Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - 10,000m triple (© Getty Images)
Four years ago, Kenenisa Bekele officially succeeded Haile Gebrselassie as the world’s finest 10,000m runner. 10 weeks after breaking his World record over the distance in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Bekele succeeded his Ethiopian mentor as Olympic champion in Athens. Now, his aim is to join his legendary compatriot as one of only a handful of back-to-back Olympic champions.
In Athens, Bekele led Sileshi Sihine to an Ethiopian 1-2 in the event, after the duo, along with Gebrselassie, dramatically, precisely and concisely illustrated what team running is all about for much of the race. Again, the pair will join the heavily favoured Bekele in Beijing, who in the interim has lowered his World record to 26:17.53, took two more World titles over the distance, and stretched his win streak in the event to 10. At just 26, he’s hardly ready to slow down. At the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene this year, he clocked 26:25.97, the fourth fastest performance in history. (Two of the other three belong to him as well).
And again, it’ll Sihine leading the chase to dethrone Bekele. The consummate bridesmaid, Sihine finished second to Bekele not only in Athens, but also at the last two World championships, and third in 2003. On top of his big meet pedigree, Sihine has a 26:39.69 career best to clearly rank him among history’s finest in the event. Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, his career has coincided with Bekele’s. With his 26:50.53 victory in Hengelo, Sihine is the year’s fastest.
After stepping off the track in Athens, where he finished fifth, Gebrselassie said that it would be his final race on the track. He’s had a change of heart since and with good reason: his 26:51.20 runner-up finish in Hengelo ranks him as the season’s third fastest. And although he’s focused his primary energies on the Marathon in recent years, he’ll certainly be a sentimental favourite to complete the podium sweep he couldn’t quite manage four years ago.
Again, there will be plenty of prime competition to break the Ethiopian juggernaut. Zersenay Tadese was the spoiler four years ago with a bronze medal performance, the first Olympic medal for Eritrea. He has since even managed to finish a race ahead of Bekele, taking the World Cross Country title in 2007. The 26-year-old hasn’t run a 10,000m on the track this year, and with sixth and fourth place finishes at the last two World championships, he’s come up just a little short of another major medal. He’ll be eager to work his way back onto a podium step.
Besides the Ethiopians, another stumbling block Tadese is likely to encounter is Kenyan No. 1, Moses Masai. A sub-26:50 performer last year, when he briefly threatened Bekele in Brussels before finishing second, the 22-year-old won a pair of fast 5000m races this year, one before and one after winning the Kenyan trials. Kenyan No. 2 Martin Mathathi will also have a strong say in the final. The 22-year-old took a hard fought bronze at last year’s World Championships.
In Bekele’s sights is to become only the fifth man to successfully defend the Olympic 10,000m title since the event was introduced in 1912. If he succeeds he’ll join some illustrious company indeed: Gebrselassie (1996/2000), Lasse Viren (1972/1976), and Emil Zatopek (1948/1952). Paavo Nurmi, the Flying Finn, also won two titles (1920/1928), but not back-to-back.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
