Where are the decent S. American DIstance Runners?

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18 years ago 08/09/2005 4:02pm EDT

Another question to ponder.....

How come (with the exception of Brazil), we do not see a large amount of S. American Distance Runners in Major Championships?

Bolivia, Peru, Equador, and Chile happen to have some of the highest Terrain in the world and in many ways, the geography of those nations is rather similar to Kenya and Ethiopia.

I seem to remember Equador and Columbia having decent Marathoners in the 80's (Rolando Vera?) but why nothing recently? Personally, I dont accept that Bolivia is one of the World's Poorest Nations as a good reason. After all, Djibouti, Eritrea, Burundi, and Ethiopia are also in the bottom 10% of wealthy nations and they have done well in Distance Races. In fact, there was a time in the late 1980's when Djibouti had 3 sub 2:20 marathoners.

18 years ago 08/09/2005 4:40pm EDT

re: Central High 1988

I'd say that the political situation in most of these countries is a big reason why no one is really running. I know that i wouldn't run around those towns if i had a good shot at being killed by soldiers or rebels. Not true of all the countries for sure, but still... it'd be a scary thing to do.

Which country was the soccer couch that got killed from? Also, i remember that after a world cup game where a player scored an own goal he was shot and killed while walking around the streets. Soccar is more important then running down there, true, but i'd guess that no one wants to take the chance.

18 years ago 08/09/2005 6:48pm EDT

re: Will Lang

they have this sport called "futbal", apparently you run around kicking a ball into a goal for two 45 minute halves, bunch of sissies need rest breaks

18 years ago 08/09/2005 8:37pm EDT

re: runner3456787654345678

It's not like it can't happen. Argetnina had Olympic gold medal marathoners in 1932 and 1948.

18 years ago 08/09/2005 8:44pm EDT

re: C\'est moi

Soccer is Kenya's favorite sport too. But they are terrible at it. Hmmmm....

18 years ago 08/10/2005 1:01am EDT

re: Central High 1988

The same question goes for natives of the high mountains of central asia, Nepal for example.

People there live healthy lives and work hard, they are as tough as nails, but they produce no fast runners.

There's a regiment in the British army called the Gurkhas, the recruits are drawn from Nepal and they take only the fittest young men, competition is fierce to get in and standards very high. When they're in the army and based in the UK they find their way into races, and they plod.

So being very fit and coming from altitude is not the answer.

18 years ago 08/10/2005 5:33am EDT

re: topher the track

Actually the same thing could be said of Kenya, whose runners come from one small tribe with less than 10% of the country's population? Why aren't there Kenyan runners from Mombassa?

18 years ago 08/10/2005 5:58am EDT

re: Central High 1988

Central High 1988 wrote:
In fact, there was a time in the late 1980's when Djibouti had 3 sub 2:20 marathoners.

You understated that somewhat. From 1985:

2:08:08 Djama Robleh DJI (2nd Chicago to Steve Jones 2:07:13)

2:08:09 Ahmed Salah DJI (1st World Cup Hiroshima)

2:08:26 Djama Robleh DJI (3rd World Cup Hiroshima)

2:10:33 Charmarke Abdillahi DJI (7th World Cup Hiroshima)

Djibouti won the team title at the 1985 World Cup Marathon.

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