Kenenisa Bekele: how soon will he totally annihilate the distance WR's?

Thanks fwrunco. As much as I love Haile and wants him to be #1 but he is slowing down. Hope you are wrong fwrunco about Chebii because I want kenenisa to win it.

Okay you are on CO_Runner, how about my condo if Kenenisa beat Haile at the worlds championship? If Haile win you will pay my trip in November. You see how much confidence I have on boy(Haile).

I can not believe you can say Haile took drugs to run 26:22 when you have IAAF drop by un announced and do random sample test. Let us just get over this Haile was on drugs stuff unless you have some thing proof it. Haile's God gifted talent and hard work made him "The king of distance runners of all time" we all come to love and respect.

broomfieldrunner wrote:

Okay you are on CO_Runner, how about my condo if Kenenisa beat Haile at the worlds championship? If Haile win you will pay my trip in November. You see how much confidence I have on boy(Haile).

I already have a condo just like yours, and I wouldn't want you to be homeless.

I'll buy Haile some asprin, for when Kenenisa kicks Haile in his arthrtic knee after Kenenisa wins.

[quote]Vipam wrote:

When Kenenisa ran 7:30.67 WJR as a 17 year old (few months shy of 18) the world know that he was very talented; however, in 2003 we may see the beginning of his dominance. In 2002 he became the first man to hold both long and short x-country titles EVER and he did it in the same meet against two talented fields.

In the last month after recovering from an injury, Kenenisa have began again:

1. winning his first x-country race in an easy romp

2. blazing thru 1st kilo of Ekiden race in approx 2:28 and finishing in 13:07!

3. destroy good field in Belgium most prestigous x-country race and winning by over 1 minute and 14 second over S.Lebed (Urk)*

(*World X-Country silver in 2001)

I couldn't find the first post I posted about Kenenisa; however, this shows I thought highly of his ability before his 2003 season. Kenenisa is truly amazing; however, he DEFINITELY won't amaze us by himself as I also think 3 upandcoming female elite athletes and three Kenyans (in other events) will amaze us in the next 1-5 years.

I was just looking at bekele's prs and it says he ran 7:30 in 2001, and he 21 now, so how does that make him 17 when he ran it.

Mtn Dew wrote:

[quote]peter buniak wrote:

im going to go there: if anyone thinks geb's records were set without the use of "illegal" drugs (be it EPO and/or otherwise), you're living in a dreamworld, soporific somnolence, a cloud in trousers...

GREAT POST, MNT DEW....BUT IT SEEMS THAT PAULA AND BEKELE HAVE NOW FOUND SOMETHING STRONGER THAN EPO AS WAS PREDICTED IN AN ARTICLE I READ IN THE NY TIMES LAST YR...THE ARTILCE SAID THAT SCIENTISTS WERE ON THE VERGE OF DEVELOPING SOMETING MUCH MORE POTENT THAN EPO.....A SAD DAY FOR SPORTS, BUT THE DRUG LOVERS WILL BE SO HAPPY....SHOULD SEE A 1:58 MARATHON REAL SOON. WHAT A DIRTY FARCE THIS SPORT HAS BECOME!

Observer

No he ran it on Aug 24, 2001 and was born June something 1982; therefore, he was 19.

Vipam

in 2004

How dare you bump a 2 year old thread..... :)

I wasn't really impressed by Kenenisa Bekele performance it was expected; however, there were several athletes who impressed me tremendously:

--Benita Johnson (Aus) I wouldn't have given her a snow ball chance in h*** of even making the top five, but she definitely showed me that she is to be reckon with in distance running.

--EDITH MASAI (Ken) she announced a week earlier that the title was hers despite the announced field and she delivered.

--Tirunesh Dibaba (Eth) still 18 and placed 2nd at the Senior Short course, I expect this youngster to break 8:30 and at least 14:31 outdoors in 2004.

