Would Samuel Wanjiru have beaten Mo Farah in a 10,000 right now in his prime?

Hair Of The Dog wrote:

Easier to be tough and "fearless" when you are doped to the point of senselessness. The lionization of a Kenyan drunk and womanizer (who put on a great show in races) around here is over the top.

Behave, child...

notthedroidsyouseek wrote:

Nobody beats Farah in his prime. He performs Jedi mind tricks to prevent runners from pushing the pace, and then is able to crush them on the last lap with his 3:28 1500 speed.

The Kenyans will use the power of the force to set a super fast pace and defeat him.

Kennis Dimetto wrote:

Falseify wrote:

Farah wouldn't be anywhere near Wanjiru's shoulder.

Bingo!

You guys were right, clearly Wanjiru could have run 20-30 seconds faster than his PR whereas Farah's PR was a freak occurrence that he could never come near again.

Critical Thinking wrote:

You guys were right, clearly Wanjiru could have run 20-30 seconds faster than his PR whereas Farah's PR was a freak occurrence that he could never come near again.

What in the world are you talking about? Who said anything about Farah's PR being a freak occurrence?

You guys are clueless.

I grew up with Wanjiru. He lost the majority of his races. The 2008 Olympic Marathon was a surprise to many. The year previously, in 2007, he placed 51st in the World Half Marathon Championships!,

http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/kenya/samuel-kamau-wanjiru-191338#honours

By the end of 2008, Wanjiru was a shadow of his former self, consumed with alcoholism and partying.

However, his 2010 Chicago Marathon is one of the most phenomenal races I have ever witnessed. Like a punch-drunk boxer, the man pulled out a miraculous victory.

But over 10,000m, against Mo Farah, it wouldn't even be a race. Wanjiru lost too many B-Class 5000 and 10,000m races in his short lifetime.

Bramaterra wrote:

You guys are clueless.

....

But over 10,000m, against Mo Farah, it wouldn't even be a race. Wanjiru lost too many B-Class 5000 and 10,000m races in his short lifetime.

Yes we are clueless for thinking a guy who can likely front run a 26:3x or faster race could beat Farah. You even go so far as to say it "wouldn't even be a race". Really?

If they actually go head with this in China they might not even win the race , maybe some random Ethiopian will take the gold

Pooj, because Wanjiru time-trialed a 26:41, you give him the edge? Get a life, in a championship track race, Wanjiru was a lame duck, which is why he moved to the roads. Wanjiru had no speed and NO KICK. Very Salazar-like in his racing. You obviously didn't follow Wanjiru in Japan. He got out-kicked every weekend.

Bramaterra wrote:

Pooj, because Wanjiru time-trialed a 26:41, you give him the edge? Get a life, in a championship track race, Wanjiru was a lame duck, which is why he moved to the roads. Wanjiru had no speed and NO KICK. Very Salazar-like in his racing. You obviously didn't follow Wanjiru in Japan. He got out-kicked every weekend.

No, he did not time trial a 26:41. He ran out of gas and still managed to run 26:41. There's a big difference.

What he did before he moved to the roads is irrelevant. He front ran on the roads so he had the ability to front run on the track. There's no rule that says you have to change your tactics to sitting and kicking just because you are on a track.

If he front ran, he would easily beat Farah. If he let it come to a kick, he would lose to Farah. I give Wanjiru the edge because he was probably 10-20 seconds faster than Farah over 10000.

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Wangeeruu wrote:

Farah wouldn't have known what to do. If my memory is correct, he ran that 26:41 as an 18 yr old chasing Bekele. He DIED and still ran 26:41. That means he was possibly good for about 26:30 that day if he ran his own pace.

To mention the age of an EA is a joke

err...

you do realise his schooling from '02 was in japan ???

how many 20++y oles are there in japanese high schools ???

Bramaterra wrote:

You guys are clueless.

