Could Bekele 2008 have beaten Farah 2016?

It's hard to compare against different eras. During Bekele's time, the drug testing wasn't as good as it is now.

2008 was after all these better epo test came out, and 2009 Bekele would destiny Farah too. And find me evidence Bekele doped before bringing that up.

Really simple question

Bekele 2008 would smoke Farah, regardless of 2012 or 2016.

He would not let it come down to 1 lap to go.

He closed in 53.42 in the 10km letting up 50m before the line.

The 5k everybody knows what he did: 53.87 - 2:25:30 - 3:57:01 - 4:56:97

Farah in 2012 ran: 2:33:52 + 2:25:20 = 4:58:72

Slower than bekele ran in 2008 and 45 sec slower overall time.

Bekele beats Farah with a long 2000 meter death match. Farah wouldn't hang with that and even if it came down to a 400 meter sprint, I think Bekele still wins.

Prime Bekele, Geb, El G or Lagat beat Prime Farah in a 5000. Bekele and Geb and Tergat beat him 10000m.

Prime Bekele, Geb, El G or Lagat beat Prime Farah in a 5000. Bekele and Geb and Tergat beat him 10000m.

Michiganrunner50 wrote:

Subject is mute. It is like saying Golden State Warriors best team better than Chicago Bulls from the 90s

moot, not mute

Relevant datapoint: 2009 WC 10K with Tadese pushing the pace

http://www.letsrun.com/2009/10k0817.php

26:46, last lap a 56 clearly letting up...I think prime Bekele has it, but he'd be a fool to let it come down to the final lap.

The only runners that could threaten Bekele in 2008 would be:

Haile at 10.000

And Komon at 5.000

Komon would have to really make it a long grind, in a kick Bekele would outsprint him.

Same for the 10.000 with Haile, this would be a close battle. Still thinking Bekele would win this one. Mabye not with 200m to go, Haile's speed over 200 is amazing.

Lol. Nobody beats Bekele at his best across 10,000m. You should be banned for even suggesting it.

hendrik wrote:

My initial thought was: no, Farah is too fast and cannot be dropped. But I re-watched the 2008 10k final and I think I had forgotten how impressive Bekele's race was and how strong he was that year. He ran 53.42 while lapping 6 runners (4 in the curves) and basically shut it down 50m before the finish. In a 27.01 race with a last 5k of 13:13.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1AlBfXQy9U

While he ran his 5k and 10k records in 2004-2005, he ran 3.32 in september of 2007 and 8.04 indoor 2mile in 2008.

Too bad these guys never raced in both of their primes- may have pushed Mo to run more fast 5k/10k races.

Remember, not 10,000m but Bekele dropped Farah in 2013 for the half marathon before Farah caught up at the end...so perhaps a ridiculous pace could drop him in the 10,000m

either way, i think Bekele wins

Bekele has one thing Farah does not...something like 10 combined World XC titles. That demonstrates much more strength than Farah has shown (though Farah has shown really impressive strength).

Facts are that in the one head to head half, Bekele won, and almost assuredly wasn't in greatest shape.

Their first marathons: 2:05 flat for a win, with Bekele pushing solo from 12km out, Farah 2:08 and change, getting dropped from a paced attempt.

Bekele would win almost every time if he went hard from the gun, or say from 3km out in a 5k, or 5k out in a 10k. If he leaves it to a sprint, he would probably get beat, even in a sub 13 race (see Lagat circa 2007, El G in 2004). Bekele is susceptible to "milers" in a 5k when it's left to the last mile or 800.

Mo Farah would smoke Bekele 4 sure

tony the tiger wrote:

Mo Farah would smoke Bekele 4 sure

When that race took place Mo has just won 2 gold medals in the world championship in Moscow

Bekele had ample time 2 train specifically 4 the half Marathon

Bekele got nothing on the legendary Mo Farah

Man, just rewatched Bekele's 26:17. That was insane. Dude leads for like 6K of that race. 57 second last lap after coming through 9600m in 25:20. INSANE.

Opening 5000 at half-Marathon pace (58+) ... Followed be near record 10000m pace (26:25).