Going in, Lagat had already won the 1500 and Bekele the 10000. So a historical double was therefore at stake for both competitors.
The race was slow with the bell around 12:23, seemingly playing right into Lagat's hands, with a pack featuring Kipchoge and a yet-unascended Farah. Lagat slingshots around Bekele off the final turn and even pulls ahead-- but, underscoring his greatness, the 5/10 man outkicks the miler. Could Lagat have done anything differently here? Discuss.
Going in, Lagat had already won the 1500 and Bekele the 10000. So a historical double was therefore at stake for both competitors.
The race was slow with the bell around 12:23, seemingly playing right into Lagat's hands, with a pack featuring Kipchoge and a yet-unascended Farah. Lagat slingshots around Bekele off the final turn and even pulls ahead-- but, underscoring his greatness, the 5/10 man outkicks the miler. Could Lagat have done anything differently here? Discuss.
Very different race from the year before, where Bekele ran a 4:57 last 2,000 in a 12:57 race to win. There was nothing Lagat could have done to win that, other than hoping it was even slower like 14:00 pace. Bekele wins in a faster race even easier.
Going in, Lagat had already won the 1500 and Bekele the 10000. So a historical double was therefore at stake for both competitors.
The race was slow with the bell around 12:23, seemingly playing right into Lagat's hands, with a pack featuring Kipchoge and a yet-unascended Farah. Lagat slingshots around Bekele off the final turn and even pulls ahead-- but, underscoring his greatness, the 5/10 man outkicks the miler. Could Lagat have done anything differently here? Discuss.
Lagat did NOT win the 1500 that year he won it in 2007. In 2009 he very untypically found himself boxed coming off the turn. He managed to get outside but could not make up enough ground on the leaders and settled for the bronze.
Going in, Lagat had already won the 1500 and Bekele the 10000. So a historical double was therefore at stake for both competitors.
The race was slow with the bell around 12:23, seemingly playing right into Lagat's hands, with a pack featuring Kipchoge and a yet-unascended Farah. Lagat slingshots around Bekele off the final turn and even pulls ahead-- but, underscoring his greatness, the 5/10 man outkicks the miler. Could Lagat have done anything differently here? Discuss.
Lagat did NOT win the 1500 that year he won it in 2007. In 2009 he very untypically found himself boxed coming off the turn. He managed to get outside but could not make up enough ground on the leaders and settled for the bronze.
Whoops, please ignore that part of my post then. I know he pulled the double in 2007. Should have double checked for Berlin, my bad, but it does not detract from Bekele's greatness
Lagat did NOT win the 1500 that year he won it in 2007. In 2009 he very untypically found himself boxed coming off the turn. He managed to get outside but could not make up enough ground on the leaders and settled for the bronze.
Whoops, please ignore that part of my post then. I know he pulled the double in 2007. Should have double checked for Berlin, my bad, but it does not detract from Bekele's greatness
I agree it was a great race. And it's interesting how similar the finish was to the 1500 in 2004 when Lagat was trying to get past El G in the home stretch instead of Bekele. It seems like in both races he just mistimed his kick and went a little too early. But, of course, his was competing against 2 all-time greats.
My favorite Bekele race will always be the 5k in 2008. When the Keyans tried team tactics on him he just took the lead and kept cranking it up as one by one runners dropped away. A masterful performance.