Big Sur is no big deal?
It won her two grand
for running a half marathon.
The women who were on
their own and finished
behind her would be
happy to earn that money
for their efforts.
$49,000 for four races
and Honolulu said besides
the 40k for the "win"
she was also entitled
to some time bonuses.
Maybe David Monti can elaborate.
Some of you old-timers
may remember the Joan Benoit
controversy back in Boston 1983,
Kevin Ryan,
http://www.honolulumarathon.org/?s=1983
was working as a running reporter
covering the women's race and thought he
would be following Allison Roe instead
he found himself running with Joan Benoit.
It was clear he was not coaching or assisting
(He wore a New Balance singlet) the Nike
Athletics West runner from Maine, but
people talked and rumored that he had,
since she wasn't wearing a watch and
there was no vehicle with a clock
leading the first woman.
As for the Ethiopians...
who ran on December 12th.
Maybe they don't know each other.
Sure some have claimed
they live together in Flagstaff
and train up there at altitude,
but why would he register in the
Honolulu Marathon as being from Garland TX?
Ezkyas Sisay Garland TX USA 9874
They list him as the first person
to drop out and give him a place of 20177.
20,176 finished the event.
He's got a bad track record,
he's dropped out of two of the
four events he ran with her
and his pacing duties
leave something to be desired.
He had her running at a sub 1:07
half marathon pace through 8 miles
at Big Sur and she slowed down by more
than three minutes over the final 5 miles.
In Kingsport, TN one more sign that
they hardly know each other...
why she lives in Pennsylvania!
28 10/124 26 Ezkyas Sisay 21 M Flagstaff AZ 25:36 0:25:35.99 5:09
29 1/114 60 Belainesh Zemedkun 22 F West Chester PA 25:37 0:25:36.85 5:10
It was bad enough when she won $4,000 in TN
moved on to CA and won $3,000 the next week
then Big Sur came and she won $2,000 with the
same "spiritual guidance".
The tipping point was when she won forty grand
in Honolulu. Boy, the race officials must feel like
a bunch of rubes that got snookered by some
city slickers.
Mr Geinus..
The guy who was pacing gebre was also pacing alice Thimbilil (sp?). There is no such thing as pacing one person over another.... Plus pacing is not that big of an advantage... in fact you can actually harm the athlete if you go too fast.
Honestly, $2000 big sur is not much of a payday for a runner of her calibur. If they were motivated by the money they could have gone to a race where they could make more money. Just a month prior to that race they both ran a 15k in tulsa and they finished 1st and 2nd seperately. Why would they not use the same strategy at big sur. Sisay had won the race the year prior. My guess is that he had an injury prior to the race and was not able to go with the men. So he stepped back and helped her run a PB. So what!!!
Its great that she was able to set a PB. He didn't carry her on his back. All WR and PB's are accomplished this way and if its done in a minor race on the west coast or in a major race with designated pace setters... it counts the same.
Him pacing her had no impact on the outcome of the race other than the time she recorded (pb of 1:09) had he not paced her she would have run maybe 1:10. As previously mentioned the ladies that finished 2nd ran 1:18 (i.e. not even a close race).
Are you serious when you say that gebre was assisted in an 8k race? I can understand your argument in the marathon when you have mutliple water stops..and seperation between competitors
But in a 25 minute race there is nothing one pacer can do to give one runner an advantage over another.
Gebre won the 8k @ Crazy 8 fair and square and your obsession against her seems over the top. You had me for a while until you said.. she is stealing money from the hands of babes.
Whoever, this is - you need more things happening in your life. Clearly you have too much time to string things together into a web of conspiracy.
You found 3 races where the two of them ran together and now all of a sudden you are saying.. that is the only way she can win -
Clint Verran paced deena kastor and coached her in the race.
It is interesting that this story was dismissed when it was argued on lets run.
http://www.time-to-run.com/marathon/chicago/2005/
Would you cry foul on the above ?
