From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Aug 18 2009 - 08:45:46 EDT
"Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea didn’t make it easy, giving it socks from nine
laps out, putting the pedal to the track, and never once letting up. The
small Ethiopian just bounced along directly behind him, and, as if on cue,
went with the sound of the bell for the last lap. He didn’t need to look
back. Tadese finished over three seconds behind in 26:50.12, but it was
nowhere near that close.
They’d covered the second 5,000 metres in an astonishing 13:06.5, leaving
the rest of the field spread around the track, looking as if they didn’t
know which way they were running. It was carnage"
Stunning Bekele makes it look easy
*IAN O'RIORDAN In Berlin*
Tue, Aug 18, 2009
*ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS* : MUHAMMAD ALI always said the crowds don’t
come to see a good fight. They come to see a good whuppin’. World
Championship 10,000-metre running is a bit like that these days. The crowds
come to see Kenenisa Bekele whup everyone else.
He’s 27 years old and he’s never lost a 10,000 metres race. The undefeated,
undisputed best distance runner in the world. The way Bekele won his fourth
successive title at the distance last night merely underlined that: a
championship record of 26:46.31, making it look easier all the time. If he
shows up for the 5,000 metres later in the week he’ll win that too.
In fairness, Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea didn’t make it easy, giving it socks
from nine laps out, putting the pedal to the track, and never once letting
up. The small Ethiopian just bounced along directly behind him, and, as if
on cue, went with the sound of the bell for the last lap. He didn’t need to
look back. Tadese finished over three seconds behind in 26:50.12, but it was
nowhere near that close.
They’d covered the second 5,000 metres in an astonishing 13:06.5, leaving
the rest of the field spread around the track, looking as if they didn’t
know which way they were running. It was carnage.
Kenya had high hopes they might upset the Ethiopians as they’d done in the
women’s race last Saturday night, but instead Moses Masai, the brother of
women’s 10,000 metres champion Linet Masai, was out the back door from a
mile out, and could manage only third in 26:57.39.
Of course that’s still exceptional running, just not when Bekele is in
charge. At 27 he is showing no sign of tiring of his success. Some of his
rivals hoped he might be put off two years ago when he married Ethiopian
supermodel Dana Gebregziabher, but married life clearly hasn’t upset his
training routine. Who knows, maybe it’s focused him even more.
Bekele is coming out of his shell more as well, and did the sort of
celebratory dance that only one man could inspire: Usain Bolt.
Ethiopia and Kenya also claimed fourth and fifth in Imane Merga and Bernard
Kipyego, although there was some hope for the rest of the world when the
American Dathan Ritzenhein ran a personal best of 27:22.20 to finish sixth.
Only one man has rivalled Bekele’s reign in this event, and that was his
great predecessor Haile Gebrselassie, who won four World titles from
1993-1999. Given Bekele shows no sign of letting up, it’s only a matter of
time before he takes complete reign.
It’s nice not to talk about war between nations, but truth is Ethiopia and
Kenya are at war here for world domination in distance running – and if
Saturday night’s victory for their women meant the first battle went to
Kenya, this war will continue for the week.
But so far Kenya aren’t yet enjoying the sort of championships they had in
Osaka two years ago, when they placed third overall in the world.
Kenya were also run out of the top two medals in the 3,000 metres
steeplechase last night, which isn’t quite as shocking as it might sound
given it was the women’s version. Still, Marta Dominguez of Spain was a
fairly shocked-looking winner there.
Not that she didn’t deserve it. The 33-year-old ran a brilliantly executed
race, timing her finish to perfection to win gold in 9:07.32, the fastest in
the world this year.
Some of you may remember Dominguez as the old rival of Sonia O’Sullivan, or
else for her famous pink headband, but this was easily the performance of
her long career. Yuliya Zarudneva of Russia ran a personal best of 9:08.39
for silver, with team-mate and world record-holder Gulnara Galkina fourth in
9:11.09. The Kenyan women aren’t yet as dominant in the steeplechase as
their male counterparts, and Milcah Cheywa still ran well to take third in
9:08.57.
Kenya are at least looking a safe bet to win tomorrow’s 1,500 metres final:
Asbel Kiprop looked superbly comfortably in winning the second semi-final
last night in 3:36.24, his team-mate Augustine Choge third in 3:36.43.
Defending champion Bernard Lagat, the Americanised Kenyan, took it slightly
easier in the first semi-final, taking third in 3:36.86. But don’t rule out
the Ethiopian Deresse Mekonnen.
© 2009 The Irish Times
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