Bekele: done?

B.S. Bekele will win the 10k in the Olympics in 2008 and he'll set at least one more WR. He's not done in the least. Let's bump this thread in a year to see how things progress.

I was looking forward to seeing him at Pre. I hope he's stilll planning on running.

slowkid wrote:

His father is 82?!?

Sounds off for sure. He set the world record in the 5000 just before his 22 birthday in 2004. It seems strange that he essentially peaked when he was 21+ given he has the best training, coaching, races, pacing, equipment in the world. If he is in fact a few years older; the Ethiopian calendar is 7 years different for example; maybe he is now 32 and a bit on the decline. An amazing runner regardless of whether he is 25 or not but it may help explain his situation now.

It could be something physical/neurological. Look at Salazar and Beardsely after the "Duel In the Sun".

Sounds like a combo of something physical and mental. A lot of what the article describes sounds like classic depression. Somehow I think he'll be back. Hopefully.

One thing I don't understand:

"A combination of the Kenyan coast's heat and humidity, a bad game plan on his part, knee injury and lack of a lap counter at the Mombasa Golf Course all contributed to the fall of one of the world's greatest athletes ever."

I understand they should have had a lap counter, but does lack of a lap counter really contribute to the fall of one of the world's greatest athletes ever? It was a race where everyone lacked a lap counter. I mean, step up and count your own laps or get a coach to shout them to you from the sidelines.

They DID have a lap counter - I was there.

i think kenenisa is traveling the same way as daneil comen.

i was right to e mail to EAF not to travel to mombasa as will do evry thing to stop kenenisa that was what happened.

i will pray for him to return to his pervious form

Trollie McSockpuppet wrote:

slowkid wrote:

His father is 82?!?

He is 82 in Ethiopian years. In Ethiopia, being 82 really means that you're about 43 "Western" years old.

kenenisa's 12.5 years old!!!???

His previous pervious form has always been questionable?

Do you really believe some Kenyan journalist? C'mon, those guys just HATE him and would write anything that could possibly uplift the spirit of the Kenyan distance squad...

I say BS.

His father was 57 when he had Kenny and in his 60's when he banged out Tariku. The guy's a legend. Is there any younger Bekeles.

Commen Cense wrote:

Bekele really only seemed unbeatable for a season or so, except for XC. He never completed the gold/gold double (not that it's easy) in the 5k/10k and despite having both WR's was beat in several Golden League meets, a WC race, an Olympic race, indoor meets, etc.

For someone who once seemed so destined to be the king of the distance world, he has seemed increasingly vulnerable/human the last few years.

Well I'd say he was pretty much unbeatable. You've counted some races twice above by mentioning the double, then also citing the Olympics and World Champs.

From memory he's only ever lost:

- The World/Oly 5k having already done the 10k earlier in the week.

- An indoor race shortly after his fiancee died.

- An end of season race last year against Mottram .

- Perhaps the odd 15/3k.

- That cross-country WC.

Has he lost any other 5ks? Has he ever lost a 10K?

Nothing to suggest that the article isn't fact. As another poster said, it does sound like depression, hope he is able to overcome it soon if this is the case.

I think the article is fact - and there's likely something to the notion (likely with bona fide organic or biological causes) that he has flown too close to the sun and his wings have melted a bit.

A great athlete - reminds me just how difficult top level running can be and just how enjoyable running just to run without any pressure now in my late 40's can be.

a. The whole story reeks of bad journalism.

b. How many times have we heard that KB will not do WXC, and then he did it?

c. I trust that I have made my point.

Bekele is not done!

Let's put things into perspective. He was leading the World cross country until the penultimate lap, miscounted, and gave up on the last lap....but he would have finished 2nd as worst case scenario if he had kept moving his legs around the circuit. A formidable result in the heat of Mombasa. The Eritrean guy is more used to the heat, and used to be a professional cycle racer, and he used to race on the coast and in Yemen - so he is used to the heat (talking about Zersenay Tadesse).

The fact that he DNF'd there probably played a few tricks on his confidence. But Kenny is smart, and I think he knows he will be back. Osaka is in mind.

Kenny has done this in the past, saying he was not fit etc...and then racing and doing well. He is taking some of the pressure off, while he rebuilds. It is more psychological than physical.

On the track, where everything is precise and nothing is left to chance, there are still very few if any people who have a chance of beating Kenny if he is up to his usual form.

ghost

coach:

christophe_moulton@yahoo.ca

Arnester Sylvenegger wrote:

It could be something physical/neurological. Look at Salazar and Beardsely after the "Duel In the Sun".

If the article is indeed accurate, it does sound eerily familiar. I recall reading about how before Boston Salazar was basically unstoppable in practice -- you could throw any amount of work at him and his body could take it. Then, of course, everyone knows the prolonged struggle he faced after Boston just to get back. Training after that was a constant grind, he was always getting tired, and ultimately was never quite the same.

Hard efforts in the heat and humidity to the point of dangerous exhausting does have the effect of injuring, and in some cases ruining, careers. Hopefully that is not the case here; as some have already mentioned, it does sound as though this could be a case of clinical depression (which, in a certain sense, may be no better -- serious depression can be very difficult to get over, and some never really get over it).

Skuj wrote:

a. The whole story reeks of bad journalism.

b. How many times have we heard that KB will not do WXC, and then he did it?

c. I trust that I have made my point.

a - What makes you say that?

b - Once.

c - Yes, but not very well.

He ran out of "juice"

Since when is lifting coffee tables a good indicator of running fitness.

My 300 pound brother-in-law can lift a heavier table then I can but I can whip him at any distance from 1 inch on up.

Sounds like he needs to stop trying to left tables and get out there and do some running.