My guess is not!
Also, my guess is that you will spend the rest of your time looking for other people that maybe pacing gebre...
If you say any male that looks african next to her - you will go nuts.
Obviously you are a sour loser. Nothing about you says I am a winner. Its just pure whining and moaning.
Get real!
say should be See
Lastly- using different names to post similar things is the ultimate sign of being a troll.
Congrats! you are a typical lets run poster. High on emotion zero on logic.
Dear Mr. Ridiculous:
Or can I call you by your first name? Most, is it? I enjoyed reading your posts. Reminded me of those spam letters I get from Nigerian Bankers.
Although I shouldn't make fun of your command of English. At least you are trying. Me? I will never learn your language.
I've also enjoyed the numerous defenders of Belaynesh Zemedkun Gebre and her "high moral character"
http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=ETH/athcode=205962/index.html
Too bad you couldn't watch their Honolulu TV interview, oh, wait...you can. Someone posted the link earlier. When confronted with the facts and their observed violation of the rules they both said they knew and understood the rules. When pressed again with reporters questions about their cheating all they did was deny, deny, deny.
It's just a coincidence that Belainesh Gebre ran the same splits as her boyfriend at Honolulu back on the 12th.
Belainesh Gebre Ezkyas Sisay
10k 34:33 10k 34:32
13.1m 1:14:46 13.1m 1:14:46
30k 1:46:59 30k 1:46:58
40k 2:24:26 40k 2:24:26
After all he started out with the lead men and was seen running with them until he dropped off and picked up his girlfriend just before 10k.
Too bad he didn't have the strength to run the final 2k. That's a lot of money to spend and a long way to fly just to run 25 miles and have to drop out so close to the finish line.
the crowd here seems to be split evenly
you have half of the posters presenting facts, photos and eyewitness accounts while the other half is getting all emotional calling people names and doing their best to obfuscate...
Yeah, I know, find a dictionary and look it up
Lastly that last poster that said the Ethiopian
was there to pace the women in Tennessee and Kenyan Alice Timbilili could have been benefited by his generosity.
ummmm, no he didn't win big sur, he was 2nd. a simple check of the results would have confirmed that one buddy. also, why did he grab sergio reyes' arm right in the finish stretch and yank on him so hard he stripped mr. reyes' watch off his arm??? many people witnessed this, yet for some reason he wasn't dq'd, sadly. just another in a LOOOOOONG list of his "wonderful" characteristics. what an ethical young man he is, this sisay character. glad he's got idiots like you to support him. keep up the good work.
MostRidiculous wrote:.... Why would they not use the same strategy at big sur. Sisay had won the race the year prior. My guess is that he had an injury prior to the race and was not able to go with the men. So he stepped back and helped her run a PB. So what!!! ...-
Is there any finish line video from Big Sur 2009?
That would be fun to watch!
Funny how all of Gebre's supporters have gone silent as more and information comes forward.
Here was the TV news in Honolulu
Here's that story from Wharf to Wharf where she admitted to being helped
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/wharftowharf/ci_15602177?source=pkg
2011 will be a bright new year
Was 2010 a teachable moment for Sisay and Gebre
or will it be same old, same old in the new year?
You stick with what works for you, right?
the westcshester, pennsylvania address is her management company EMSI.
Only five people witnessed with a consistent view Ezkyas Sisay and Belainesh Gebre running together at the Honolulu Marathon: Shane Enright (a local radio reporter), Enright's production assistant (didn't get her name), Jason Kaneshiro (the reporter for the Star-Bulletin newspaper), the race photographer on motorcycle (didn't get his name, either), and me. There were only four of us in the back of the women's lead truck.
From my vantage point, I was able to watch the race from gun to tape. The men got off to a slow start, and through the first kilometer Gebre and Sisay were running close to the men's leaders. By the one mile mark (5:33), the men were away, and Gebre was tucked in behind Sisay. Only one other woman was visible, Japan's Kaori Yoshida who had been designated by the race organizers to pace the women's race.
