Bekele's "weakness"

[MJD]

"He has also yet to display the same range as Gebrselassie, who has run 3min 31.76sec for 1500m and 2hr 6min 35sec for the marathon."

http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/ ... ory=530933

[ycn]

Re: Bekele's

Some weakness. Gebrselassie ran his 1500 when he was nearly 25, and his marathon at 28.

Bekele set the WJR in the 3000 at 19, and this year has added the indoor and outdoor 5000 WR's and 10000 WR to his resume, all before the age of 22.

Yeah, Geb's just way out there ahead of him...

The 1500 WR is Bekele's at a time and place of his own choosing.

[Friar]

Re: Bekele's

Ethiopia is interesting in that they have about 75% larger pop. than Kenya. There is no sport to speak of other than distance running, with its wonderful tradition. Should there be more 27:00 13:00 guys behind Bekele and Haile?
I know its been a mess there and the literacy and mortality rates are awful. But with everybody growing up at altitude and a national program you would think there would be even more depth. How about a few steeple guys.

[skate]

Re: Bekele's

Of course not he is only like 21 years old. He will run faster at 1500 and the marathon (if he chooses) over the next 12 years guaranteed. First I am sure he wants to be the first under 12:30 in the 5k. I bet he has a 3:27 1500 in him and a 1:43 800

[kuha]

Re: Bekele's

Bekele's "weakness" is that he CANNOT run a 1:36 800, a 3:22 1500, 12:10 5000 or a 25:30 10,000. Anything slower than that seems entirely possible...

[MJD]

Re: Bekele's

I hope everyone understands why I put that word in quotes.

[kuha]

Re: Bekele's

And I did too, of course. The original implication was too ludicrous to be taken seriously.

[Jon]

Re: Bekele's

>How about a few steeple guys.



I completely agree - if Ethiopia started getting into the steeple, the records could easily start tumbling (the women's would be shattered). Maybe in a few years' time....

[ycn]

Re: Bekele's

MJD, agreed.

We really don't know what he might do, he's like a time bomb that could explode at any time, at any level of destruction.

Maybe this is his peak year, but who would bet that to be the case? I'm just amazed by this guy, who apparently has a running efficiency only dreamed of by every other guy who's ever lived on this planet. It will be interesting to see how big his WR harvest actually becomes.

[kuha]

Re: Bekele's

I firmly believe that he'll be around for several more years--more in the Geb mode than, for example, the Komen mode. There will be more fireworks to come!

[Friar]

Re: Bekele's

Keep in mind the guy is listed as 5'2.5 and 118. If he were a wee more physically gifted,say 5'7 to 5'9 [longer legs]like Aouita, I'd buy into the super 1500 times some are projecting. But this sounds a little too fast, even for his superior talent.

[kuha]

Re: Bekele's

But ya gotta admit, he's pretty darn good for a stumpy little shrimp!

[dougj burke]

Re: Bekele's

>Ethiopia is interesting in that they have about 75% larger pop. than Kenya.
>a. There is no sport to speak of other than distance running, with its
>wonderful tradition. Should there be more 27:00 13:00 guys behind Bekele and
>Haile?
I know its been a mess there and the literacy and mortality rates
>are awful. But with everybody growing up at altitude and a national program you
>would think there would be even more depth. How about a few steeple guys.

ethiopia has 4 under 27 this year and the other 2 are younger than bekele, not to mention bekekes 17 year old brother who ran a 1312 for 5k last week.

[EPelle]

Re: Bekele's

Bekele is doing something very smart -- something neither Geb, EL G, Morceli nor Aouita did in an early-career Olympic year: race very conservatively and prepare for the Games. Sure, he set two world records within 10 days, but he has only two more races on tap prior to the 10km (or 5km qualifier). On the other hand, he did run - and win - six world cross country finals in the past three seasons.