Just wondering. I personally think he could've been a force to be reckon with at the 4km short race. Is it that much different (Physiological wise) on the track than in xc?
Just wondering. I personally think he could've been a force to be reckon with at the 4km short race. Is it that much different (Physiological wise) on the track than in xc?
We'll never know and that's a shame. The prize money for that race should be so HUGE and DEEP and the hype so hyper that no one would be able to resist. Then we'd find out who the best runner in the world is.
runn wrote:
The prize money for that race should be so HUGE and DEEP and the hype so hyper that no one would be able to resist. Then we'd find out who the best runner in the world is.
It's so easy! Why on earth wouldn't they have done that?
Here's what I think. The 4km race would have depended on what type of course it was on in order for el g to run it. If the course was flat and very fast combined with great weather than el g probably would've been the victor BUT if the course was muddy, hilly, and had some barriers to jump over, etc I don't think he would have faired too well. Is the physiology different running on the track compared to running in xc because throughout my highschool-college career I was a much better track runner than at xc.
He would win if he focused on it 100% just like he focused on world records and broke them and then focused on gold medals and got them. He is the greatest miler of all time. He is not perfect (nobody is) but he is the best so far and probably for a while.
not well. the uneven surface presents more trouble than he can handle. it's why he never transitioned to a road runner, he only likes smooth, fast, flat surfaces especially where he'd carved out his niche
Yeah, but i think if the course was flat and smooth he would've done quite well. He proven he can take bekele in any flat race from 1500-5000m so its not completely out of the question but if the race was 12km than bekele would've been the victor.
This doesn't answer the question of what he would have accompished in his prime, or over the 4k distance, but El G ran at the IAAF Junior X-C Championships 8K at Franklin Park in Boston in '92 and finished 14th.
20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships 14 f 24:26 Boston, MA 21/03/1992
Top 3 were
Ismael Kirui (KEN) 23:27
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 23:35
Josephat Machuka (KEN) 23:37
It probably didn't help Hicham's cause that this race was run on a snowy course.
ummm..... wrote:
Yeah, but i think if the course was flat and smooth he would've done quite well. He proven he can take bekele in any flat race from 1500-5000m so its not completely out of the question but if the race was 12km than bekele would've been the victor.
Bekele wasnt up to full race experience yet, while Hicham had 10+years under his belt.
Bekele NOW vs El G THEN, would have Bekele beating him in the 5000m no doubt.
Watching Bekele on the track, you wouldn't have any idea the guy would be such a good XC runner. Tergat and Bekele look nothing alike in running form, so obviously there is something more there.
long run wrote:
Ismael Kirui (KEN) 23:27
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 23:35
Josephat Machuka (KEN) 23:37
The real question is: what happened to Ismael Kirui?
NJGuy wrote:
The real question is: what happened to Ismael Kirui?[/quote]
He won the 5000m golds at the '93(beating Geb in a 13:02 race) and '95 world champs
the rocket. wrote:
Watching Bekele on the track, you wouldn't have any idea the guy would be such a good XC runner. Tergat and Bekele look nothing alike in running form, so obviously there is something more there.
what do you mean specifically?
He would have done great and perhaps even challenged KB.
Remember EPO is a good drug independent of surface.
xxx wrote:
He would have done great and perhaps even challenged KB.
Remember EPO is a good drug independent of surface.
It's not a magic potion.
I know epo is a great boost but if you're trying to imply one is on epo and the other one was not than I think that is just dumb. K.B dominated xc when he was a JUNIOR. People knew how talented he was. It wasn't like he just came out of nowhere (never even heard of) and started dominating. If you think he's on something than you might as well accuse paul tergat being on the same stuff. Just because there strides are different does not imply one is dirty. (I happen to believe they're both clean). And btw can we have one thread without someone constantly bringing up epo. This is about hicham el guerrouj and world xc.
he would have done great, but not dominating like he was dominating 1500m.
Because the IAAF was always more interested in making money for themselves than helping the athletes. IT would have been/is that easy.
ummm.... wrote:
I know epo is a great boost but if you're trying to imply one is on epo and the other one was not than I think that is just dumb. K.B dominated xc when he was a JUNIOR. People knew how talented he was. It wasn't like he just came out of nowhere (never even heard of) and started dominating. If you think he's on something than you might as well accuse paul tergat being on the same stuff. Just because there strides are different does not imply one is dirty. (I happen to believe they're both clean). And btw can we have one thread without someone constantly bringing up epo. This is about hicham el guerrouj and world xc.
Well I would accuse El G, KB, Tergat, and Geb to have all doped at some point in their career. I don't think Bekele still does though.
how about getting back to the topic