Mile after mile, Gebre followed Sisay, one stride behind. Yoshida was able to stay near them for the first 15 km, then fell behind (she went on to finish third). During the remainder of the race, Sisay took bottles off of his fuel belt with a red liquid, opened the tops, then passed them behind him to Gebre who drank from them. I saw him hand the bottles to her six times. He also looked behind then to see if anybody was gaining on them (she didn't look), he checked his watch frequently and provided her with splits, and he also went to the side of the road to the drink tables to fetch her water and sponges.
The race photographer on the motorcycle snapped a number of photos of the couple, but none with her taking Sisay's fuel belt bottles, only the water from the public drinking stations.
With about two miles to go Svetlana Zakharova had cut the lead down on the slowing Gebre to about 40 seconds. She could see our white truck ahead of her, so she knew where Gebre (and Sisay) were running. The Ethiopian couple ran strongly down the final hill on Diamond Head Avenue to hold the gap, and with about a mile to go, Sisay ducked off the course, and Gebre ran alone to the finish line for the victory.
As I reported in my story for Race Results Weekly, Sisay claimed that the bottles were for him and that it was his intention to vie for the podium (against several Kenyans with 2:07 PB's). His claim was ridiculous. It was quite clear that he was there to assist Gebre, and that was their plan from the beginning.
I really don't think any of what I've written so far is in question. The questions which remain are: 1) whether or not they broke any rules by doing what they did, and 2) was their approach to the competition ethical?
To the first question, the answer isn't clear cut. Two USATF rules come into play: 144 (Assistance to Athletes) and 241 (Medical and Safety Concerns for Road Events). While the first rule has some specific language, it is also somewhat vague. It's particularly vague when you consider that both Sisay and Gebre were bonafide competitors in the race, wearing bib numbers (Sisay was not a coach or spectator). The second rule specifies that "a competitor who collects refreshment from a place other than a refreshment station is liable to disqualification by the Referee," which Gebre did. Again, the rule is vague because it says the competitor is "liable" for disqualification, but it is not mandatory. The Honolulu organizers didn't think their behavior rose to the level of rule-breaking.
To the second question, whether their approach to the comeptition was ethical, depends on how you feel about good sportsmanship. In my personal opinion, for one competitor in the women's race to receive systematic aid from a male runner, while the other women did not have that advantage is unethical. Others would say that as long as they didn't clearly violate any rule, the ethics of the situation aren't important.
I also want to add one more thing. Although they finished five seconds apart at the Big Sur Half-Marathon in November, and that two photographs show Sisay running in front of Gebre, Sisay did NOT pace Gebre throughout the race, according to an official I communicated with who witnessed the entire race. Sisay ran well ahead of her for most of the race, then dropped back only in the very final stages.
However, there is evidence of their using ths approach at both the Crazy 8's 8-K and the Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile. A writer for the industry newsletter Road Race Management, Claudia Piepenburg, is thoroughly investigating this issue and will have a story published early next year about it.
Respectfully,
David Monti, Editor & Publisher
Race Results Weekly
Since 1994
Thank you for your input David.
Shayne Enright works for the KITV-4,
the local ABC affiliate.
http://www.kitv.com/station/18293659/detail.html
You are correct, only a handful consistently
watched the "assistance" unfold, but piece together
the eyewitness accounts of Kaori and the hundreds of
other runners and spectators on the sidelines
and they saw a whole lot of illegal and unethical behavior
in Honolulu.
People inside the sport were immediately saying..."you can't do that!" While those outside were questioning "Can you do that?"
