Bekele got selected!!!!

Fingers crossed 🤞

Same. If it's not, we'll find out in coming few days

Another article!

runningmagazine.ca

Kenenisa Bekele named to Ethiopian Olympic marathon team - Canadian Running Magazine

https://www.facebook.com/marley.dickinson

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge will square off in the marathon at the Paris Olympics

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Epic night, I was there too.

Imagine if he medals. A 16 year difference between the previous time he medalled. Has that ever been done before?

To my knowledge (may be wrong) all of Bekele's marathons have been flat and fast; London, Berlin, Valencia... He could have a real edge on the really fast guys if he can cope with the hills better than them, and run faster than the current 2:02/3 guys

Honestly think he could win.

I've thought about this. I think the hills take more out of the older guys than the younger guys, so could wear out Eliud and Kenny.

That said, my personal view is that Kenny of the last few years doesn't train enough. And if he totally commits between now and Paris I wouldn't rule him out of taking gold.

I’m all for clean sport but this is the one race where I’d love to see unhinged doping of these. Two juiced up old heads getting after it like the old days

Crazy to think that the greatest ever distance runner started running marathons in 2014 and 2024 is the first year he gets to run on road for his country in the Olympics.

The ESPN article in Spanish this cites does say that these teams have been confirmed by Ethiopia's federation. So unless they're making this up, this looks more solid than the Kenyan news source (which was deleted).

An epic battle between drug cheats!

Banana Bread is gonna have a stroke, so am I. Let's go!

Incredible. If I had to bet my life on it, I would bet on Lemma, since he has the most recent win at a hilly marathon. But if I had to bet my next paycheck on it (I make the LRC average of $20,000/week after taxes), I would bet on Bekele.

Well a fool and his money - it’s great he has been selected and it’s truly a better race if he a kipchoge are healthy and fit but it’s probably only 50/50 he makes it to the starting line.

right.

Lets hope he goes to a good camp away from all his business things in Ethiopia. Like he did before Berlin 2019! 7 weeks in Holland!

