Where did teen phenom Phanuel Koech, who just ran 3:27 in the 2nd 1500 of his life, come from? Jonathan Gault tells you

Because it potentially shows a pattern. If you are willing to age cheat to gain an unfair advantage over your competitors, what other shortcuts will you take to win?

Yep. You have to wonder why these types of fawning articles take precendent over actual investigative journalism. Then again, there is no wonder….

I really think people misuse Kwemoi who actually won silver at 5k in Paris. Perhaps his age was wrong, that part of the comp could be accurate. Kwemoi was beaten in that race by 1.2 seconds fwiw, and got silver at Comm Games and 3rd at the African Champs in the same year. In 2016 he won the Monaco 1500 in 3:30, and then he fell in Rio (because an athlete from behind took out his legs). In 2017 he won the Bowerman mile, a 3K in Doha in 7:28 and ran a ridiculous 3:30.89 at altitude to win Kenyan Trials. Lots of injuries since then, but Kwemoi is more like Michael Norman than Mo Katir.

If he was an E German from the 70's what would you give for believing he was clean? That's pretty much where Kenyan running is today - not state sponsored but still endemic.

I'm happy that this thread has truly exposed the double standards and hatred in most of those commenting. We can all see the direction. The thread was about Gout and Phanuel. How it only boils down only to Phanuel exposes the disparity, the fakeness and diabolical nature of phanuel's pessimists. Continue yapping, continue shouting, continue making noise here but Phanuel is here to stay! The good thing is: no matter the negative energy and noise, he's going nowhere! Moreso, Kenya is still here to stay! The earlier you get used to this, the better for your hatred ! Heal soon and quick recovery! Huh!

Same naïvety that led them to publish the Hoey puff piece

How this happens. Has genetic gifts. Coached by ruthless European. Lives in an era of great running surfaces and superior shoes. Has nothing to lose and everything to gain financially to use every available resource to win as much as he can in the shortest period of time. Has obviously seen the pros and cons of his fellow countrymen going a similar way and acts accordingly. Same argument as always - so if he's clean, doping he runs what, 3:22, 3:24. Right.

As aposed to a Jakob who had a certifiable overzealous dad who did not understand boundaries. I'm sure 16 year old Jakob had the sense to say no to his dad had he ever suggested he take blank-labelled supplements.

dawg you think like every Kenyan is doping. There have been tons of Kenyan 1500m runners who have been busted for doping. None of them ran 3:27 in their 2nd race.

The East Germans of the 70s never got caught, so the people that resemble them the most are today's Western athletes who all of a sudden can run 1245s at will because they are checking their lactic acid levels.

give us a break.

not sure, think this guy was never drug tested. of course the age, that's 100 percent legit.

the same race had 31 year old 327, 10 second improvement of late.

Gemini

The available information does not explicitly state whether Phanuel Koech has ever been drug tested.

It does mention that his coach, Claudio Berardelli, has coached athletes who have been involved in doping scandals in the past,

Statistical Probability of PED and Age cheating.

It's challenging to provide exact odds for a specific Kenyan athlete due to the complexities of individual circumstances and the ongoing nature of anti-doping and age verification efforts. However, we can discuss the general prevalence and trends:
Age Cheating:
Acknowledged Problem: Athletics Kenya (AK) openly acknowledges age cheating as a significant issue, particularly in youth competitions. They have vowed to deter it and have flagged athletes for potential age manipulation.
Recent Cases: In early 2025, it was reported that 30 Kenyan athletes were flagged by World Athletics for age cheating malpractices.
Historical Context: In 2003, Kenya's Under-17 national team was dissolved because some players were found to be over 18.
Reasons: Age fabrication is often done to gain an unfair advantage in youth competitions, where older, more physically mature athletes can dominate.
Efforts: Athletics Kenya is working with agencies like the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to prevent age manipulation through measures like athlete registration and verification.
Positive PED Tests (Doping):
Significant Problem: Kenya has a serious doping problem, particularly in distance running. The country was even on a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) compliance watch list.
High Numbers of Bans:
The Anti-Doping Database reports nearly 280 Kenyans have been banned for anti-doping rule violations, with 257 of these in track and field.
Since 2017, nearly 100 Kenyan athletes have been penalized for positive tests, mostly long-distance runners.
Between 2004 and August 2018, 138 Kenyan athletes across all sports tested positive for prohibited substances.
In 2022 alone, 25 Kenyan athletes were sanctioned with 19 active cases pending.
As of 2024, 82 Kenyan athletes have been banned due to doping violations.
Common Substances: Nandrolone (an anabolic steroid) and triamcinolone acetonide (used for weight loss, muscle building, and endurance) are frequently detected. EPO (Erythropoietin), a blood-boosting substance, has also led to high-profile bans.
Factors Contributing to Doping: Research suggests factors like inadequate training on doping rules, influence of support personnel, and financial pressures play a role.
Efforts to Combat Doping: The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) conducts targeted testing, and organizations like ADAK are working to raise awareness and enforce anti-doping rules. Kenyan athletes undergo a high number of tests.
Summary of "Odds":
While it's impossible to give precise mathematical odds for any individual Kenyan athlete, the available information indicates that:
Age Cheating: There is a recognized issue with age cheating, and a notable number of athletes have been flagged or caught. For athletes competing in age-group categories, the "odds" of encountering an age cheat or an athlete being involved in age manipulation are unfortunately higher than they should be.
Doping: The "odds" of a Kenyan athlete testing positive for PEDs are considerably higher than in many other countries, especially in endurance events. The large number of banned athletes and the ongoing efforts to combat doping highlight the pervasive nature of the problem.
It's important to note that these statistics represent a small percentage of the total number of Kenyan athletes, and the majority compete clean. However, the prevalence of these issues has significantly impacted Kenya's reputation in international athletics.

The people that resemble them the most are the ones who show that their sport is absolutely rife with doping.

not everyone is convinced.

Drug cheat Lagat is not the best example lol.

From the 70's what?

So you are unfamiliar with Commonwealth English practices. Of course. A dumb American.

"Doping: The "odds" of a Kenyan athlete testing positive for PEDs are considerably higher than in many other countries, especially in endurance events. The large number of banned athletes and the ongoing efforts to combat doping highlight the pervasive nature of the problem."

En point. With this type of post, you deserve a registered username.