As for Big Sur, didn't they both have the same split time at eight miles? Which means he was with her at least over the final five miles (maybe more before that).
https://www.runraceresults.com/secure/raceresults.cfm?id=RCHV2010
they did not have the same times at Big Sur
Gebre, number 21 was
Finish: 1:09:43 Pace: 5:20
8 Miles: 40:34 Pace: 5:05
Sisay, number 21 was
Finish: 1:09:48 Pace: 5:20
8 Miles: 40:21 Pace: 5:03
It is so obvious, they barely saw each other
which means her last 5.11 miles was at a pace of 5:42 per mile.
Just think what she'll run next year with competition
and a better coach that won't make her run 35 seconds per mile too fast over the first half.
i hate throwing my hat into this circus but what the hey!
I was with Sisay from approx 4.5mi-7mi. right after we passed the press truck (containing the photog's and elite athlete coordinators) and lead vehicle (with wally kastner, RD), Sisay dropped off of us (me and a boulder kid, don't know his name) and basically started jogging. As I came back from the turn around (around 8mi-ish), i saw belainesh tucked nicely onto ezkys, which she apparently continued to do until the finish. race organization was none too pleased, but not surprised. as DM stated, unethical? perhaps. strictly against the rules? doesn't look like it. if we want this crap to stop, then the rules need to be adjusted to prohibit this but you have to give them some props for pushing every stinkin inch of the rule boundaries, albeit with little regards for sportsmanship.
and yes, the above posters story of sergio's watch is quite true, i've seen the broken watchband. classy move by a schmuck who's afraid of getting outkicked! typical sisay unfortunately.
cheers, dude-
What religion are they?
Will they ever feel guilty or remorseful?
Catholics and Jews would be feeling real guilty right about now and Buddhists know that Instant Karma's gonna get you!
As good Christians we are supposed to forgive them for their sins.
Forgive them, for they know not what they've done.
Tis the season!
The USATF rules are vague, ambiguous, open to interpretation.
Perhaps we should teach her the rules of America's pastime...Baseball.
Everyone knows those rules and can live with them.
Three strikes and you're out!
She's had four chances, close calls, near misses but no repercussions, only rewards.
What makes anyone think she is going to change her ways? Go straight?
It is the land of opportunity and she has had plenty of them.
To quote another immigrant, Yakov Smirnov,
"I love this country!"
"It doesn't matter how she won. She finished first so she should get the prize money!"
This is a quote from an associate of mine who made this declaration at the company Christmas party. Perhaps he was drunk, more likely just stupid.
After I pointed out that this has happened to her in at least three other races in 2010 and that how you win does matter, he shut up.
Could she have won Honolulu if she ran an "honest" pace?
Maybe. We will have to wait until next year at Honolulu.
Does anyone know if she has any Spring marathons planned?
The 5:33 per mile pace through 10k might have been a bit much, but that's what the "official" pacer Kaori Yoshida ran, but the question is who was leading who?
That was a minute forty-two faster than the defending women's champion and the other elite women.
Could Gebre have maintained that rhythm and pace if she had to slow down and think about picking Gatorade, water and sponges off the tables like the other runners?
She definitely was faltering over the second half.
Svetlana Zakharova ran the second half in 1:17:08
Belainesh Gebre ran the second half in 1:17:27
and Svetlana ran a faster split between 30km and 40k
getting to within twenty-five seconds of her.
Where do you work that this was a Christmas party topic?
norge wrote:
Where do you work that this was a Christmas party topic?
Not in Norway...No, in Honolulu.
Everyone at work knows I am a runner and that I run the marathon every December.
It is the biggest sporting event in the state this month.
News of the controversy was in the morning paper, on all the TV stations, even radio sports guys that don't follow running or marathoning were talking about it.
I can assume if you live in L.A. and run the L.A. Marathon in March and your co-workers know you ran they are going to ask you about it.
Same with Chicago in October or NYC in November, it can be a big deal and topic of conversation at work. If it had happened in Huntsville, Alabama at their marathon this month people would be buzzing about it around the water cooler.