That was the worst 5000m final in an Olympics ever

hey dummy wrote:

Brendon Foster and Steve Cram also called this race and the women's 1500 "disappointing". They raced at the highest level and don't get the allure of this kind of race.

Not true. They commented on the women's 1500 being slow and alluded to it being disappointing, but they were practically wetting themselves when Mo won the 5000m. They never said it was disappointing, in fact Foster, the worst commentator ever, said that this was the "greatest achievement in the history of British Athletics". The man is deluded. As glad as I am that Farah won, his win in 13:41 was painfully slow. It's not even the best 5000m run by a Briton. That goes to Moorcroft's 13:00 WR 30 years ago when he practically front run most of it.

l1ndgren wrote:

Both the 10000 and 5000 races were terrible. They might as well have handled the gold medals to Mo before hand, letting both races fall to the final kick.

To disrespect to Mo, but he had a lot of luck getting this 5000/10000 double. Twice a dumb field lets the race play into his hands and the injuries and off form that Kenny B has been suffering. You can be sure Mo at his fittest can't hold a candle to 2008 Bekele.

You can't win 2 Olympic gold medals on luck. Totally wrong!

If other athletes didn't push the pace earlier, then they obviously felt they could out kick Mo. It's not as if he was an unknown quantity, and he was the best distance runner in the world last year as well. The fact that they didn't beat him is because they weren't good enough on the day and didn't execute the correct tactics to give them more chance of winning. No one fell, no one was injured, almost everyone was there. Luck had nothing to do with it.

This is why Phelps doing over 16 races in 2008 makes him the greatest, there are no "Tactics" in trying to set a world record everytime you swim.

fast track wrote:

All the money is sucking all the young talent away from track into the marathon. Track will be as popular as field in a decade.

Really! Is that why the Marathon was won in 2: 08? Wasn't that the WR like 30 + years ago?

o.O wrote:

This is why Phelps doing over 16 races in 2008 makes him the greatest, there are no "Tactics" in trying to set a world record everytime you swim.

There most certainly are tactics (and strategies)... you obviously didn't pay pay attention to Rowdy as he commented throughout the races. They race to enhance their own strengths and minimize their own weaknesses.

When front running is not your strength you do not lead the race... pure and simple.

deanouk wrote:

If other athletes didn't push the pace earlier, then they obviously felt they could out kick Mo.

It's more likely that they knew they would get outkicked by Mo (and many others) if they were to lead and push the pace, but by staying conservative, they at least had a chance to grab a medal (even if it wasn't gold).

it's all about context

watch this vid then tell me it was the worst 5000m final ever...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeyaGexoivo

That's a good analysis...setting the pace is just not that great an idea. Those runners all are very good and can kick. And if it's me I'm going to take my chances with saving all I can and then running a rocket finish...and just maybe the favorite is out of position or does not have it that day. If I go at it from the start trying to run a pr....it' s just to dangerous. Why would I think the other more accomplished guys are going to be broken by a fast pace when they are as good or better than me! Sit and kick!

The 2004 oly 5k was one of the best. But I did enjoy this one. With 400 to go u did not know who would win. A fast last lap of any race is exciting. I even loved Cacho's 50 point in the Barcelona. I'm going to watch Farah's finish again right now. It was a beautiful race.

With this very big sub 13 minute field,I was hoping for a challenge at least at the olympic record. The kick at the end was a bit exciting at 3:57 last 1600 , but kenenisa went faster in hotter weather at 3:56 on a blistering pace! The field and conditions were perfect in London to see something more spectacular right from the Gun but it never happened :( regardless they did break records on slow splits which I found very hilarious, even the emperor haile couldn't believe the mindset off all the runners in the distance events

Um, yeah wrote:

deanouk wrote:

If other athletes didn't push the pace earlier, then they obviously felt they could out kick Mo.

It's more likely that they knew they would get outkicked by Mo (and many others) if they were to lead and push the pace, but by staying conservative, they at least had a chance to grab a medal (even if it wasn't gold).

Bingo.

Being happy with just a medal makes finalists figure they've got a 1 in 3, 1 in 4 chance if they sit and kick, so they never take risks.

But that same weakness is why single-runner breakaways work. It's only the gold running away, so everyone else plays it safe and lets them go.

