Kenya and Ethiopia Olympic marathon team consideration - who should be chosen?

I agree they could really wait but somehow it seemed to me AK made their mind up already. Couldn't hurt to give those in Valencia a chance though right...

Abel is thru 40k in 2.01.22. No Paris selection, for sure

Abel 8th in 2.08.36, just behind Brett Robinson

The winner (Githae) is Kenyan. Won’t make it, but nice run he’s on.

So now what does Kenya do?

Chebet - no Fall Marathon but 2:03:0x PB and 3 hilly major wins

Mutiso - 2:03:11 Valencia, Prague win

Benson - I think no

Kamworor - I think no

Lemma and Tola lock in Ethiopian spots. Degefa or Gebreslase for last womens spot. I wonder if Degefa might prefer to make more money on the circuit.

Kenya men

Kipchoge

Kiptum

Mutiso

Kenya Women

Obiri

Jepchirchir

Lokedi

Ethiopia men

Tola

Sissay Lemma

Jemal Yimer

Ethiopia Women

Assefa

Berisso

Gebreselasie

*Giday will be selected for 10000m/5000m

*Kandie will most likely qualify for 10000m.Kenyan 10000m pool is weak.He can still qualify easily.

Sorry, but I am laughing at yimer and Lokedi

Bekele absolutely deserves a spot in the Ethiopian team.

Yimer and Lokedi are both reliable and consistent. They can put on a fight when they show up.You watch their races and you will see what I mean.

Lokedi maybe but Yimer faded significantly in NYC and has thus far had an underwhelming marathon career as compared to his 10k-HM success

Kandie could change his mind but he’s said he’s done with the track and wants to go all in on the roads.

So Kenya announced there provisional squad of 10 which doesn't really narrow it down other than the confusing nature of leaving off Chebet and Mutiso for men.

Men:

Eliud Kipchoge (Nike NN - Kaptagat)
Kelvin Kiptum (Nike - Chepkorio)
Vincent Ngetich (Asics Chojo - Iten)
Timothy Kiplagat (Rosa - Kaptagat)
Benson Kipruto (Adidas 2Running - Kapsabet)
Bernard Koech (Adidas Kaptagat - Patrick Sang maybe, trains w/. Kipchoge/Kamworor)
Geoffrey Kamworor (Nike NN Kaptagat)
Cyprian Kotut (Adidas 2Running - Kapsabet)
Amos Kipruto (Adidas 2Running - Kapsabet)
Titus Kipruto (Rosa - Kapsabet)

Out (for now):

Evans Chebet (Adidas 2Running - Kapsabet)

Alexander Mutiso (Adidas ND Software (Japan)/Ngong)

can't 100% confirm training notes but it gives some details, mostly GSC, Demadonna and Rosa

Women:

Ruth Chepngetich
Rosemary Wanjiru
Joyciline Jepkosgei
Sheila Chepkirui
Peres Jepchirchir
Judith Jeptum Korir
Selly Chepyego
Hellen Obiri
Sharon Lokedi
Brigid Kosgei

I don't think any of these women train together, maybe Kosgei and Jeptum though.

Would still go with Chebet but otherwise probably B.Kipruto for the 3rd place ahead of Kamworor

since then, they said something about following rankings to prune it to 3 and 3

where is Roza Dereje, last seen finishing 4th in Sapporo thirty months ago

I actually think the hardest team to narrow down is Ethiopian women. They have the world record holder and both of the cycle's world champions so you'd think it would be a slam dunk but I think it's probably the deepest group of the four!

Tigist Assefa - 2:15:37 Berlin 2022, 2:11:53 WR Berlin 2023 - I think she's a lock

Amane Beriso - 2:14:58 Valencia 2022, 2023 World Champ - also a lock

Gotytom Gebreslase - 2:18:18 Tokyo 2020 3rd, 2:18:11 2022 World Champ, 2023 World silver - proven championship performer but slowest of the top contenders and WC fields aren't as strong

Almaz Ayana - 2:17:20 Amsterdam 2022, 2:16:22 Valencia 2023 2nd - super fast but lost to Degefa and was 7th in London

Worknesh Degefa - 2:15:51 Valencia 2023 - 3rd fastest contender but only has one race in the cycle

Tsehay Gemechu - 2:16:56 Tokyo 2023 2nd - fast but DNF at Budapest and no wins recently

Megertu Alemu - 2:17:09 Chicago 2023 3rd, 2:18:37 London 2023 2nd, 2:18:32 London 2022 3rd, 2:18:51 Zurich 2022 - sub-2:19 podiums in last 4 marathons, very consistent, has beaten many of the other women she's competing against

Yalemzerf Yehualaw - 2:17:23 Hamburg 2022, 2:17:26 London 2022, 2:18:53 London 2023 5th - if selection was based off 2022 she'd be a lock but off the podium in London and Budapest make it difficult unless she has a good spring marathon

Of the 6 competing for the 3rd slot I think Gemechu and Yehualaw are the least likely to get it. They have the weakest current right now and would need a really good spring marathon. Degefa has had pretty much no bad marathons in her career but with only one race since 2020 selectors might want to see her back the Valencia win up with a major spring victory. The same is true of the rest. Megertu is probably the most likely of them to get left off but she's been incredibly consistent and might be the likeliest to podium. At the moment I think Gebreslase and Degefa have the best chance but at the end of the day it will probably come down to who has the best spring marathon.

I think they go with Gebrsalase. Gotta reward consistency and past service.

Both cheating countries should be permanently banned. All records set by Kenyan and Ethiopian stick figures should be erased.

Cheating coat hangers!

Can’t be Gemechu, you missed the news a few weeks ago

It's a longshot but I hope they pick Ayana. I think she'd have a much better chance if she had simply skipped that London race. She wasn't right that day, for whatever reason.