If you look at the results in the Olympics in the past, runners from places like Kenya or Ethiopia didn't dominate in the distance running events until around the 1990s and later. Why was this domination so recent even though these countries always had a ton of talented runners?
They have good genetics
A. people are allowed to have opinions. you will never make any friends if you think everyone has to think the way you do.
B. It's someone online, you don't know them, you will never know them, they don't matter.
C. Online seems to be robbing you of the experiences you want to have, so get offline and get outside and do something.
Saying stupid stuff out of frustration gets people in a lot of trouble.
david45 wrote:
If you look at the results in the Olympics in the past, runners from places like Kenya or Ethiopia didn't dominate in the distance running events until around the 1990s and later. Why was this domination so recent even though these countries always had a ton of talented runners?
Very few East Africans could even afford compete in the decades leading up to the 80s and 90s. During the amateur era, they would have no motivation to compete whatsoever. You think a random Kenyan would have the funds to fly recreationally to Europe to run in an unpaid event?
Once athletes could be paid for their performances, the East Africans realized that they could make a fortune from it, and went into the sport en masse.
You guys need to do your homework on when these countries became independent of their colonial leaders.
People of Kip Keino's level likely existed for a good 40 years before he came along.
Most African nations boycotted the 1976 Olympics.
Kenya boycotted 1980
Ethiopia boycotted 1984
They had big wins in 1964, 1968 and 1988
They’ve been good for a while.
Star wrote:
Most African nations boycotted the 1976 Olympics.
Kenya boycotted 1980
Ethiopia boycotted 1984
They had big wins in 1964, 1968 and 1988
They’ve been good for a while.
In World Cross Country, the men's team titles have only been won by Ethiopia (10 times), Kenya (24 times), or Uganda (1 time) since 1981.
Star wrote:
Most African nations boycotted the 1976 Olympics.
Kenya boycotted 1980
Ethiopia boycotted 1984
They had big wins in 1964, 1968 and 1988
They’ve been good for a while.
Bikli in 64 is highly suspicious. An Ethipian victorious on the streets of Rome only a couple of decades after Mussolini had conquered Ethiopia. giving the emperor Halie Salasie revenge. A good story, just a bit too good.
The GDR modelled much of their athletics system on what Ethiopia had in the 60's. Bikli trained in the GDR and cheats like Beyer and Straub trained in Ethiopia.
Keino in 1968 was one of the most suspicious performances in history. No form that summer, collapses in the 10000m, then climbs literally out of his hospital bed to run the equivalent of 3:24 and destroy Jim Ryun who he had never beaten before.
Last year he was accused of embezzling millions from young Kenyan athletes but got off with it due to political intervention.
88 Kenya had several golds from unknown athletes who were based in the USA, where hgh had come out a few years before and was changing the landscape of middle-distance running (Aouita was another user).
It's true that East Africans dominated xcountry from the early 80's. Several of the Kenyans from the teams of that decade were busted.
From the early 90s EPO became widely available. It might even have been a factor in 88. As Mindweak said, the GDR and Soviet Bloc coaches and doctors moved to Africa, as well as Italians after blood doping became illegal in Italy.
Of course the huge population growth of Africa has played a part, although it certainly doesn't explain why Africans are LESS dominant now than 20 years ago.
Another reason is the decline of European and Australasian running. That's due to a number of things, including much more money in other sports especially soccer, obesity and xBox, population plateauing or even declining, and the perception (encouraged here) that East Africans are different from other humans and posses genetic advantages which make it near impossible for other races to compete with them.
Coevett wrote:
Star wrote:
Most African nations boycotted the 1976 Olympics.
Kenya boycotted 1980
Ethiopia boycotted 1984
They had big wins in 1964, 1968 and 1988
They’ve been good for a while.
Bikli in 64 is highly suspicious. An Ethipian victorious on the streets of Rome only a couple of decades after Mussolini had conquered Ethiopia. giving the emperor Halie Salasie revenge. A good story, just a bit too good.
The GDR modelled much of their athletics system on what Ethiopia had in the 60's. Bikli trained in the GDR and cheats like Beyer and Straub trained in Ethiopia.
Keino in 1968 was one of the most suspicious performances in history. No form that summer, collapses in the 10000m, then climbs literally out of his hospital bed to run the equivalent of 3:24 and destroy Jim Ryun who he had never beaten before.
