I think the moderator is confused: Kenenisa's season was clearly better than Hicham

You are making sense, dude, congrats!!!!!!

Small piece? Olympics have the power to make or break athlete's careers.

how about this????

The arguement that Hicham doubled is worthy of Performance of the Year, but Athlete of the Year awards the athlete who had the best overall year not just at the Olympics. Yes I do know that the Olympics is the biggest meet as far as track and field goes-but 2 Olympic Golds and 2 loses isn't nearly enough to overshadow a year with 1 Olympic Gold in Olympic Record, 1 silver, 2 Outdoor world records, 1 indoor world record (1st under 12:50 in 5000m), and 2 World X-Country titles. I too think Hicham is the greatest 1500m runner ever but he definitely doesn't deserve Athlete of the Year. IAAF got it right will Track and Field News?

VIPAM

answer the question!

No props from me for setting 2 WR with rabbits. 2 Golds beat one. I vote for El G. The way he came back on Lagat in the 1500 is superior in my book to any rabbited WR.

I have to say the KB has to have the most beautiful, perfect running style I have ever seen. Incredible.

Vipam wrote:

The majority of the posters here also seem to be either misinformed, misguided, or too loyal to certain athletes.

Like, maybe, you Vipam? Too loyal to certain athletes? Fits you perfectly with regards to Bekele. You have slobbered over this guy before he was even very good, as that thread you started way back from 2002 often gets bumped to the top.

So before accusing others of bias, look at your own track record of sycophantry towards Bekele.

If someone had a better season than Kenenisa I would be the first to admit it; however, for anyone to think Hicham or any athlete had a better season than Kenenisa raises question as to why they think that?

VIPAM

El Guerrouj did have a better season than Bekele. El Guerrouj made no world record attempts and still recorded 3:27.64. He also performed when it counted; winning all 5 races (3 prelims and 2 finals) at the premier Championships of the year.

Further, in their only head to head matchup, El Guerrouj defeated Bekele resoundingly. He did this in an event in which Bekele is the world record holder.

So in summary; El Guerrouj won when it counted, never attempted a world record yet still recorded one of the fastest times ever (despite breathing problems and personal distractions (new child, marriage)), and defeated Bekele in the only race they met in.

xxx

Say guy noone cares what your talking about this is a good discussion concerning two of the athletics top athletes and your trying to trivialize it with your petty infatuation with Vipam. Is clearly evident that your the same loser who is hounding a better poster than yourself-let it go lame brain. Hicham had a down year in the 1500m and while he clearly made history with his rare Olympic double he didn't do enough the entire season to have had a better season than Kenny B. Kenny B for AOY and Hicham for POY.

stick to one logic, because you'll still be wrong.

Bekele lost the biggest race of the season. He was 1-1 in Olympic Finals. Hicham was 2-0. Bringing in his previous escapades in the Olympics doesn't pertain to this year.

The fact is, the two had vastly different seasons. But when push came to shove, El G won out. War Admiral went home a loser.

I'll just tell you what I thought after I watched Bekele run a 53-second last lap to win the 10,000m. "No one can beat him. No one today, maybe no one ever. Fast race? He holds the world record. Slow race? He can outkick anyone. Surges, even pace, it doesn't matter. He's unbeatable this time." Who thought different?

And yet, somehow, El Guerrouj beat him.

Did you realize that in 91, Carl Lewis won the World Championships in World Record time and was still not ranked #1 for the year in the 100?

Leroy Burrell lost in the only race that matters but had a superior year being almost perfect for the year including an early season World Record.

Also, Hicham lost to Ngeny in the 2000 Olympics but was still ranked #1 for the year in the 1500.

Athlete Of the YEAR follows the same logic.

Oly Golds do carry a lot of weight and influence when judging the year but it does not overcome everything.

Bekele had a better year.

"Will Track and Field News get it right?"

-No. They are similarly preoccupied with placings at championships like some of the posters here. Similar to the media calling Justin Gatlin the "world's fastest man". He's not the fastest; he just won the biggest race.

"El G beat Bekele"

-There are two distinct kinds of races. The kind where you find out who the strongest runner is (paced races), and the kind where you find out who has the best kick after running at 3/4 race speed for most of the race. I enjoy watching both, but don't tell me El G beating Bek at the Oly 5k is the end of the argument. In the other race setup it was Bekele who was stronger this year, though unfortunately they didn't compete together. A tactical race is going to set up better for the shorter distance runner. I'd argue that Jeremy Wariner would have the best chance of winning the 800 final if he could get there...He can't because he won't qualify through the speedy semi. The 5k semi isn't as punishing in that sense as the 800 semi.

"El G beat Lagat"

Well, Bekele beat Geb and all comers at his other distance, the 10k. This is a draw, not an argument for El G.

Performance of the year: My vote is for Liu Xing, with either of Bekele's WR's 2nd, Hicham's 5k 3rd.

here we go again! I will shove this downs everyone's throat if I have to, EL G BEAT Bekele when it counted, one on one...EL G won, he is champion and athlete of the year. period.

How were El G's indoor and XC seasons this year? When did Bek finish 8th in a race, then cry about some allergy that mysteriously disappeared by the next race? When did El G set WR's this season?

Liu Xiang tying a WR over El Guerrouj completing a double that hasn't been done in EIGHTY YEARS?

Some people...

Joel wrote:

There are two distinct kinds of races. The kind where you find out who the strongest runner is (paced races), and the kind where you find out who has the best kick after running at 3/4 race speed for most of the race.

Bekele ran 53 in the last lap of the 10k final, after running @ 3/4 speed...please, give me a break...just recognise that EL G was better than KB.

Well, EL G is a MD specialist and he beat the LD specialist at his own race. EL G beat Bekele...just admit that there are no WMDs and get the hell out...strategically.

The "moderator" is confused? Other than the fact that a poll was created on this subject in the first place, what does the "moderator" have to do with anything?

Apparently you don't think there should even be a question as to who had the better year, yet that question turned out to be a valid one according to poll results.

I think Bekele clearly had a better overall year but that 1,500/5,000 double by El G (beating KB head-to-head) almost makes up the whole difference.

Does someone have a problem with my moderating? I'm just trying to prove once and for all that El G is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. I think the people have spoken through the poll. El G should be AOY. No questions asked. If you still have doubts go to my website for some education on the matter.