers and forced to retire by age 25 (22 in the case of Herb Elliott), but they were far from dominant, despite distance running being the only sport that any young sportsman could make money from, and the greatest stars from that period were non-African. Jim Ryun was better than Keino. Steve Ovett was better than Henry Rono even at Rono's distance of two miles.
Before 1988 or so, no Kenyan sniffed the top 300 marathon all time list, and there were more Japanese than Ethiopians in it. Only with the advent of EPO did Kenyans start to dominate.
So why bring genetics into it?
Why bring genetics into it? The East African advantage is environment. And bodyweight.
Why bring genetics into it? The East African advantage is environment. And bodyweight.
Genetics go hand in hand with your environment. A group of people who live in a specific environment will adapt over time to become best suited for life there. This is called natural selection.
It is important to note that there are different nationalities and tribes of East Africans, which are suited for their specific home region. But certain groups of East Africans have genetic traits that suit them well for their environment and running. They are well adapted to altitude, for example. They also have naturally good endurance. And lean-framed bodies which are advantageous to running.
There is nothing offensive about this. Every person has different traits based on their genetics. We can acknowledge that some people have traits better suited for certain things while also believing that every human has equal inherent value.
because they have eyes and can clearly see that african builds' are better suited to long distance running.
the more slender your legs, the more efficient your leg turnover because you are moving less weight forward with each swing.
go and look at any race photo of a white guy racing side by side with an african in a marathon, and compare the builds of both. the white guy is at a disadvantage, with bigger thighs and calves, he is built better for more powerful running like middle distance running. the africans are built for running economically over long distances.
you may find the odd exception but that is the general rule.
Slender builds are more suited for long distance running. Countries with a high % of slender builds will then tend to be dominant in distance running. It is also part of the culture now. The same can be said for Scandinavians or Eastern European/former USSR and weightlifting/strongman, or Polynesians in football.
Alan
Prime David Rudisha and especially Emmanuel Korir have Fight Club builds. In U.S., there are plenty of men with Fight Club builds. Trying to pretend U.S. is a 10000m to Marathon nation is banging one's head against a brick wall.
Because genetics are real. Science has shown (as has experience) that certain traits are adapted for certain activities. For example, it is easier for taller people to dunk a basketball. There are exceptions, but being tall is a genetic advantage when you are trying to touch things that are high up off the ground. Is this clear to everyone?
As phenotypes are reflected in certain populations around the globe, certain sub-groups of humanity have adapted to certain activities (such as heat retention or heat dispersal). These traits are not equally shared by all phenotypic groups. Groups with more of a certain trait (as a % of population) are said to be at an advantage.
Why is this even a debate on this website? Does anyone have a hard time understanding this? This is like the third thread this month about "is talent real" or "does body-type matter" and so on. It sort of seems like a "duh" level question for people to be asking (unless the OP is a kid).
They threw up the occaisional star like Bikile and Kieno in the 60's when they had the advantage of being full-time athletes when the rest of the world were amateur part-timers and forced to retire by age 25 (22 in the case of Herb Elliott), but they were far from dominant, despite distance running being the only sport that any young sportsman could make money from, and the greatest stars from that period were non-African. Jim Ryun was better than Keino. Steve Ovett was better than Henry Rono even at Rono's distance of two miles.
Before 1988 or so, no Kenyan sniffed the top 300 marathon all time list, and there were more Japanese than Ethiopians in it. Only with the advent of EPO did Kenyans start to dominate.
So why bring genetics into it?
You started off right until you asked if the Kenyans are dominant because of EPO! Think the same way Basketball is dominated by afro americans! It’s not that Afro americans don’t do drugs, it’s more of cultural thing! It starts early and there are way more young kalenjins dreaming to be runners champions in future than Americans do! Yes there might be cheaters but you have no idea how many we are!
Because genetics are real. Science has shown (as has experience) that certain traits are adapted for certain activities. For example, it is easier for taller people to dunk a basketball. There are exceptions, but being tall is a genetic advantage when you are trying to touch things that are high up off the ground. Is this clear to everyone?
As phenotypes are reflected in certain populations around the globe, certain sub-groups of humanity have adapted to certain activities (such as heat retention or heat dispersal). These traits are not equally shared by all phenotypic groups. Groups with more of a certain trait (as a % of population) are said to be at an advantage.
Why is this even a debate on this website? Does anyone have a hard time understanding this? This is like the third thread this month about "is talent real" or "does body-type matter" and so on. It sort of seems like a "duh" level question for people to be asking (unless the OP is a kid).
Well thanks for the "duh" level science brofessor. Now explain why Jakob Ingebrigtsen doesn't fit your model?
Before 1988 or so, no Kenyan sniffed the top 300 marathon all time list, and there were more Japanese than Ethiopians in it. Only with the advent of EPO did Kenyans start to dominate.
So why bring genetics into it?
I know it’s hard not to distort the truth or just plain lie, but for the record, as of 1/1/1988, on record eligible courses: 5 of the top 100 marathon performers were Kenyan, 5 of the top 14 were East African, and 8 of the top 16 were African.
Also, claiming that Abebe Bikila enjoyed advantages over western athletes is a hilarious joke.
They threw up the occaisional star like Bikile and Kieno in the 60's when they had the advantage of being full-time athletes when the rest of the world were amateur part-timers and forced to retire by age 25 (22 in the case of Herb Elliott), but they were far from dominant, despite distance running being the only sport that any young sportsman could make money from, and the greatest stars from that period were non-African. Jim Ryun was better than Keino. Steve Ovett was better than Henry Rono even at Rono's distance of two miles.
Before 1988 or so, no Kenyan sniffed the top 300 marathon all time list, and there were more Japanese than Ethiopians in it. Only with the advent of EPO did Kenyans start to dominate.
So why bring genetics into it?
The posters on here are shameless. Thinking the whole universe will change just for their ego.
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