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Bekele Completes Distance Double

Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 AM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele has won the Olympic 5000 m, pulling away late to earn his second gold medal of these Games. Bekele clocked 12:57.82 for the distance, an Olympic Record and a remarkable feat considering the tactical nature of this race. Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Edwin Soi took silver and bronze in 13:02.80 and 13:06.22, respectively. Americans Bernard Lagat and Matt Tegenkamp finished in ninth and thirteenth, well out of medal contention.

The buildup for this race was not lacking in drama, as remarks made by Kenyan coach Julius Kirwa revealed the team tactics that his nation planned to employ. The Kenyan plan was focused on neutralizing reigning World Champion Bernard Lagat, a miler by trade who used his blistering kick to win off a slow pace last summer in Osaka. Of course the Kenyans must also have been concerned about their archrival Ethiopia, whose team of the Bekele brothers (Kenenisa and Tariku) along with Abreham Cherkos would prove formidable. Kenenisa Bekele owns the World Record in the 5000 m but had thus far failed to win a championship 5000m, due mainly to the physical toll of his dominance in the 10000 m.

The race began amidst sweltering conditions (high 80’s F and humid) in the Bird’s Nest. The initial pace was conservative, with the Ethiopian trio controlling the proceedings from the front with kilometer splits of 2:45 and 5:22. Tariku Bekele and Abreham Cherkos did most of the early leading before Kenenisa Bekele took charge right around the 3 km mark (reached in 8:01) and upped the pace. This began to string out the pack, as American Matt Tegenkamp was soon out the back along with others. Bekele continued his controlled surge, reducing the contenders to a pack of five (Bekele, Kenyans Kipchoge and Soi, Lagat, and Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro). By the time Bekele reached the 4 km mark in 10:33, Lagat was gone and it was shaping up to be a classic duel between Kenenisa and his Kenyan rivals. However there would be no significant challenge to the Ethiopian Lion on this night, as Bekele threw down a 2:25 final kilometer and simply buried his competitors. Kenyans Kipchoge and Soi would earn well-deserved trips to the podium, while Kipsiro would hold on for fourth. The remaining Ethiopians (Cherkos and T. Bekele) placed fifth and sixth, just ahead of the top non-African, Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico.

With this win, Bekele places himself on the short list of greatest distance runners ever. Already the World Record Holder in the 5000 m and 10000 m, Bekele now has three Olympic gold medals to go along with his three World Championships and numerous World Cross Country titles. His triumphs along with those of country woman Tirunesh Dibaba have established Ethiopia as the current global standard in distance running. Their rivals in Kenya will certainly not be satisfied with this result, but at this point Bekele simply looks unbeatable. We look forward to many more great track battles between these two nations over the next few years.