Bekele can run 49 seconds for a 400m

The "experts" here know better.

If he was racing Sanya Richards, I would put my money on Kenny.

hahaha. great interview.

About the lion, "Yes, just ... we waited until he crossed the road into the forest ... we just waited." And that was that. Hahaha.

I wonder where they were running to come across lions. You don't exactly come across lions around Addis/Entoto.

his english is getting better. thanks for the link OP

No worries. I think he's made it quite clear that he's been working really hard on his English over the last year or so.

He's obviously no Geb in the charismatic department but trying to come across well in an unfamiliar language must be really difficult. Hopefully he continues to improve and he comes out of his "machine-like" persona he has inadvertently created.

Thanks original poster for the link to this great interview with Bekele. It sounds as though he may be looking more at having a shot at the 3,000 and 5,000 world records this year than the 5,000 and 10,000 world records one of the questioners in the video interviews suggested.

He sounds genuinely open to an 800 meter race against Bolt as well, so lets hope that it can be arranged. Perhaps if enough people keep asking each of them about it they will make it happen just to silence the endless questions about such a match-up.

Surely an 800m race would be too easy for Bekele? I can't see Bolt running 1:48 can you? Sprinters die after much more than 500m.

Danny Komen wrote:

Surely an 800m race would be too easy for Bekele? I can't see Bolt running 1:48 can you? Sprinters die after much more than 500m.

600m would be really interesting. I'd still give it to Bekele, even though Bolt is likely a 43-second man.

He says that his best times for 400m, 800m, and 1500m have all come from 5000m and 10,000m training! I wish he would try to take down the 1500m and 3000m records.

1500 is not going to happen, no way no howl. 3000, maybe if he just said to hell with the 10k.

That interview was retarded.

The part that is left off is that he ran that 49 after doing 11 other 400s in 54 with 60s rest.:) And that he ran the 1:48 as a 17 year old when his 5k PR was a minute slower.:)If someone offered Bekele 10 million dollars to run sub 1:46 in the next 6 months, I bet it would be real close.....

Danny Komen wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8448650.stm

From the man himself. I know it's been debated a lot on here in the past so thought it might be interesting. He also says he can run 1:48 for 800m and that he runs over 100mpw and runs twice a day, everyday.

This is while training for the 5/10k but the Ethiopians are famous for doing loads of sprints and strides so it's not as if he never practices sprinting.

400 PB of 49 and he ye can run within 3 seconds of that at the end of a 5k/10k race. Guy is a fricken machine.

It is not news to me.

Although it was debated, it should not have been.

If you ever spent anytime with these superstar runners it is clear what they all have in common: WHEELS!

Yeah where are all of these clowns now who said he couldn't break 50 and 1:50...and that dumb argument that his open 400 time would be no faster than his closing 400 in a 10000? You gotta love ignorant letsrunners.

There were just as many idiots claiming Bekele was a 46 second man too.

his 49 second speed plus epo adds up to some fine running

Danny Komen wrote:

There were just as many idiots claiming Bekele was a 46 second man too.

I don't remember many posters claiming that. In fact, I never saw one though I'm sure a couple guys posted that he could run 46. I don't think anyone wanted to get lambasted by the omniscient letsrunners so they conservatively put guesses of outside 50 seconds. I believe he could run 49 maybe 48 mid to high when he sharpens up his speed.

On a good day, Bekele's sub50. An in form Sanya would win by a wide margin.

joltin joe wrote:

his 49 second speed plus epo adds up to some fine running

Or instead of epo, just hard work. Dumbass. Take your bs somewhere else you miserable piece of filth.