Tariku Bekele, Augustine Choge, or Samuel Wanjiru which is the best Junior in 2005?

coachkritter

I saw your request and recently e-mailed you.

Native Son

You say you would love to see T. Bekele, A. Choge, S. Wanjiru, and A. Fekele race; however, it wouldn't be much of a race. As Augustine is by far the best over 1500m to 3000m. A. Fekele although extraordinary couldn't match either at 5000m and Samuel Wanjiru would eat the others in 10000m and above. I do think Fekele is a possible great talent but wouldn't want to see him face them this early in his career. The other 3 in a super fast 5000m would be a great competition.

did anyone notice Abreham Fekele (15 yr old) 13:25.65 from the Berlin 5000m?

I did. Hella fast, what will he be running when he is 25 though?? Such potential.

i agree! will he be the youngest runner to dip under 13? choge has it now...every1 know that, but damn 15yrs old!? i cant even imagine that...ill go and say that he will be the youngest under 13!

Vipam,

I agree. Do you think there is great coaching by the Japanese? They have produced wonderful guys like Wanjiru and Mathathi not to mention a few others. Also, what do you think of Godfrey Rono, who won a double in Tunis, Tunisia-1:47.10(PB) and 3:42.76? These juniors never cease to amaze.

Feleke is the real deal.. his 7:43 time in the 3000 should be worth 13: 18 ish... I think he will show 13:09 next year and follow that up with a sub 13 ....

He is definately the biggest youth talent that i have seen coming out of Ethiopia since Markos Geneti and the late alem techale.

Most of the youth athletes from the past cometitions haven't wow'd anyone.. but still they have been consistant.

Geneti.. 13:01 PB and Sintayehu Ejigu 14:35 PB.. (both from the 2001 WYCH)

Lets see if AFC is the real deal???

Fekele is indeed a talent but he have to make big improvements in 2 yrs to be the youngest ever sub 13 5000m. Augustine Choge achieved his 12:57.01 (2004) at age 17 yrs old. There's two other juniors whose just sickening they're so fast at a young age:

Shelia Chepkirui (Ken) 27 Dec 1990- 14 yrs old

1500m......4:12.29 equal to 4:32 mile

Veronica N. Wanjiru (Ken) 29 Oct 1989- 15 yrs old

1500m......4:21.8 (A)

3000m......8:52.9 (A)

5000m.....15:13.1 (A)

I hope I'm wrong and that those two girls stay in athletics and continue to improve with great coaching unlike some of Kenya's former top female juniors (Alice Timbilli and Sally Barossio). Shelia and Veronica are two of the most talented female youth runners out of Kenya.

11th September 2005

New half marathon world record for 18 year old Wanjiru at Rotterdam half...... 59:16.

On the back of his WJR at 10,000 26.41

Game set and match for the title of 2005 best junior!

This kid is going to be threatening Kenenisa next year

I think the two young females are just as impressive as Samuel Wanjiru considering their ages and the performances. The shocking thing beside how fast the two females ran is the very limited amount of races. Shelia ran two (2) track races and Veronica ran four (4) both easily winning the 1500m and 3000m respectively at the World Youth Championships.

Herdsman wrote:

11th September 2005

New half marathon world record for 18 year old Wanjiru at Rotterdam half...... 59:16.

On the back of his WJR at 10,000 26.41

Game set and match for the title of 2005 best junior!

This kid is going to be threatening Kenenisa next year

Herdsman,

Where did you get this? It made my heart race.

He seems to be better than Tergat. Great stuff!

NativeSon

I searched and the only thing I could find about Samuel Wanjiru 1/2 Marathon World Record was from one of Rotterdam's Newspapers. Sorry its not in English but you can still see the teenager is indeed the new World Recordholder in 59:16! Thanks Herdsman and I agree Samuel is definitely ahead of Augustine as the best junior in 2005.

