____no5
Free Man
It's been since ASICS' running event in Paris that I wanted to start this thread, but I was waiting some more juicy news to do that, probably something about the Kerr -Ingebrigtsen rivalry, Noah Lyles or Jamaica Women's Team.
But the news that broke today, exceeded my wildest dreams: Kenenisa Bekele named to Ethiopian Olympic marathon team!
This is huge, Bekele, viewed by most as the greatest long distance runner of all time, is 42 years old and last time he's been in Olympics was a whopping 12 years ago, in London.
Bekele is the third fastest marathoner of all time and one of only 4 athletes to run it below 2h02 minutes. Since 2019 when he run his 2:01:41 marathon in Berlin, his career had some significant lows, him quitting races or not even starting. Since he left Nike and signed with Anta about 2 years now, it seems he found some new motivation, as he finished 4th in Valencia last December with a new World Record for men above 40, and last month in London he finished second in a close race, improving his Masters WR but a few seconds.
Article here
What's more, we'll at last see a marathon battle between him and marathon GOAT Eliud Kipchoge, a rivalry that goes back more than 20 years. Below a video from his epic Berlin race, when we overtook from behind his fellow runners during the last minutes and missed Kipchoge's WR by 2 seconds.
*However, it's not granted that any of those two will even make the podium, yet a crowning moment in their career. Bekele being nominated at age 42 and Kipchoge having the chance to win his 3rd gold medal in 3 Olympic Games, something that no other athlete has achieved in marathon.
But the news that broke today, exceeded my wildest dreams: Kenenisa Bekele named to Ethiopian Olympic marathon team!
This is huge, Bekele, viewed by most as the greatest long distance runner of all time, is 42 years old and last time he's been in Olympics was a whopping 12 years ago, in London.
Bekele is the third fastest marathoner of all time and one of only 4 athletes to run it below 2h02 minutes. Since 2019 when he run his 2:01:41 marathon in Berlin, his career had some significant lows, him quitting races or not even starting. Since he left Nike and signed with Anta about 2 years now, it seems he found some new motivation, as he finished 4th in Valencia last December with a new World Record for men above 40, and last month in London he finished second in a close race, improving his Masters WR but a few seconds.
Article here
What's more, we'll at last see a marathon battle between him and marathon GOAT Eliud Kipchoge, a rivalry that goes back more than 20 years. Below a video from his epic Berlin race, when we overtook from behind his fellow runners during the last minutes and missed Kipchoge's WR by 2 seconds.
*However, it's not granted that any of those two will even make the podium, yet a crowning moment in their career. Bekele being nominated at age 42 and Kipchoge having the chance to win his 3rd gold medal in 3 Olympic Games, something that no other athlete has achieved in marathon.
