Dear Kenyans and Ethiopians

I'm still waiting for an answer to the question:

If it is all genetic, then were is the domination from the children of Ethiopian and Kenyan parents in the US and UK? Washington DC for example has a sizable Ethiopian population but the US national meets are dominated by upper-middle class white kids.

Do you see any athletes of kenyan or ethopian descent competing at these meets? i know i've never done.

KUFI wrote:

I'm still waiting for an answer to the question:

If it is all genetic, then were is the domination from the children of Ethiopian and Kenyan parents in the US and UK? Washington DC for example has a sizable Ethiopian population but the US national meets are dominated by upper-middle class white kids.

Well one has to qualify for most of those meets correct. I mean there are Ethiopian and Kenyan kids (children of immigrants) running at the hs level. They just have not reached that level of success.

What I don't get is that nearly every international Kenyan runner is Kalenjin and they're only 12% of the population.

Does this mean that the other 88% are lazy bastards or they went to a school that wasn't 10 miles away?

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This is a great point, how come none of you "its all hard work people" have an answer?? Hmmmnn?

For the same reason that a disproportionate amount of the D1 lacrosse players come from Long Island (and almost all of them are upper middle class white guys). And, for the same reason that a disproportionate amount of male figure skaters are gay...People tend to gravitate where they've seen people like them gain success. This becomes self fulfilling in that whenever you have large numbers of people doing something, you're more likely to discover extraordinary talent. Throw in the knowledge and coaching talent that is developed over time and you have the formula for domination.

Male figure skaters are gay? Not Brian Boitano!

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This becomes self fulfilling in that whenever you have large numbers of people doing something, you're more likely to discover extraordinary talent.

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I think there are way more people in Europe and America who try running track than 1 small tribe in Kenya.

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People tend to gravitate where they've seen people like them gain success

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Yes, like world domination at distance running

trollism wrote:

What I don't get is that nearly every international Kenyan runner is Kalenjin and they're only 12% of the population.

Does this mean that the other 88% are lazy bastards or they went to a school that wasn't 10 miles away?

Good G-d! Are you telling me we're not even yet facing 88% of potential world class Kenyans?

Here's to hoping that 88% doesn't suddenly start taking an interest...

NYC has the most competitive local scene in the country. Yes, much of it is composed of Ethiopians and Kenyans who are here to take the American's entry fees in the form of prize money while not paying taxes and bitching about how they can't get a corporate sponsor because American shoe companies would rather support Americans. But America does not have a central hub of running to mimic your Meskel Square, this is a huge country and the runners are much more spread out. Central Park is certainly not a good comparison, as the people who can afford to live in proximity to central park certainly are not doing it on a runner's salary.

See, the problem is that you can easily come to NYC to live, visit, etc. However, we cannot so easily take a "sports tourism" vacation to your countries. Toby Tanser did that and got his head bashed in. If your countries were not in such disarray and not such a threat to Americans, then maybe we could, in fact, go visit. Try being civilized.

You MIGHT come back alive and with all limbs in tact.

KENYA

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Kenya. American citizens in Kenya and those considering travel to Kenya should evaluate their personal security situation in light of continuing threats from terrorism and the high rate of violent crime. This replaces the Travel Warning of November 14th, 2008, to note increased security concerns in northeast Kenya near the Somali and Ethiopian borders....

... In July 2009, three NGO workers were kidnapped and taken into Somalia by suspected members of a terrorist group that operates out of Somalia. In November 2008, armed groups based in Somalia crossed into Kenya near the town of El Wak and kidnapped two Westerners. The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has designated a small portion of Kenya bordering Somalia and Ethiopia as “restricted without prior authorization” for purposes of travel by U.S. Government employees, contractors, grantees and their dependents. This designation is based on reports of Somali-based armed groups that have on occasion crossed into Kenya to stage attacks or to commit crimes...

... Violent and sometimes fatal criminal attacks, including armed carjackings and home invasions/burglaries, can occur at any time and in any location, particularly in Nairobi. As recently as June 2008, U.S. Embassy personnel were victims of carjackings. In the short-term, the continued displacement of thousands of people by the recent civil unrest combined with endemic poverty and the availability of weapons could result in an increase in crime, both petty and violent. Kenyan authorities have limited capacity to deter or investigate such acts or prosecute perpetrators.

There are way more people in America who try running but how many of those people need to run to make a living. And how many of these people are running because they were not successful at the more mainstream sports.

Did you know that 75% of the medals the Kenyons win are by the 10% of the Kenyon population consisting of the Kalinjin tribe?

Is this some very unique gene pool? I don't know that answer.

The US has 10 times the population of Kenya but running is listed as the number 7 participatory sport in the US. In Kenya it is number 2 behind soccer. Many of our top athletes chose from many other sports other than running. In Kenya running only gets competition from soccer.

How many seriously committed top athletes from the US run compared with Kenya? The actual number difference might be much closer than people think.

My guess is yes there is a genetic factor but cultural issues play a very very large role.

KUFI wrote:

I'm still waiting for an answer to the question:

If it is all genetic, then were is the domination from the children of Ethiopian and Kenyan parents in the US and UK? Washington DC for example has a sizable Ethiopian population but the US national meets are dominated by upper-middle class white kids.

not a great question.

again, nobody is claiming that the east africans don't work their asses off. they do. there's no doubt about that.

the kids you're talking about do not work hard, so they don't run fast.

simple.

Mr. Conundrum wrote:

My guess is yes there is a genetic factor but cultural issues play a very very large role.

this is 100% correct.