The greatest story never told. Ritz's 3rd at World Junior XC

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I have seen pictures of Alan Webb breaking the HS mile record. I have seen pictures of the Newbury Park destroying every HS XC team record imaginable. You know what I have never seen ever? I have never seen a picture of Ritz coming in 3rd at World Junior XC. How is that possible and why?

TheSummerSoldier wrote:

I have seen pictures of Alan Webb breaking the HS mile record. I have seen pictures of the Newbury Park destroying every HS XC team record imaginable. You know what I have never seen ever? I have never seen a picture of Ritz coming in 3rd at World Junior XC. How is that possible and why?

^first picture was the next year, sorry.

thebullsreturn wrote:

TheSummerSoldier wrote:

I have seen pictures of Alan Webb breaking the HS mile record. I have seen pictures of the Newbury Park destroying every HS XC team record imaginable. You know what I have never seen ever? I have never seen a picture of Ritz coming in 3rd at World Junior XC. How is that possible and why?

https://www.letsrun.com/2007/images/ritzworlds.jpghttps://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeP/8f86d284-15ea-49b5-9e6f-06ab5d05380c.jpg?v=437853384https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExU78h9WYAAvCbl?format=jpg&name=large

Thank you for this. I am glad the images are out there. I guess what I am saying is this: we constantly refer to that race as the greatest in history by a US HS boy, why hasn't there been a major story on that accomplishment? In the age of Newbury Park and all the questions of how good are they really? Maybe, write an article on how good Ritz really was compared to the rest of the world as a junior. Would anyone on the Newbury Park team get third in a Junior World XC Champs behind Bekele? I don't think so. Still, the complete story needs to be told.

I don't remember if Marc Bloom's Harrier journal had a story or not.

I was at the race in Oostende, standing next to some of the great Belgian runners on the rail of the racetrack. It was amazing and most of them were hoping that a "mzungu" could hang with the Africans.

The race was a typical CC race of attrition with Bekele in control the whole time and others hanging on for as long as possible. Bekele was in complete control even though he had come in 2nd place in the short course race the day before.

The big question was if Ritz could hang on for 3rd and he did. When he finally put some distance between himself and the 4th place African there was lots of cheering. Teg did great coming in 3rd.

It was a great weekend of racing with Mourhit winning the long course for the home team fans and the Americans coming in 3rd place as a team with Bob Kennedy leading the way. On the women's side Radcliffe battled Wami in each race with Radcliffe winning the long race and Wami the short course race.

For me going to the American hotel and seeing Abdi (with a water bottle in each hand), Deena and Meb was pretty cool. They asked if I was a parent of a junior runner and why I was there. I told them I was a fan and HS coach who traveled each March to the meet as it was between indoor and outdoor seasons.

I thought everyone was familiar of the pics with Ritz and Teg covered in mud.

the big tangawizi wrote:

I thought everyone was familiar of the pics with Ritz and Teg covered in mud.

I wasn't. Still, I think this story deserves major documentation with all the graphics.

thebullsreturn wrote:

TheSummerSoldier wrote:

I have seen pictures of Alan Webb breaking the HS mile record. I have seen pictures of the Newbury Park destroying every HS XC team record imaginable. You know what I have never seen ever? I have never seen a picture of Ritz coming in 3rd at World Junior XC. How is that possible and why?

https://www.letsrun.com/2007/images/ritzworlds.jpghttps://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeP/8f86d284-15ea-49b5-9e6f-06ab5d05380c.jpg?v=437853384https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExU78h9WYAAvCbl?format=jpg&name=large

You literally posted pictures from 2 different races. You don't even know which one is which. And neither of them show him coming in 3rd.

ligma wrote:

thebullsreturn wrote:

https://www.letsrun.com/2007/images/ritzworlds.jpghttps://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeP/8f86d284-15ea-49b5-9e6f-06ab5d05380c.jpg?v=437853384https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExU78h9WYAAvCbl?format=jpg&name=large

You literally posted pictures from 2 different races. You don't even know which one is which. And neither of them show him coming in 3rd.

Ingrate.

For perspective, Jakob only finished 12th in world junior cross in 2019.

Just for reference (Top 12 finishers):

IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2001

Hippodrome Wellington in Oostende, Belgium (Mar 24-25)

Junior Men's Race (7.7 km)

1 - 25:04 - Kenenisa Bekele --- Ethiopia

2 - 25:37 - Duncan Lebo --- Kenya

3 - 25:46 - Dathan Ritzenhein --- United States

4 - 25:52 - Nicholas Kemboi --- Kenya

5 - 25:55 - Matt Tegenkamp --- United States

6 - 26:00 - Robert Kipchumba --- Kenya

7 - 26:02 - Alemayehu Tedla --- Ethiopia

8 - 26:14 - Maregu Zewdie --- Ethiopia

9 - 26:15 - Beruk Debrework --- Ethiopia

10 - 26:17 - Paul Wakou --- Uganda

11 - 26:22 - Jean Baptiste Simukeka --- Rwanda

12 - 26:37 - Edwin Koech --- Kenya

Teg was arguably America's best runner who never scored an AR or medal at a major championship. He was so close to the 5000 AR and missed the WC bronze by .03 in 2007.

So why don't you tell the story instead of waiting for someone else. You can be the first.

There is video of the Junior race on YouTube. Also great showdown between Wami and Radcliffe. The conditions were laughable

Thanks for the great photos. Covered in mud. Team mates running together. It must have been a rare and special day for them. Running cross country in the mud and rain was one of my favorite experiences as a runner.

Why exactly is this such a great race by Ritz? Bekele is the GOAT of course, but Ritz still lost to him by 42 seconds and I assume he was fresh compared to Bekele who was doubling back. Who did he beat? Are any of those other Africans that he raced highly accomplished? I did a quick search and it looks like the 2nd place guy was "only" a 13:46/28:12 guy.

what's so great? wrote:

Why exactly is this such a great race by Ritz? Bekele is the GOAT of course, but Ritz still lost to him by 42 seconds and I assume he was fresh compared to Bekele who was doubling back. Who did he beat? Are any of those other Africans that he raced highly accomplished? I did a quick search and it looks like the 2nd place guy was "only" a 13:46/28:12 guy.

Don't be that guy.

oldguy1 wrote:

There is video of the Junior race on YouTube. Also great showdown between Wami and Radcliffe. The conditions were laughable

link?