Last year he was accused of embezzling millions from young Kenyan athletes but got off with it due to political intervention.
88 Kenya had several golds from unknown athletes who were based in the USA, where hgh had come out a few years before and was changing the landscape of middle-distance running (Aouita was another user).
It's true that East Africans dominated xcountry from the early 80's. Several of the Kenyans from the teams of that decade were busted.
From the early 90s EPO became widely available. It might even have been a factor in 88. As Mindweak said, the GDR and Soviet Bloc coaches and doctors moved to Africa, as well as Italians after blood doping became illegal in Italy.
Of course the huge population growth of Africa has played a part, although it certainly doesn't explain why Africans are LESS dominant now than 20 years ago.
Another reason is the decline of European and Australasian running. That's due to a number of things, including much more money in other sports especially soccer, obesity and xBox, population plateauing or even declining, and the perception (encouraged here) that East Africans are different from other humans and posses genetic advantages which make it near impossible for other races to compete with them.
How is Africa now less dominant?
Most of the pre-EPO stuff you write here is complete rubbish, but the European Patent Office bit is hilarious.
Coevett wrote:
Star wrote:
Most African nations boycotted the 1976 Olympics.
Kenya boycotted 1980
Ethiopia boycotted 1984
They had big wins in 1964, 1968 and 1988
They’ve been good for a while.
Bikli in 64 is highly suspicious. An Ethipian victorious on the streets of Rome only a couple of decades after Mussolini had conquered Ethiopia. giving the emperor Halie Salasie revenge. A good story, just a bit too good.
The GDR modelled much of their athletics system on what Ethiopia had in the 60's. Bikli trained in the GDR and cheats like Beyer and Straub trained in Ethiopia.
Keino in 1968 was one of the most suspicious performances in history. No form that summer, collapses in the 10000m, then climbs literally out of his hospital bed to run the equivalent of 3:24 and destroy Jim Ryun who he had never beaten before.
Last year he was accused of embezzling millions from young Kenyan athletes but got off with it due to political intervention.
88 Kenya had several golds from unknown athletes who were based in the USA, where hgh had come out a few years before and was changing the landscape of middle-distance running (Aouita was another user).
It's true that East Africans dominated xcountry from the early 80's. Several of the Kenyans from the teams of that decade were busted.
From the early 90s EPO became widely available. It might even have been a factor in 88. As Mindweak said, the GDR and Soviet Bloc coaches and doctors moved to Africa, as well as Italians after blood doping became illegal in Italy.
Of course the huge population growth of Africa has played a part, although it certainly doesn't explain why Africans are LESS dominant now than 20 years ago.
Another reason is the decline of European and Australasian running. That's due to a number of things, including much more money in other sports especially soccer, obesity and xBox, population plateauing or even declining, and the perception (encouraged here) that East Africans are different from other humans and posses genetic advantages which make it near impossible for other races to compete with them.
Who is Bikli?
david45 wrote:
92.5 The Chuck wrote:
Great question, Greg. I am looking forward to the responses.
And I also demand everyone to stop spreading false lies against me
Oh I get it. You’re Greg and Jamin? This website is fucking boring
He is related to Kenio and Rushida, I believe.
kilbi? wrote:
Coevett wrote:
Bikli in 64 is highly suspicious. An Ethipian victorious on the streets of Rome only a couple of decades after Mussolini had conquered Ethiopia. giving the emperor Halie Salasie revenge. A good story, just a bit too good.
The GDR modelled much of their athletics system on what Ethiopia had in the 60's. Bikli trained in the GDR and cheats like Beyer and Straub trained in Ethiopia.
Keino in 1968 was one of the most suspicious performances in history. No form that summer, collapses in the 10000m, then climbs literally out of his hospital bed to run the equivalent of 3:24 and destroy Jim Ryun who he had never beaten before.
Last year he was accused of embezzling millions from young Kenyan athletes but got off with it due to political intervention.
88 Kenya had several golds from unknown athletes who were based in the USA, where hgh had come out a few years before and was changing the landscape of middle-distance running (Aouita was another user).
It's true that East Africans dominated xcountry from the early 80's. Several of the Kenyans from the teams of that decade were busted.