The Duel of the Century - Written by AI
A fictional story about Kenenisa Bekele and Eliud Kipchoge
racing each other at the 2024 Olympic marathon in Paris
Chapter 1: The Build-Up
It was the most anticipated race in the history of marathon
running. Two legends of the sport, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia and Eliud
Kipchoge of Kenya, were set to face each other at the 2024 Olympic marathon in
Paris. Both men had broken the world record in the past, both had won multiple
Olympic and world titles, and both had dominated the marathon scene for years.
But they had never raced each other over the classic 26.2 miles distance. Until
now.
The rivalry between the two had been brewing for a long
time. Bekele, the older of the two, had been the king of the track, winning
three Olympic gold medals and five world titles in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
He had also set the world records in both events, which still stood to this
day. He had switched to the marathon in 2014, hoping to emulate his compatriot
Haile Gebrselassie, who had become the greatest marathoner of his generation
after a stellar track career. Bekele had shown glimpses of his potential,
winning the Berlin and London marathons and coming within two seconds of
breaking the world record in 2016. But he had also struggled with injuries,
inconsistency, and motivation, and had dropped out of several races, including
the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
Kipchoge, on the other hand, had been the undisputed master
of the marathon, winning 12 out of 13 races he had entered, including the 2016
and 2020 Olympic gold medals. He had also broken the world record in 2018,
clocking an astonishing 2:01:39 in Berlin, and had become the first person to
run a sub-two-hour marathon in a special event in 2019, albeit with the help of
pacemakers and other aids. Kipchoge had started his career as a track runner,
winning the 2003 world title and the 2004 Olympic bronze medal in the 5,000
meters, but he had never been able to beat Bekele in a major championship. He
had moved up to the marathon in 2013, and had since established himself as the
greatest of all time in the event.
The two had met only once on the roads, at the 2017 London
marathon, where Kipchoge had prevailed in a thrilling sprint finish, with
Bekele finishing third, just six seconds behind. That race had whetted the
appetite of the fans and the media, who had been clamoring for a rematch ever
since. But it had never materialized, until the 2024 Olympics.
The build-up to the race had been intense, with both camps
trading barbs and boasts in the press. Bekele had claimed that he was in the
best shape of his life, and that he was ready to take down Kipchoge and reclaim
his throne. He had also hinted that he had a secret weapon, a new training
method that had given him an edge. Kipchoge had responded by saying that he was
not afraid of anyone, and that he had prepared meticulously for the race. He
had also dismissed Bekele's secret weapon as a gimmick, and said that the only
thing that mattered was the performance on the day.
The stage was set for a epic showdown, a duel of the
century, a clash of the titans. The whole world was watching, waiting to see
who would emerge victorious in the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and
willpower.
Chapter 2: The Race
The race day dawned bright and clear, with a slight breeze
and a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. The course was flat and fast, starting
and finishing at the iconic Eiffel Tower, and passing by some of the most
famous landmarks of Paris, such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the
Notre Dame. The crowd was huge and enthusiastic, lining the streets and
cheering for the runners. The atmosphere was electric, as the anticipation
reached a fever pitch.
The elite men's field was loaded with talent, featuring some
of the best marathoners in the world, such as Wilson Kipsang of Kenya, Mosinet
Geremew of Ethiopia, Galen Rupp of the USA, and Mo Farah of Great Britain. But
all eyes were on the two main protagonists, Bekele and Kipchoge, who stood side
by side at the front of the pack, wearing their respective national colors of
green, yellow, and red for Ethiopia, and black, red, and green for Kenya. They
looked calm and confident, exchanging a brief nod and a smile, before focusing
on the task ahead.
The gun went off, and the race began. The pace was fast from
the start, as the runners jostled for position. Bekele and Kipchoge stayed
close to each other, matching each other's stride and rhythm. They seemed to be
in a world of their own, oblivious to the rest of the field. They passed the
first 5 kilometers in 14:35, well ahead of the world record pace. The crowd
roared, sensing that they were witnessing something special.
The race continued at a blistering speed, with Bekele and
Kipchoge leading the way, followed by a small group of chasers, including
Kipsang, Geremew, Rupp, and Farah. The gap between the leaders and the chasers
gradually widened, as the pace proved too hot for most of the runners. By the
10 kilometer mark, which Bekele and Kipchoge reached in 28:50, the gap was 15
seconds. By the 15 kilometer mark, which they reached in 43:10, the gap was 30
seconds. By the 20 kilometer mark, which they reached in 57:30, the gap was 45
seconds. It was clear that the race was a two-man affair, and that the world
record was in serious danger.
The halfway point came at 1:01:05, a new world best for the
half marathon. Bekele and Kipchoge looked unfazed, as they maintained their
relentless pace. They exchanged a few words, as if to encourage each other, and
then resumed their silent duel. They seemed to be in perfect harmony, as if
they were running as one. The crowd was in awe, as they cheered and clapped for
the two phenomenal athletes.
The second half of the race was more of the same, with
Bekele and Kipchoge running shoulder to shoulder, pushing each other to the
limit. They passed the 25 kilometer mark in 1:11:55, the 30 kilometer mark in
1:26:25, and the 35 kilometer mark in 1:40:55. They were still on world record
pace, and showed no signs of slowing down. The chasers were now more than a
minute behind, and had no chance of catching up. The race was a battle between
the two legends, and the outcome was still uncertain.
The decisive moment came at the 40 kilometer mark, which
Bekele and Kipchoge reached in 1:55:25. Bekele suddenly surged, increasing his
speed and breaking away from Kipchoge. It was his secret weapon, his final
move, his bid for glory. He had been saving his energy for this moment, and he
unleashed it with a ferocious burst. Kipchoge was caught off guard, and tried
to respond, but he could not match Bekele's acceleration. He watched as Bekele
pulled away, creating a gap of a few meters, then a few seconds, then a few
hundred meters. He realized that he had been outsmarted, and outkicked, by his
rival. He felt a pang of disappointment, but also a sense of admiration, for
Bekele's brilliant strategy and execution.
Bekele ran the last 2 kilometers like a man possessed,
driven by the prospect of victory and history. He looked at his watch, and saw
that he was on track to break the world record by a huge margin. He felt a
surge of joy, and a wave of relief, as he approached the finish line. He
crossed it in 2:01:02, smashing Kipchoge's best mark by 37 seconds. He raised his arms in triumph, and let out a scream of ecstasy. He had done it. He had beaten Kipchoge, and he had become the fastest marathoner of all time.

He had proven himself to be the greatest runner of his
generation, and perhaps of any generation. He had written his name in the
annals of history, and in the hearts of millions of fans.
Kipchoge crossed the finish line in 2:01:45, still a
remarkable time, and still faster than his previous world record. He was
second, but he was gracious in defeat. He congratulated Bekele, and hugged him,
and smiled. He had given his best, but he had met his match. He had lost the
race, but he had not lost his dignity, or his legacy. He was still a legend,
and still a champion. He had shown the world what it means to run with courage,
and with grace.
The crowd gave a standing ovation to the two heroes, who had
delivered the most thrilling and the most memorable race in the history of
marathon running. They had witnessed a duel of the century, a clash of the
titans, a spectacle of the sport. They had witnessed history, and they had
witnessed greatness.

Just FYI, I messaged with Jos Hermens (Bekele's agent) and Gianni Demadonna (Lemma/Tola's agent) and they said (as of Thursday) that the federation had not released the teams yet. Hermens suspected the ESPN article was based on the initial Pulse Sports article, which has since been deleted.

Bekele told Hermens he thought the teams might be named next week.

You may want to update the training of your AI bot.