-------

Wereldrecord Wanjiru op de halve marathon

ROTTERDAM - De pas 18-jarige atleet Samuel Wanjiru heeft gisteren in de Fortis Halve Marathon Rotterdam een wereldrecord gelopen. De Keniaan won op de Coolsingel in 59 minuten en 16 seconden. Dat was één seconde sneller dan de recordtijd die op naam stond van Wanjiru's landgenoot Paul Tergat.

Tergat, beheerder van het wereldrecord op de marathon (2.04.55), liep in 1998 in Milaan 59.17.Wanjiru was naar Rotterdam gehaald als de snelste man van dit jaar op de 21,1 kilometer. Hij liep injuli in het Japanse Sendai al 59.43 minuten. Wanjiru liep de voorgaande jaren bijna uitsluitend in Japan, waar hij onder contract staat van Toyota dat een groep atleten sponsort. In Japan ontmoette het toptalent ook zijn Duitse manager Wagner.

Thanks Vipam. The boy is in top shape.

Those of you that want to dethrone ethio domination will be anhilated and put to shame!!!

A kenyan man can never be stronger than an abesha worrior..

and a Abesha lady is HOT HOT!!!

Native son.. Go north son...

I dedicate this video...

Happy New Year Ethio's

Happy 1998

Dashen do not be ignorant Kenyan can produce a good athletes like samuel wanjiru and definetly will challenge kenenisa and we ethiopian and kenyan would like to see gebereslassie vs tergat comptetion

dashen,

abet kit abet kit!

mesfin tries to be a diplomat. a bushti can never be an engel!

by the way, kenya have produced atheltes like tergat, the limos, the komens, rutto, tegla etc. so you better stop to be arrogant neftegna

I have no doubt that Samuel Wanjiru is capable of running a very good debut marathon; however, I think the Kenyan Federation should argue against it. The Ethiopian federation wouldn't allow one of their best YOUNG 10000m runners to RISK sustaining injuries in the marathon (when he hasn't reached his potential on the track).

The world have seen a few teenager PHENOMS in the marathon and regardless of the potential how many ran years without any injuries. Its a proven fact that a young growing body (males possibly to age 21-25) and the marathon don't mix very well for very long.

Samuel Wanjiru could very well be Kenya's answer to the Ethiopians in the 10000m but not if he's injuired (mostly likely will be in 2-3 years of marathoning).

I understand it is just your opinion that a talented, hard worker young runner should not move up to the marathon at 18. But to suggest that an Athletics Federation that has had nothing to do with his success should not allow him do so is ridiculous.

It doesn't take that much knowledge of the Dutch Language to note that the article states he is employed by Toyota to run on one of their corporate teams and that his European agent is Volkner Wagner. These entities are the only ones that have a saw in his future plans if he wants to stay employed, etc. Otherwise, I would imagine that he can make his own decisions, since it his own talent and hard work that he to put to good work.

As if the Kenyan Athletics Federation has shown its ability to manage athletics properly! I hope he runs the marathon soon utilizing his incredible fitness level right now. I only have to refer to the critics post his Sendai win, to point out why it is awesome he is proving the naysayers wrong!

freedom

One only have to look at the JUNIOR female and male Marathoning All-Time Top 10/20/30 list and see that young bodies and marathoning doesn't mix. There has been documented studies that link chronic and numerous injuries to the young runners who take on such training and racing the 26.2 miles as their specific event. The amount of talent Samuel Wanjiru has will definitely allow him to be successful at the marathon but how many years will it cut of his career.

The statement I was making is that with the probability the decision he and his coach is making will cost him in the long run. I would much rather see a talent such as S. Wanjiru have stint on the track of at least 2-4 more years before attacking the marathon. Why do you think so many great track runners tackle the marathon in the midst or twilight of their career. Very few athletes with the talent of Samuel Wanjiru tackle the marathon at the beginning of their career and even fewer young atheltes stay around to see the twilight of their career!

Have anyone heard anything official about which marathon Samuel Wanjiru will debut?