Meet Switzerland's Julien Wanders - The 21-year-old who just ran a 60:09 half-marathon NR last weekend

I seriously doubt that he dopes. Julien has been running well since he was a youth. At age 15 he ran 31.42 for 10km road, representing Swiss youth runners versus Italian youth runners, in Cremona, Italy.

As an underage youth, just 16 he ran in the Euro cross, in Belgrade, finishing 54th, against athletes, most much older in age and experience.

He also ran World Cross in Guiyang, China, finishing 36th in the Junior race, and 3rd European. In that memorable race, Julien followed the leaders for two circuits before tying up. That is Julien's style - hard from the gun, eyeballs out.

Marco Jaeger, former 1.47'38 -800 runner coaches Julien at the Stade Geneve club, in a group of 30-40 sub. elite-some elite athletes, including 1.51 and 3.45 type 800/1500 runners.

When in Geneva, he also trains with former Er. runner, Tadesse Abraham.

His progression, from 31.42 as a 15 -almost 16, to 28.02 as a 21 year old is not that surprising.

Dropping in .... wrote:

Skeptical chap wrote:

3. All the top American runners are of Kenyan descent. Which further proves my point.

What point is that?

Point being, genius, that going "native" in Kenya to try and become a super athlete is a futile exercise (excuse the pun).

Evidence? Runners of Kenyan descent make up the majority of the USA distance team. Shouldn't those white transplants from Iten be the ones to carry the flag?

That you call Fukuoka an "obscure race" just shows that you were born out of your dad´s ass (he was probably made pregnant by some local white trash).

Steady on, old chap. What's with the foul language dude? Can't we all get along?

Moving on, I don't see Fukuoka below, do you? O.B.S.C.U.R.E.

I don’t think that’s how it works, Ghost. For him to become the French record holder, he has to give up running for Switzerland, where he was born and raised, to officially declare for his mother’s home country, France. He then has to run faster than the current French record again. He can’t move with his record or hold it for both countries. And should he switch to France, the record stays in Switzerland. Bernard Lagat is still the Kenyan record holder in the 1500m, but his American record for the same distance is three seconds slower.

^Sorry, Ghost. Misread your post and missed some stuff (reading from a phone). Also, don’t feed the doping trolls. No one takes them seriously and responding only encourages them.

Well, considering Kenya is one of the poorest countries in the world, unsurprisingly Kenya runners are in the sport not because they love it but to better themselves financially. Could it be that these "white farmers" you speak of own land and are financially well-off? They have no motivation to run.

Thanks for posting this...great story. This kid looks great and obviously the years of hard work have paid off, and will pay off even more. Beautiful runner....and nice girlfriend, bonus side benefit. The speed dividend as we used to say in college.

Les wrote:

Well, considering Kenya is one of the poorest countries in the world, unsurprisingly Kenya runners are in the sport not because they love it but to better themselves financially. Could it be that these "white farmers" you speak of own land and are financially well-off? They have no motivation to run.

Weak argument. If poverty is the motivating factor, why are there no world class athletes from Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Macedonia and other European sh!tholes?

Les wrote:

Well, considering Kenya is one of the poorest countries in the world, unsurprisingly Kenya runners are in the sport not because they love it but to better themselves financially. Could it be that these "white farmers" you speak of own land and are financially well-off? They have no motivation to run.

Don't feed the trolls...

Skeptical chap wrote:

If poverty is the motivating factor, why are there no world class athletes from Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Macedonia and other European sh!tholes?

Because they aren't in Kenya.

Wanders, date of birth-18/03/96

Other pb's, 800 -1:57.51, 2013, age 17

1500-3:44.74, 2017, age 20

5000 and 10,000, 13:37, 28:06, age 20

His 28:06 was in Huelva, Spain, April 2017, based mostly on distance work.

So, it is evident Wanders gets better, as the distances get longer, and this year, I think, right now, or soon, he would be worth 27:40 or slightly better for track 10,000.

What really impresses about Wanders, is that he has very good biomechanics, with close to perfect form, in my opinion, and in addition is very brave, going out hard, each race.

Lastly, Wanders has said, that given the choice, he would always prefer to represent Switzerland rather than France, because Switz. is where he grew up and has his strongest ties.

