Webb beats Bekele in a tactical 5k?

no

In 2012, who knows? maybe. But if it were tommorrow I just don't think Webb beating Bekele is a possibility.

the only way that Webb could beat Bekele in the 5k is if it is run like the D1 indoor mile and the finish is an all out sprint with a slow (extremely slow)pace for the majority of the race. Bekele is an amazing runner and i know that he and any other elite runner that would be in the Olympics would know that Webb, too, is a great runner and that he has amazing finising speed in the mile and 5k. that is if they let him keep up. with this knowledge the other elite 5k'ers would prolly try to push the pace as fast as they could, with, as you said, and i agree, many pace changes in attempt to break him.

of all the people to be worried about, Webb would be Bekele's biggest worry. i would say that Bekele would run this race in all efforts to hit the weaknesses of Webb and focus with teh race strategy on how to beat Webb above the other runner.

would be a good race to see. 2008?

I would say no for a couple reasons.

1) Bekele can finish in 52 at the end of a tactical 5k.

2) A tactical 5k is still going to go in around 13:10-13:20 and possibly even faster

3) Even in a tactical 5k a lot of times the last 1000m will be very fast. Potentially around 2:23 or so for someone like Bekele.

Given all of this, Webb has the speed if it kicks over the last 200 but not enough strength to kick for 1000 at that pace.

Webb would be the runner Bekele was most concerned about? Please.

I'm sure Bekele could bust out a 3:48 mile if he wanted to. Geb ran 3:31 indoors and Bekele has shown us he has more speed than Geb, especially in a kick (53 second last lap in Olympic 10K). So I seriously doubt Webb's chances even if they walked the first eight and a half laps and then raced a 1600m.

What are you guys talking about?

Bekele has an insane kick, he has closed in 52 for 5k and 53 over 10k.

Webb closed in 61 in a 27:34 and was less than a second ahead of Ritzenhein. That is not a brutal kick.

Watch the last lap of the olympic 10k and get back to me on Webb's chances.

Bekele blows him away, 3k, 5k, 10k, any pace doesn't matter.

Webb is doing the right thing and sticking to his best event, the 1500.

If El G. could comfortably outkick Bekele in a tactical 5K, then it's not out of the question that Webb could fight and outlean Bekele.

ttc wrote:

If El G. could comfortably outkick Bekele in a tactical 5K, then it's not out of the question that Webb could fight and outlean Bekele.

Comfortably??? I must have missed that race.

webb does not have the gear change that bekele does. just look at the 1500 from last years world championships. he went hard for 100 but could not maintain. i also cant see webb finishing a tactical 5000meters with a last 1000meters of 2:23-2:25 like el g and bekele did at the 2004 olympics

ttc you are an idiot.

dont put webb in the same sentence as elg. just bc he is a miler doesnt mean he has the kick of th best miler ever. how does your brain make these conclusions

enlighten me

A couple of things.

I have no doubt that Bekele is as fast as Webb over the mile/1500m, Bekele has much better explosiveness, Webb ain't no El Guerrouj.

The tactics for Bekele is a lot like Komen's Tactics back in the day. Take off from the gun and never look back. Bekele would be a sucker to get into a kicker's race with anyone. Why do you think that El G rarely did??? They could possibly be tripped up or boxed in or just not have it in the tank for that kind of burst.

Having a kick is great, but having a overall fast time is better.

ttc wrote:

If El G. could comfortably outkick Bekele in a tactical 5K, then it's not out of the question that Webb could fight and outlean Bekele.

Always wrong. El Guerrouj had to give it all he had to beat Bekele.

Numb nuts wrote:

ttc wrote:

If El G. could comfortably outkick Bekele in a tactical 5K, then it's not out of the question that Webb could fight and outlean Bekele.

Always wrong. El Guerrouj had to give it all he had to beat Bekele.

WAtch the 5k final again, El G was celebrating way before the line. El G OWNS Bekele in a kick.

El G did indeed win the Olympic 5k comfortably, because the pace was much slower than the World Championships final featuring Kipchoge winning, then El G, then Bekele.

I am not convinced Bekele is a comparable miler to Webb. Haile did run 3:31 indoors, but Bekele ran 4:01 indoors last winter when he tried to hang with Lagat. Sure everyone has a bad day, but we have not yet seen him run a great mid-D race, and his 3k's are less impressive than his 5k/10k. He has a great kick at the end of a fast race, because he has an unbelievable ability to hold on to his speed through a hard race. I'd pick Webb in anything one mile or less.

But a 5k, tomorrow? Not a chance Bekele would still stomp him as long as they ran at least on pace for 13:30 going into the last quarter.

On a side note, I don't think anyone in the world doubts Webb can change gears quickly after last summer, he just can't do it without paying the price. Bekele more or less can.

Uh, El Guerrouj was also a 12:50 runner for 5k. I think there would be two dozen runners you've never heard of from Kenya, Ethiopia and elsewhere who would be a bigger worry for Mr. Bekele.

More obviously, did none of you watch the short race at World Cross, or the 3k at World Indoors? Do you really think it's that easy? Try telling that to Kaouch, Shaheen, Kipchoge or someone else.

Are you out of your mind, why on earth you compare Bekele and Webb.

let us compare Webb and ethiopian, kenyan athletes who run 13:20.............

WHERE'S VIPAM???

Webb will beat Bekele in the 5k at 2008 Olympic Games by 0.32 seconds for gold, will also be completely bald.

I could also tell you the winner of the 10k(big surprise) but i have to travel back to the year 2036 and bring our scientists the nintendo gameboy they need to rescue the world.