From the early 90s EPO became widely available. It might even have been a factor in 88. As Mindweak said, the GDR and Soviet Bloc coaches and doctors moved to Africa, as well as Italians after blood doping became illegal in Italy.
Of course the huge population growth of Africa has played a part, although it certainly doesn't explain why Africans are LESS dominant now than 20 years ago.
Another reason is the decline of European and Australasian running. That's due to a number of things, including much more money in other sports especially soccer, obesity and xBox, population plateauing or even declining, and the perception (encouraged here) that East Africans are different from other humans and posses genetic advantages which make it near impossible for other races to compete with them.
Who is Bikli?
^^
Why did Jose Canseco get so good around 1990?
EPO. Ask Lance Armstrong. Ask Barry Bonds (steroids)
Babe Ruth's secret? Hot dogs.
Up until the 1990s, Africans were not doping. But Europeans and North Americans were neck deep in dope.
In the 1970s it was the Finns who pioneered blood doping. That epic battle between Keino and Vassala comes to mind as Vassala passed Keino as if he was standing still.
Europeans countries like Italy and the UK and Germany followed suit which is why Europe produced phenomenal distance runners during this period. Many world beaters came from western Europe during this era.
And of course the Eastern Europeans with their state sponsored doping programs, made it impossible for Africans to be competitive especially on the women's side. Added to that, cultural issue forbade African women from pursuing track as a career. This largely explains why No Kenyan and very few Ethiopian women won anything.
Then Africans got in on the doping act. The pioneers were the Moroccans. They got so good that they were winning more medals and more races than the East Africans. There are epic videos on youtube of Sahere besting Kiptanui in the steeplechase and of course Boulami set the world record at that distance.
Then in the 2000s, East African runners tired of losing to Morocco got into the act.
Today the playing field is level. Everyone is doping from the UK to Germany to Morocco to Kenya to Ethiopia, Italy, USA, Australia and so forth.
So you agree with me that the African dominance is not recent as the OP says.
Thanks for agreeing with my point.
You call at least 30 years recent?
Coevett wrote:
Star wrote:
Most African nations boycotted the 1976 Olympics.
Kenya boycotted 1980
Ethiopia boycotted 1984
They had big wins in 1964, 1968 and 1988
They’ve been good for a while.
Bikli in 64 is highly suspicious. An Ethipian victorious on the streets of Rome only a couple of decades after Mussolini had conquered Ethiopia. giving the emperor Halie Salasie revenge. A good story, just a bit too good.
The GDR modelled much of their athletics system on what Ethiopia had in the 60's. Bikli trained in the GDR and cheats like Beyer and Straub trained in Ethiopia.
Keino in 1968 was one of the most suspicious performances in history. No form that summer, collapses in the 10000m, then climbs literally out of his hospital bed to run the equivalent of 3:24 and destroy Jim Ryun who he had never beaten before.
Last year he was accused of embezzling millions from young Kenyan athletes but got off with it due to political intervention.
88 Kenya had several golds from unknown athletes who were based in the USA, where hgh had come out a few years before and was changing the landscape of middle-distance running (Aouita was another user).
It's true that East Africans dominated xcountry from the early 80's. Several of the Kenyans from the teams of that decade were busted.
From the early 90s EPO became widely available. It might even have been a factor in 88. As Mindweak said, the GDR and Soviet Bloc coaches and doctors moved to Africa, as well as Italians after blood doping became illegal in Italy.
Of course the huge population growth of Africa has played a part, although it certainly doesn't explain why Africans are LESS dominant now than 20 years ago.
Another reason is the decline of European and Australasian running. That's due to a number of things, including much more money in other sports especially soccer, obesity and xBox, population plateauing or even declining, and the perception (encouraged here) that East Africans are different from other humans and posses genetic advantages which make it near impossible for other races to compete with them.
Another classic post by Coe-vette. So them been born and training at high altitude has nothing to do whatsoever. Just doping, right? Please, your anti-East African running posts are notorious here, it makes you borderline in the pariah category.
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
Des Linden: "The entire sport" has changed since she first started running Boston.
Ryan Eiler, 3rd American man at Boston, almost out of nowhere
Matt Choi was drinking beer halfway through the Boston Marathon
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion