Just wondering if any of the experts here can explain why Kenyan middle-distance runners are so much slower than they should be?
Kenya has all the advantages in the world.
1/ Population of 47 million, with demographics hugely skewed to the young. So the young population of Kenya today is probably far greater than that of England in the seventies and early eighties. Kenyan society is also at that sweet spot where the working class are no longer in poverty, yet not so wealthy that the kids are growing up lazy and obese.
2/ Track and field, and obviously distance running, is the national sport. Every young Kenyan dreams and aspires to be the next Bekele, Rushida etc. Again, very similar to England in the late 1970s although obviously with more idols to look up than say Ovett had as a teen. A big as athletics was in the UK (and Europe) back then, it still likely wasn't as close to and drew the elite talent pool of the population as it does in Kenya today. Steve Ovett, for example, could have chosen any number of sports to excel in, including of course football.
3/ Large percent of the population raised at altitude and every athlete has easy access to altitude training.
4/ Little or no drug testing, EPO and other advanced PEDs can be bought like candy from any pharmacy.
And yet....
Kenya's top 800 and 1500m times are barely faster than the top English runners were recording nearly half-a-century ago. This despite better training, better competition, better tracks, better footwear, better 'legal' supplements and nutrition etc etc.
Why is this? Why are Kenyans so slow? Why are they not running sub 1.40 and sub 3.25 times (even without PEDs) on a regular basis or even ever, as they should be ? Are they genetically inferior to Europeans?
