All the other major distances are in the Olympics, so why not the Half? For most Elite Marathon runners the Half is where everything starts so isn't it an important distance to be added? I feel the Half does not receive the respect it deserves, often being a completely overlooked distance and used as a stepping stone to other longer, or less long in some cases, distances.
Maybe if it was added to the Olympic program, we might actually see some real competition in the Half? The only Major Championship for the Half is the World Half Championships, while the other distances have majors, meets, Olympics, etc etc. And it is rare anyone ever peaks for the Half more than a year, as they usually look down to the 10,000m and up to the Marathon because of finacial incentives.
Also,if it became an Olympic distance, more money would be added in to this distance and more meets/ more attention would be given to it. Then, we could actually see Half specialists which is the only distance where there aren't all that many specialists in(or at least not for a long time). I'm sure Zersenay Taddesse and Wilson Kiprop would probably appreciate this too.
So, why has the distance not been added on to the Olympics? if all the other Major distances are Olympic distances, then why not the Half?