I can't believe that race was honest. I am guessing that the two East African federations were told to keep the pace slow. I am also suspect of the mens 1500 meters. Kiprop didn't stand a chance in a kicking race. This is from a guy who ran 3:28 in Monaco a week prior. EVERYONE knows you can't beat Mo in a kickers race. Especially when you think about how he ran 1:53 last 800 in London just before the games.

Soccer is corrupt to no end and so is athletics. Drugs are just the public scandal. It goes so much further. I can't say who I am because I would get fired and laughed out of the business but that was NOT an honest race. Tactical race hahahahahaha. Athletics fans are the most naive fans I have ever encountered. Amazing. I wanted to see Mo win but not like that.

jx wrote:

I can't believe that race was honest. I am guessing that the two East African federations were told to keep the pace slow. I am also suspect of the mens 1500 meters. Kiprop didn't stand a chance in a kicking race. This is from a guy who ran 3:28 in Monaco a week prior. EVERYONE knows you can't beat Mo in a kickers race. Especially when you think about how he ran 1:53 last 800 in London just before the games.

Soccer is corrupt to no end and so is athletics. Drugs are just the public scandal. It goes so much further. I can't say who I am because I would get fired and laughed out of the business but that was NOT an honest race. Tactical race hahahahahaha. Athletics fans are the most naive fans I have ever encountered. Amazing. I wanted to see Mo win but not like that.

WTF are you blathering on about?

Obviously, he is suggesting the race was rigged by powerful forces behind the scenes-betting racket?

I see, it's all a conspiracy eh?

jx wrote:

I can't believe that race was honest. I am guessing that the two East African federations were told to keep the pace slow.

So your guess is based on....? The fact you choose to remain anonymous so you don't get laughed out of the business? Ok, that sounds like it must be a valid theory.

EVERYONE knows you can't beat Mo in a kickers race.

Maybe most of the field was willing to accept Mo would win (whether kicking off a fast pace or a slow pace) but thought they might still have a chance for a lesser medal if they didn't pull a Pre and lead an 'honest pace' race.

If you were one of several 12:5something guys in the field, would you rather give yourself a shot at winning silver or bronze or accept that you'd finish 7th or 8th but at least would have been leading at the 3000m mark in a respectable time?

Kenyanna wrote:

And the 10000m was so great? Both were horrible. Tired of this jogs with sprints in the final laps. Whatever happened to good old endurance? Battle to see who could hang with big boys? I miss John Ngugi and Yobes Ondieki.

Ngugi and Ondieki would have got destroyed if they tried to do as they did 20 yrs ago. Do you really think you are going to outrun Farah and the Ethiopians going from the gun? They are all in sub 12:50 shape. The difference today is that the best (Geb, Bekele, and now Farah) can beat you any way you want. The Ethiopians thought the best method was a prolonged kick over 2000m.

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You know nothing if you think running a string of 60s and 61s is setting Farah up for a kick. You unsophistocates can't appreciate a 4:57 last 2000m ending with a 52 second lap. One of the greatest 5000m races ever.

subfive wrote:

That's a good analysis...setting the pace is just not that great an idea. Those runners all are very good and can kick. And if it's me I'm going to take my chances with saving all I can and then running a rocket finish...and just maybe the favorite is out of position or does not have it that day. If I go at it from the start trying to run a pr....it' s just to dangerous. Why would I think the other more accomplished guys are going to be broken by a fast pace when they are as good or better than me! Sit and kick!

You are overstating your case. What you say is true for certainly inferior runners (like a Levins). But they are going to lose out on the medals NO MATTER WHAT. But ETH's and KEN's ?

1_ This year they ran much faster than Mo has, and did so off a hard pace from the gun

2) Mo was potentially tired from 10k

3) they all knew he had a deadly kick

They were simply dumb, and weak, to let it go so slow, and let him then take control prior to the last lap. They handed him the race.

Either the ETH or KEN runners (or both together) could have swapped off laps and hit the pace hard right out of the gate (instead of waiting until 6 laps to go). No SINGLE person had to lead the whole way. Don't these guys know how to work together for their collective advantage?? Or do something like hit a sub 60 lap every other lap, to mess with Mo's rhythm and get him well into anaerobic land before he wants to.

Mo still might have won, but the odds would have gone down if they ran the type of race I am describing above compared to the one they allowed to be.

Didn't you read? IT WAS ALL FIXED!! Proof from an anonymous poster saying he 'knows' but can't say more.