LRC wrote:
The 3k came and went in 8:00.85 for Bekele. He was trailed by a large group, including Lagat, who was licking his chops at the fairly modest pace. But the fun was about to begin, and Bekele was going to make it happen all by himself, without help from anyone.
They had been running honest 63s and 64s since the 600-meter mark, but it was evident with 2k to go that the king of the 10k had a plan to become the king of the 5k. The plan apparently was to start suffocating the field with a relentless full-throttle surge towards the finish that only the most fit and tough could absorb.
With 5 laps remaining, Bekele pounced on the gas sternly. The 3,400m was reached in 9:00. The lap split was officially 59.96! Game over for most of the field. Only 6 were left in the lead pack. Bekele, Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Edwin Soi, Ugandan Moses Kipsiro, Qatari James C'Kuiru, and a game Bernard Lagat, who was going to give his all to try to stay with the lead group. Would Lagat hold on? Would the pace lag? Where were the other Ethiopians?
No, no, and gone.
Bekele kept applying the pressure. From 3k to 4k, he ran 2:31.7 from the front. No rabbits here, folks, this was the King stamping his seal on the greatest runners of the rest of the world. In the process, the Qatari was dropped. Lagat, looking so good with 4 laps to go ... off the back with three to go and his medal prospects totally gone with 1k left.
There were 4 remaining in the lead group, but Kipsiro was hurting. It looked like it was down to 3. It now was down to Bekele, who had pushed the pace from 600 meters into the race, and the 2 Kenyans, whose coaches had talked of pushing the pace and winning the gold but in reality had done zero of the work. What a splendid turn of events!
Instead of the Kenyans pushing, they had seemingly inspired Bekele to show them exactly how hard he could push, how deep he could dig, what incredible tortures he could devise for his own pleasure ... and their horror. It was a sight to behold. Still 800m to go, and Bekele had just pounded out a 60.84. The Kenyans were right on him, Soi and Kipchoge looking to take down Bekele like in Mombasa where he failed to finish World Cross in 2007. Now 600m to go, then coming into the bell and the Kenyans were still there. Was trying to lead the whole 5k a mistake? Was Bekele a sitting duck? Had the task of pushing the pace tired the great one?
Oh no, oh no, and oh no.
400m to go, 60.94! Bekele was on a mission. Last year in the World Championships 10k, Sileshi Sihine had the lead in the last half lap and Bekele had to show his greatness by coming from behind. Today, he would reveal it from the front.
The King pushed harder at the bell and unleashed his lethal kick. Any doubts as to whether he had anything left in the tank instantly evaporated as the increase in pace was nearly instantaneous. The Kenyans tried to respond accordingly. Could they do it? Immediately, Soi was dropped. Kipchoge tried to hang on but halfway around the first turn Bekele had a 2-3 meter lead over him. With 300m left, the lead was up to 5 meters. With half a lap to go, Bekele had a 10 meter lead and it continued to widen with every step.
With 150m to go, Bekele knew the victory was his and viewers could tell that the normally reserved Bekele was enjoying this one. This one was special; completing the 5k/10k double at the Olympics would make him into legend in the general public's mind - a general public that would never understand what it means to win World Cross-Country year after year.
Just past the middle of the final turn, Kenenisa pointed a #1 sign to the sky in and flashed a sly smile. The stoic one was oozing style and excitement. He was a dangerous killer tonight. Nearly finished with his greatest murderous spree, and enjoying it like we've never seen him before. He slammed the last 100m and broke 13:00 with ease in 12:57.82, crushing the old Olympic record of 13:05.59.