Money is not part of the equation, as the French Federation would have taken good care of him financially.

Ghost in France

Skeptical chap wrote:

Les wrote:

Well, considering Kenya is one of the poorest countries in the world, unsurprisingly Kenya runners are in the sport not because they love it but to better themselves financially. Could it be that these "white farmers" you speak of own land and are financially well-off? They have no motivation to run.

Weak argument. If poverty is the motivating factor, why are there no world class athletes from Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Macedonia and other European sh!tholes?

To you, they're shitholes. But these shithole countries (by European standards) all have higher GDP per capita than Kenya. Also, for people to see athletics as a way out, there has to be a tradition of it. There's generations of Kenyans excelling at running. Young people mired in poverty can see success stories all around them. People who've gotten out through running.

Are there generations of athletes from those countries you name excelling at professional sports? It's interesting that of the handful of foreigners who have embraced the Kenyan lifestyle there are no Americans. Could it be that Americans can't give up their creature comforts to live that lifestyle?

Hey Ghost I have a question. The French government supports athletics, they have great facilities, yet there are few great French athletes. Aside from Bosse I can't think of a single one. Oh yeah, the steepler whose name I can't recall, but it seems that they really should have more.

Les wrote:

Hey Ghost I have a question. The French government supports athletics, they have great facilities, yet there are few great French athletes. Aside from Bosse I can't think of a single one. Oh yeah, the steepler whose name I can't recall, but it seems that they really should have more.

Renaud Lavillenie, Pascal Martino Lagarde, Dimitri Bascou, Christophe Lemaitre, Kevin Mayer, Mélina Robert-Michon,

avaeoinceoanf wrote:

Les wrote:

Hey Ghost I have a question. The French government supports athletics, they have great facilities, yet there are few great French athletes. Aside from Bosse I can't think of a single one. Oh yeah, the steepler whose name I can't recall, but it seems that they really should have more.

Renaud Lavillenie, Pascal Martino Lagarde, Dimitri Bascou, Christophe Lemaitre, Kevin Mayer, Mélina Robert-Michon,

Why did you leave out the guy who punches out teen girls dressed as mascots and steeple teammates?

There was Bob Tahri, third in steeple WC ..a few years ago and Mahedine Mekhissi, Bob's rival, but not friend, similar times for steeple and other distances. Also Yohan Diniz, wrh in the 50km walk.

In France there are so many other sports, like soccer, rugby, tennis, swimming, skiing, judo, etc..that few young people are attracted by distance running, and the grind.

It is interesting that Japan, despite being a developed country, produces so many elite world class half marathon and marathon runners. In a typical universities half marathon in Japan, only 2-3 top French runners might finish top ten.

The depth in France is not good anymore. If you run 14.00/29.00 you have a good chance of being a medal contender in French championships.

On the other hand, more leisure runners, incl. many master/vet runners. Last week Nice Half Marathon had 8000 plus starters.

Ghost/France

Culture, and little or no running culture, in those countries.

Every time I meet a Ukrainian person, it is interesting to note that none of them know who Sergiy Labid, multi Euro cross winner, is, and they don't care.

avaeoinceoanf wrote:

Les wrote:

Hey Ghost I have a question. The French government supports athletics, they have great facilities, yet there are few great French athletes. Aside from Bosse I can't think of a single one. Oh yeah, the steepler whose name I can't recall, but it seems that they really should have more.

Renaud Lavillenie, Pascal Martino Lagarde, Dimitri Bascou, Christophe Lemaitre, Kevin Mayer, Mélina Robert-Michon,

How can you neglect Bosse?!?!

After Kenya's performance at the Olympics in 1968, they said it was altitude. Then they said it was genetics. Then an East German/Russian style systematic doping programme (if only the Kenyan government cared enough about sports to afford, let alone run, such a complex system). Now it's down to poverty, never mind the World Bank doesn't even consider Kenya "poor" per se.

https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/analysis/Who-else-in-Africa-is-a-middle-income-nation-/539548-2471258-639yqt/index.html

Anyway, Julien says he's almost more at home in Iten than Geneva, which I thought odd.