Why do people think East Africans have a genetic advantage?

Who are Bikile and Kieno, Coevett? You certainly have some sort of genetic disadvantage.

Why don't you change the thread title to 'Why do I think people won't know it's me posting the same crap all the time?'

because they have eyes and can clearly see that african builds' are better suited to long distance running.

the more slender your legs, the more efficient your leg turnover because you are moving less weight forward with each swing.

go and look at any race photo of a white guy racing side by side with an african in a marathon, and compare the builds of both. the white guy is at a disadvantage, with bigger thighs and calves, he is built better for more powerful running like middle distance running. the africans are built for running economically over long distances.

you may find the odd exception but that is the general rule.

Ok jimmy the greek…Bwahahaha

my name is Paul and I am from UK. who is this jimmy the greek you speak of 🤔

Which is why Europeans hold the ultra records? It's pretty clear they're just in it for the money. They have no problem doping like no tomorrow if it means they'll win few thousand dollars in prize money.

ultras are mostly up an down, which suits bigger muscles, particularly quad muscles for the downhills.

if you mean road races on flat, like 100km road, do africans care about them? i never see them racing these races where I am, and I do a lot of ultras. if they trained for them, most likely, they would be just as dominant as they are in the marathon, because it's just an extension of the marathon really.

same like americans perform so poorly in the marathon because they care too much about middle distance in college.

"Steve Ovett was better than Henry Rono even at Rono's distance of two miles."

Why is the two mile Rono's distance? Rono held 4 world records. 3K, 3K steeple, 5K, 10K, Ovett held 3 world records, 1500, mile and two mile. Rono broke the 10K record by EIGHT seconds and the 5K world record by nearly five. Rono had the world's fastest 5K in 78 and 82, and in 1982 had run 3 of the 4 fastest 5K times ever. He had the worlds fastest two mile....never...so why is that "Rono's event"?

I don't know who you are or which nation you represent. I know winning is a process. I know U.S. are trying to win with short cuts. U.S. needs to push chips in the middle of the table, betting on 800m development. U.S. are not going to succeed by skipping 800m development. Develop 800m winners then move up from there. U.S. isn't Norway. U.S. is a 100m to 800m nation plus jumps & throws.

They have a genetic advantage to living in countries that have systemic doping and altitude.

Ovett beat Rono once. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Rono ran 53 races in 1978. Most of them faster than Ovetts PRs. 10 days leading up to that 2mile against Ovett he ran 7:45, 8:17sc, 27:53, and 7:49.

Not impressed with Ovetts 2 mile at all.

There are white people who are built like East Africans but they don't have the same hunger and desire for success. It's same in almost all competitive sports. East Africans just want it more.

I haven't seen any.

Slender builds are more suited for long distance running. Countries with a high % of slender builds will then tend to be dominant in distance running. It is also part of the culture now. The same can be said for Scandinavians or Eastern European/former USSR and weightlifting/strongman, or Polynesians in football.

Alan

That's because you haven't seen all white people

Until the 90s the vast majority of people in east Africa probably didn't have the access to resources that would give them the opportunity to train at a world class. There was no funding, no coaches, and no interest. Most people were just trying to survive. These are countries which were and still are incredibly impoverished. It's not like they had an NCAA system that developed talent like the US has had for the greater part of a century now. If you somehow were a world class runner in east Africa before 1985-1990, you were an anomaly.

It's not until companies like Nike came in and started funding training in these places that world class runners started to get pumped out of east Africa. Why did they decide to make that investment? Because it was scientifically clear that they were, generally, more capable of running long distances than other humans around the world. Guys, it's okay to accept this. Genetics are a thing. Talent is a thing.

This is not a scientific argument. How many tall people don't make it to the NBA? I would say the vast majority of them don't. Only few with the hunger and dedication do. Long distance running is no different.

None of us have seen all black people either but we've seen plenty with builds that look especially suited for distance running.

How many East Africans do you see doing ultras? Ultras are for hipster white dudes, just like crossfit and triathlons.