Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia can add the 5000m World Championship title to his collection after winning in Berlin
(AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia has now possibly placed his name at the top of the list of the world's greatest distance runners of all-time. By winning the 5,000 meter at the World Championships in Berlin, to add with his 10,000 meter victory earlier in the week at the same Championships, Bekele has now won 5 World Track Championships, 3 Olympic Gold medals, 12 World Cross Country Championships and is the current world record holder in the 5,000 meter, 5,000 meter indoor, 10,000 meter, 2,000 meter indoor, and 2-mile indoor. Bekele has topped the accomplishments of countryman, Haile Gebrselassie, who was until now, perhaps the greatest distance runner of all-time.
Bekele set the pace for much of the 5,000 meter race, unlike the 10,000 meter where he was satisfied to allow others to lead. His strongest rival was defending 5,000 meter World Champion, Bernard Lagat of the US. Lagat positioned himself on the inside lane, just behind Bekele for the entire race, ready to follow if Bekele should ever surge to break away from the pack. Instead, Bekele kept the pack intact by leading at only a moderate pace. Coming into the final lap there were still 13 competitors in contention.
Bekele's final lap is generally deadly against his distance race opponents. He has miscalculated at least one famous time in the past, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, when he faced Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in the finals of the 5,000 meter. Bekele had won the 10,000 meter and El Guerrouj had won the 1500 meter. With the meeting of the two in the 5,000 meter the popular thought was that Bekele would win easily if he set a fast pace and took the fast finishing sprint out of El Guerrouj. Instead, Bekele and the other Ethiopian front runners seemed to play perfectly into the scenario that favored El Guerrouj, and in the end the speed of the 1500 meter specialist was too much for even the fast last lap of Bekele.
The match up with Lagat looked to be something similar to the Athens 5,000 meter against El Guerrouj. Lagat had won both the 1500 and 5,000 meter races at the last World Championships, and had already taken third in the 1500 meter at this World Championships. With Lagat sticking to the back of Bekele during the 5,000 meter final, and Bekele declining to use his ability to set a blistering pace to take the sprint out of Lagat, observers wondered if Lagat would outkick Bekele down the final stretch. Coming around the final turn Lagat pulled alongside the sprinting Bekele. With 50 meters to go, Lagat briefly inched ahead of Bekele, but in the final 30-40 meters, Bekele pulled back ahead and Lagat broke his stride, coasting across the finish line beaten. Bekele had completed the double, the first time anyone had won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races at the same World Championships.
As the only person other than Usain Bolt to take two individual gold medals from this World Championships, Bekele was asked if he feels relegated to secondary importance in comparison. Bekele responded by saying his performance is in no way comparable to that of Bolt's, who in addition to two individual golds, also set two world records. Bekele said that is is only right that Bolt should receive so much more attention, and that what Bolt has done is good for the development of the sport. However, he has earlier said that he would be ready for an 800 meter contest between the 100-200 world champion and the 5,000-10,000 meter world champion, and that he (Bekele) would definitely beat him (Bolt) at that distance.
It would be amazing if this contest could be arranged...
See more event coverage of the 12th World Track & Field Championships in Berlin.
Comments
Hey, I really want to see both Bolt and Bekele in a race, that is, 800 meter.
Since 1966 Ethiopia dominated the middle and long distance in superb ways. Hail G. Selassie of Ethiopia set 26 World Record since 1993 and he holds Marathon world record. His plan is to run Marathon under 2 house which I found is Impossible! But who knows about these Ethiopians! How about Ethiopian great women runners - they have pretty much great record winning and holding record after record. What is going on?
sensational! Amazing!
check it on You tube - Barlin Bekele 5000m
kenenisa is better than Bolt. kenenisa has more world championship golds over the years than bolt. by the way, kenenisa has more olympic individual gold than bolt too. kenenisa also has more records than bolt.
this is not even a fair competition.
also, after one or two years, expect bolt to lose his gold medal because of drug abuse like marion jones.
kenenisa is # 1 sportman in world history
the other big difference between kenenisa and Usain is humblness. Kenenisa is a very humble person who doesn't believe in showing off too much either before or after any race. Great Man!
David,
I am NOT SURE if kenenisa is the "# 1 sportman in world history" but he has definately achieved more than BOLT. The government of Germany should have awarded Kenenisa, not Bolt, in my opinion.
there are two reasons why people saw bolt as better than kenenisa
first of all western media is bias against african achievement and sometimes ignorant. (the west also fears it can never win in the distance races, a reason why some europeans are considering to drop cross country races all together. READ THIS www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/-/1100/644432/-/shawtjz/-/ ) So the west wants to glorify only what it can win.
secondly, there is something catchy about the title.. "FASTEST MAN ALIVE" or "Fastest man__" fill the blank
Herman,
I agree with you! The West just doesn't get it. Today, there are more civilized as well as wealthy people outside of the Western hemisphere and the trend growing faster than one can imagine. It doesn't really matter anymore if America or Europe glorifies African, South American or Asian elite, very calm and most importantly dup (drug) free sports men or women!
Bekele is no doubt the greatest distance runner of all time. It's a shame the mayor of Berlin failed to dedicate a spot on the wall to honor Bekele's superlative achievements in the championships. Bekele has been winning championships and breaking records since he was a teenager while Bolt was toiling in the shadows of Gay, Spearman, Gatlin, Powell and Crawford. As soon as he starts winning and breaking sprint events, he gets the most pizzazz and the accomplishments of many other great athletes of the sports are left in the backburner
before kenenisa started the berlin championships, he was winning races for the $1,000,000 jackpot.
I believe he will lose the next races because his body will be too stressed. But....If he gets the jackpot, he must be some kind of superman
Kenenissa you are the best!! Keep it up!!
yes he is the best one in the world so say again he is the super man in the world say it is
he is the man of the time
no bolt no haile is better than kenanisa bekele
i expect other record b/c he is still now superman
ohhhh kenanissa you are the basttttt
I admired Bolt than any one else in the China olympic. He is my fevourate. He is so special particularly his fame in such a short period is so amazing. But it is too early to name him as the greatest ever. He has to show his outstanding briliance for a reasonably longer time.
Bekele has been on this track and field sport for substantially longer time. He is really outstanding and has won countless competetions and a record holder of many which have mentioned above. The very speciality of Bekele is also his cometency and improvement on this field is improving from time to time. He is now exceeding his predecessor country man the legend Haile Gebre Sellassie. Therefore the competition should focus on the number of competiion he participated and the achievement he got.
In my view, this is the time that Kenenisa Bekelle should take the title. Let us see Bolt for atleast the comming three years.
Brumby from Australia
kenenisa was outstanding in zurich. I have no doubt he ll win the jackpot now. superman
if kenenisa wins two or more gold in 2012 olympic, he can be labeled the best athlete ever. michael philps winning gold medals by flipping around in almost similar events does not count. if we create a new event with kenenisa jogging backwards, skipping up down and running sideways, kenenisa will win many medals like michael philps
I proud of him,
The best runner in this world
Bekele is Secretariat.
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