I grew up with Wanjiru. He lost the majority of his races. The 2008 Olympic Marathon was a surprise to many. The year previously, in 2007, he placed 51st in the World Half Marathon Championships!,

Huge RED FLAG in retrospect and the light of Hajo Seppelt investigation that there was never a blood test carried out for EPO in Kenya.

ventolin^3 wrote:

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Wangeeruu wrote:

Farah wouldn't have known what to do. If my memory is correct, he ran that 26:41 as an 18 yr old chasing Bekele. He DIED and still ran 26:41. That means he was possibly good for about 26:30 that day if he ran his own pace.

To mention the age of an EA is a joke

err...

you do realise his schooling from '02 was in japan ???

how many 20++y oles are there in japanese high schools ???

Not many if their birth certificate was issued in Japan

How many Kenyans are in Japanese High Scholls?

ventolin^3 wrote:

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Wangeeruu wrote:

Farah wouldn't have known what to do. If my memory is correct, he ran that 26:41 as an 18 yr old chasing Bekele. He DIED and still ran 26:41. That means he was possibly good for about 26:30 that day if he ran his own pace.

To mention the age of an EA is a joke

err...

you do realise his schooling from '02 was in japan ???

how many 20++y oles are there in japanese high schools ???

Nearly every response here may have well been to a different question: "Would Wanjiru have been an all-time 10k great if he was more mentally-balanced/focused/patient, even today?" And the answer of course is yes. His talent was without question amongst the best we've seen. But Farah is the greatest championship racer we've ever seen. Period. He doesn't have WR speed 5k and above, and may never be a marathon threat, but from 1500 through 10k is more dominant than Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and any other sports great other than maybe Kelly Slater or Rhonda Rousey, and not simply due to a lethal kick but due to incredible composure and racing smarts. Wanjiru would have a shot but my money would be on Farah to take 4 out of every 5 races.

What if Mo wasn't doped to the eyeballs?

NJ Possible wrote:

But Farah is the greatest championship racer we've ever seen. Period.

Not period. Bekele is a far better championship racer than Farah. He had a kick as good as Farah but also had other tactics. Farah only sits and kicks. Bekele also had far better competition. Did you see the 5000 a few weeks ago where Farah beat some of the top Africans by 20 seconds in a 13:10 race?

It has nothing to do with "incredible racing smarts or composure". He's racing a bunch of scrubs.

Oto wrote:

It has nothing to do with "incredible racing smarts or composure". He's racing a bunch of scrubs.

Gebremariam, Bekele, Tadese, Ritz, Rupp, Gebremeskel, Lagat, Iguider and Koech just in the 2 olympic finals. If that's a bunch of scrubs, i'm not sure who passes for good nowadays.

NJ Possible wrote:

Oto wrote:

It has nothing to do with "incredible racing smarts or composure". He's racing a bunch of scrubs.

Gebremariam, Bekele, Tadese, Ritz, Rupp, Gebremeskel, Lagat, Iguider and Koech just in the 2 olympic finals. If that's a bunch of scrubs, i'm not sure who passes for good nowadays.

Ok, Rupp has broken 13 once maybe? Ritz broke 13 once and was a crap 10000m runner. Lagat was competing over distance well past him prime and tedesse is past his prime as well, at least on the track. Koech had maybe 1.5 good seasons and Gebremeskel had one really good season. Iguider is a 1500m racer so I'm not sure which Olympics Mo faced him. Gebremariam ran a fast 10000m in 2007 and a decent 5000m in 2005. If you think that those names somehow compare to competition that Bekele has faced, then your a moran. Yes, I said that.

Ok I'll bite wrote:

...then your a moran. Yes, I said that.

And you were doing so well!

Gebremeskal, Gebrhiwet, and Koech closed in 54.x, 55.x, and 56.x to run 12:46, 12:47, and 12:48 respectively two months prior to losing to Farah at the Olympics.

How many of Bekele's competitors were capable of that? I'd say Sihine, Kipchoge, and Geb (in his earlier years). MAYBE Tadese, though his kick was never particularly strong.

I can list some credentials of the others runners Farah has raced, and beaten, in every championship, but you get the point. You might be able to say that Bekele's competition was marginally better, but Farah is certainly not racing "a bunch of scrubs".