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

I believe, with proper training, it is achievable. You may not win a gold medal but definately you would reach your optimal potential. Don't buy into this cult-worship mentality and say "Oh, it can't be done"

What was every elite athlete training for this year: The Olympics

Who won at the olympics: El Guerrouj

He won when it counted, end of story.

Bush lost to Gore and is president of the United States.

Bekele lost to EL G and is AOY.

D_Gordon wrote:

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?

"Who thought different?" WHO THOUGHT DIFFERENT?!?!? R U KIDDING ME?? HA HA, that's funny. Why? BECAUSE....LOTS of people (with a brain) thought that El G could outkick Bekele in tactical 5k (look it up on this board on the threads that were posted BEFORE the race). LOTS of people (including me) thought El G had the better kick. Now what would lead someone to that crazy conclusion. Let's see:

Exhibit A: El G outkicks Bekele in 5k WC's last year in pretty fast race, a race that went out with Bek running several 60 second laps, trying to take the kick out of El G. But El G STILL outkicked him

Exhibit B: El G IS THE FASTEST MILER EVER!!!! BEKELE IS QUICK BUT IS A DISTANCE SPECIALIST!!! 53 second last 400?? That's an awesome sprint, but proves more that Bek is strong as hell. El G clearly could drop a sub 25 second last 200 if necessary off a very slow paced race. There was NO reason to believe Bekele could.

Now having said all of that, I did think Bekele would win this 5000. Why? Because I thought he would be smart enough to take it out from the gun. Hell, he ran his WR's mostly by himself. He should have blasted the first mile. But instead, he ran one of the DUMBEST tactical races ever, letting a tired (from emotional 1500 race) miler jog most of the 5k, and turning it into a miler's race. This is NOT hindsight. Look up the threads on this subject. Sure, some knuckleheads thought right along with you that: "Slow race? He(Bekele) can outkick anyone. " That was nuts to think so. Everyone talked of Bek's kick, but that kick always shined in STRENGTH races. In X-C, he just ran away from people because he was STRONGER. In his 10k wins over Geb, he was STRONGER. Sure he was super-quick at the end also, but it was more about his endurance than his pure speed. And he could have beaten El G with that same endurance too. But he didn't use his strength. EL G has pure speed. He is a miler. Bek handed the race to him on a silver platter. And for THAT stupidity, he does not deserve that Athlete of the Year.

What if Sihine wins the Half WC? He's been the best 2nd, 3rd place finisher (x-c) I've seen. If he only could kick a little more and run a little faster...

Kelly wins the best dressed accentuating her arms I think?

Kenny B may be the best AOY, but El G will take his 2 golds- 15, 5 double anytime. Objective accomplished, Kenny close. Kenny did show potential however leading into the race- triple/ double x-c, 3 WR's, undefeated this season...~15 wins by K.O. and 1 loss.

And El G won the last 3-4 AOY, he'll cherish this season the most however, I would think?

I think you missed my point. I'm saying that if you are amazed by what Bekele has done this year and believe those type of accomplishments are out of reach for you, then you would probably feel the same about winning the 1500/5k double at the olympics. Both are extremely difficult and rare and historic.

I hate to argue with a girl, but just to bring the point into finality, let's say you think the 1500/5000m is "extremely difficult, rare, historic...." because he won 2 Olympic Gold. But I think a person who can demonstrate diverse talents (from 3000m to 4K XC, 5k to 10K to 12k XC and with 3 World Records, World Gold and Bronze, Olympic Gold and Bronze etc.) is outside of your average running skill.

And remember, Sally D, he is only 22 and you and I are in for the big ride. Fasten your belt, Lady!

Finally, let's agree to disagree and call it a quit - cause I hate to bicker on personal opinions, especially with a girl!

Actually, my name has nothing to do with being male or female, I just arbitrarily picked it one time when I was posting, and for all you know I could be a guy. But based on your maturity level ("cause I hate to bicker on personal opinions, especially with a girl"), I'm going to guess that you have yet to graduate from high school.

Amen.

Classic 5,000 meters in store at Helsinki

Posted: Monday September 20, 2004 9:55PM; Updated: Monday September 20, 2004 9:55PM

MONACO, Sept 20 (Reuters) -- A race for the ages is in prospect at next year's Helsinki world championships if three of the world's great runners stay fit, healthy and focused.

The men's 5,000 metres on the final Saturday at last month's Athens Olympics was one of the highlights of the athletics programme, pitting the 1,500 metres gold medallist Hicham El Guerrouj against Ethiopia's 10,000 champion Kenenisa Bekele.

Moroccan El Guerrouj just squeezed out a victory to crown a career which prior to Athens contained everything but an Olympic gold.

Now another African-born runner has set his sights on the world 5,000 title when the championships return to the pleasant Finnish capital which staged the inaugural edition of the now-biennial competition 21 years ago.

Saif Saaeed Shaheen, born in Kenya but now running for Qatar, defeated Kenya's three Olympic steeplechase medallists with almost contemptuous ease on the second day of the world athletics final on Sunday.

Although he was issued with a Qatar passport in August last year, the Kenyan Olympic Committee refused permission for Shaheen to run in Athens for his new nation.

The world champion responded with a world record in Brussels then ran the fifth fastest time ever on Sunday with his former team mates struggling in his wake.

"I will be running the 5,000 metres and steeplechase in Helsinki next year," he said afterwards.

Bekele was named as the men's athlete of the year by the International Association of Athletics Federations on Sunday in recognition of his Olympic 10,000 triumph, his three world records (one indoor) and his third successive world cross country double.

Already threatening to eclipse his compatriot Haile Gebrselassie, generally acclaimed as the premier track distance runner in history, Bekele said he would like to run the 5,000 in Helsinki, in a climate much kinder to distance runners than Athens.

"I would love to race Hicham and Shaheen," he said."

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

...

If all three are fresh it will be the greatest 5000m ever and the young Ethiopian would be my pick if he just runs the 5000m against Hicham and Shaheen at next years Worlds.

I voted for Bekele, however I think that the point is arguable. Only for one reason, however: that the last man to double 1500 5000m was Nurmi in 19f***in24! That is HUUUUUUUUUGE. One thing to think about is that yes it's great Bekele got the WR's, but in the only event Hicham actually trains for (1500/mile) Hicham already has the WR (both 1500 and mile in this case)!

holy f***!! you again fail to acknowkledge that EL G beat Bekele...you lose the argument sucker.