Video: Coach Bernard Ouma Ponders Over Kenya's "Poor" Performance in Tokyo and Tim Cheruiyot's Silver

Kenya performed about where I expected them. Remember that in recent years there have been several below par performances

1996: 1 gold

2000: 2 gold

2004: 1 gold

2012: 2 Gold

It is weird that Kenya has a firm grip on medals for the marathon and 800m but struggles in between. Theories?

y3beh3 wrote:

Kenya performed badly. If it wasn't for the unexpected result in the men's 800m and 45 year old Kipchoge delivering it in the marathon one last time, it would have been a disaster.

This on the back of 15 months of pandemic in which doping Kenyan runners will have had some respite from the impact of the new WADA lab in Nairobi.

To gloss it over as just a natural 'dip' is self-deceit.

What explains the half century long American mediocrity ?

Jetagimath wrote:

Kenya performed about where I expected them. Remember that in recent years there have been several below par performances

1996: 1 gold

2000: 2 gold

2004: 1 gold

2012: 2 Gold

Exactly. And Kenya still finished third on the medal table.

Cannoova wrote:

El Keniano wrote:

Umm. Ngeny wasn't on the team because he finished 4th in the 800m. What are you on about?

So he jogged a 1:43 then a couple of weeks later can't make the top 3? Because he knew he would have to be tested 3 times, and so throttled back.

Did you see the carnage in that 800m final? A lot of good runners got knocked out in that collision.

1234thr wrote:

It is weird that Kenya has a firm grip on medals for the marathon and 800m but struggles in between. Theories?

The marathon is easily explainable. All of Kenya's best distance talent has ditched the track for the more lucrative roads. The 5 & 10K teams are always weak, except maybe for Rhonex who showed up in Tokyo 48 hours before the final and didn't have time to acclimatise. I don't think Kenya struggles in the 1500m or steeple. Just a series of bad luck. No one paid any attention to Abel Kipsang until the Olympic semi-final but he's been putting in solid performances on the circuit all season.

El Keniano wrote:

1234thr wrote:

It is weird that Kenya has a firm grip on medals for the marathon and 800m but struggles in between. Theories?

I don't think Kenya struggles in the 1500m or steeple. Just a series of bad luck. No one paid any attention to Abel Kipsang until the Olympic semi-final but he's been putting in solid performances on the circuit all season.

Does that 'bad luck' include Kiprop and Manangoi getting banned for doping offences?

Cannoova wrote:

El Keniano wrote:

I don't think Kenya struggles in the 1500m or steeple. Just a series of bad luck. No one paid any attention to Abel Kipsang until the Olympic semi-final but he's been putting in solid performances on the circuit all season.

Did the bans affect the Olympics outcoume? Try to keep up.

Does that 'bad luck' include Kiprop and Manangoi getting banned for doping offences?