Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia wins the 5000m in Paris GL meet (© Getty Images)
When Isaac Songok unleashed a devastating kick to handily defeat double World record holder Kenenisa Bekele at Golden League opener in Oslo last month, the track world was stunned that Bekele, known for a demoralizing kick of his own, simply couldn’t respond. Bekele though wasn’t particularly surprised.
“He’s a strong athlete and he’s famous,” Bekele said of his Kenyan rival who produced a 12:55.79 win. “I knew he would be strong.”
There will be no Songok in the Paris race to challenge, the young Kenyan has always set his sights on the 1500m here at Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis - IAAF Golden League - on Saturday 8 July.
In any case after a stronger emphasis on speed work over the past month, Bekele, the defending Meeting Gaz de France winner, is hoping that he’s prepared for a similar attack whoever might try to deliver it. Significantly, the World Championship gold and bronze medallists, Benjamin Limo and Craig Mottram are in the field of 19.
“I lost my last race in Oslo, so I really want to improve tomorrow night. I want to compete well. I’m in better shape than in Oslo. I didn’t prepare for that race as well.” Bekele said that he lost three days of valuable training prior to the Oslo race, because he was helping to organize his sister Dinkinesh’s wedding. “Now I’m in much better shape.”
Last year in Paris, the young Ethiopian cruised to a 12:40.18 win, the fourth fastest performance ever, but still a little shy on his highly-publicised World record attempt. This year he’s not aiming for any world records, he said, and in Paris is hoping for a more “normal” pace.
“Not too fast, not too slow.”
Besides the remaining IAAF Golden League contests and a few other World Athletics Tour stops, Bekele’s primary focus this summer will be on August’s African Championships, where he’ll contest the 5000m and hope to qualify for the IAAF World Cup.
“It’s very important,” he said of being named to the African squad for the World Cup.
Over the past month, Bekele has directed a lot of attention to his speed training, but not only because of his three-second loss to Songok. He had always intended to move down in distance for 2006, he said, adding that he won’t be contesting any 10,000m races this season, and is planning to make his career outdoor debut in the 1500m in Stockholm at the end of the month.
“I’m expecting a good time,” he said, clarifying that “good” meant something in the 3:32 to 3:33 range. He contested the Mile once indoors, finishing second at last winter’s Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile in New York running on the narrow confines of the Madison Square Garden track.
As part of his speed build up, Bekele said he does four track sessions a week, has been satisfied with the results, but refused to share any details of what his workouts entail.
“I can’t tell you that,” he said. “That’s a secret.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF