Fattty R. Belt Buckle wrote:
Not sure when African runners came into their own ... thought outside chance Joan Benoit did beat few elites in '84 but no Africans
the african women are about 20 years behind the african men.
if you look at the all time top 10 list's in the marathon.
for men
1. kenya 56 of the top 100 alltime performers/individuals.
2. ethiopia 10
3. japan 5
4. tie morrocco and south africa
women
1. japan 20
2. china 16
3. ethiopia 13
4. russia 11
5. kenya 10
kenyan men under 2:10 each year since 2001
2001- kenya had 16 under 2:10
2002-28
2003-41
2004-23
2005-32
2006-33
2007-48
2008-57
so far in 2009 kenya has 24
ethiopian women under 2:30 since 2001
2001-ethiopia had 4 women under 2:30
2002-6
2003-4
2004-6
2005-7
2006-7
2007-7
2008-13
so far in 2009 ethiopia already has 16 under 2:30 their best year ever.
japan has the record for most women under 2:30 in 1 year
in 2001 and 2002 japan had 19 womem under 2:30
in 2008 japan had 18 under 2:30
so far in 2009 japan has 14 under 2:30
so this shows japan is still very strong as they alway have been.
the last 2 years ethiopia women have really upgraded their womens marathon program.
basically the african women are not nearly as dominant as the african men, but that may now be starting to happen.