--Shalane Flanagan (USA) she will have a very good outdoor if she remains healthy easily under 15:10

--Richard Rutto (Ken) this 16 year old is for real, ran 8:24 for WYB15 steeplechase record in 2003

--FARIDA MAKULA (Tan) 16 year took it out like she was offended the others (runners and Africans) thought they could beat her and then she lost her shoe and momentum, can't wait to see what she do outdoors.

--Katie McGregor (USA) for getting out hard with the Africans and Benita and running with them as long as she could-great run despite fading.

--Ethopian squad as they dominated almost to perfection.

--USA squad without many of its big guns still had good overall team placing which was better than most of USA previous years.

2004 (Olympic year) will produce faster times than 2003 (Worlds) and with more athletes.

Kenenisa will still be the chief surgeon slicing thru barriers as I expect him to lower all his personal best and threaten the 5000m and 10000m World Records. If the weather and pacesetters are condusive when he attempts his record runs I expect :

5000m.......12:35.0

10000m......26:10.0

Vipam

Sub4fella,

it may be a two year old thread but its content (message) is still very relevant. AFter having observed this boy torment the world, these questions are valid and demand serious debate.

Actually I have never seen a 2 year old thread so relevant like this one and in the light Kenenisa devestating assault in XC it desereves our second look. It is like re-livng the past, re-examining our opinions and in the process re-adjust some of the foolish statements we made regarding this issue.

I believe Vipam is vindicated of all of his assertions regarding Kenenisa Bekele. I have been reading all most all of the opinions raised on this young guy and, out of many, Vipam seemed to be consistant, logical and a little bit of bald in saying the next big thing in distance running has arrived and that is the young 21 yr old Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele. At first, it seemed a bit outlandish to declare so boldly about a guy who only run few cross country races. But in hindsight wow, what a bold faith.

Seeing what he did in indoor, outdoor track, and cross country, I, too, will boldly say that "Kenenisa Bekele will continue the whirlwind tour of distance running to the next level: lowering 5/10k records currently held by his mentor Haile Geb both in the in/outdoor."

Hope, two years from now, somebody will rebump this thread and reconsider all of our assertions again.

Bekele will break several records and win numerous titles; however, his road to immortality will have more obstacles than many people think. The amazing thing is that Bekele isn't even in his prime and all ready earned his place in distance running history.

The sad part for Bekele and the rest of the world is there are three more juniors (not Ethopians) that in two years time will be pressing the superhuman Bekele to the line in just about every major championship and world record attempt. This four individuals COULD very well destroy ever world record from 2000m to the 1/2 marathon in the next five years. Yes I am saying that the current crop of elite athletes will learn how to deal with Bekele from three non Ethopian juniors in the next few years (starting in early 2005)!

Vipam

vipam

You were right about bekele and now your saying that he will have serious challengers in the next few years? I agree with your early predictions about bekele but you have lost me now your saying that there are 3 juniors who will challenge the greastest distance runner today. Who are they and where are they from?

calirunner

calirunner wrote:

vipam

You were right about bekele and now your saying that he will have serious challengers in the next few years? I agree with your early predictions about bekele but you have lost me now your saying that there are 3 juniors who will challenge the greastest distance runner today. Who are they and where are they from?

calirunner

US of Africa

there aren't any runners who will challenge bekele on a regular basis junior or seniors, in ethopia or anywhere else. vipam your wrong on this on.

Norway Express:

"...In older days people struggled like hell when they broke records...In the 90'ies they smiled....".

I really don't think you can peg Haile as a drug cheat because he smiles at the end of races. That's pretty crazy of you to suggest, don'tcha think? The guy always smiles, win, lose or draw...

Monty

Norway Express has called it - Bekele will continue to run away with ease until the testers catch up. Am fed up reading this 'innocence' crap - read about the stories from cycling (www.guardian.co.uk / Willy Voet's book) on how to pass the tests and open your eyes.