BEIJING (Reuters) - Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele outsprinted his rivals with a stunning last lap to win the 5,000 metres on Saturday and become the first man to complete the Olympic long-distance double since 1980.The 26-year-old, who retained his 10,000 title last Sunday, raced home in an Olympic record time of 12 minutes 57.82 seconds to give Ethiopia a sweep of all four distance titles after Tirunesh Dibaba completed the women’s double on Friday.
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“It’s very special,” he told reporters. “It’s not easy to achieve this for me, after hard work, after so much effort.”
It was a first major 5,000m title for the world record-holder and matched the feat last achieved by his compatriot Miruts Yifter in Moscow 28 years ago and never managed by another Ethiopian great, Haile Gebreselassie.
Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who denied Bekele a world championship double in Paris in 2003, was unable to follow the leader when he broke for home and finished well adrift in 13.02.80.
“In this final the pace was fast,” said Kipchoge. “But if we were in the same position in the last lap, maybe I could have caught up with him. I expected myself to get a gold medal, but I lost it and he was faster.”
The 24-year-old’s compatriot Edwin Cheruiyot Soi took bronze in 13.06.22, while American Bernard Lagat, whose kick was enough to win him the world title last year, found the pace just too quick and trailed in ninth.
“I’m very proud that we Kenyans did a really good job,” said Soi, who ran a personal best to finish third. “I’ve called my family but they didn’t pick up. I guess they’re still yelling.”
SLOW PACE
Bekele, who won silver in Athens four years ago, was never going to allow a slow pace on Saturday despite the heat and humidity and he raced into the lead after the first half a lap.
“My plan was to pick up the pace very fast,” he said. “It was a very fast race.”
He remained at the front guarded by his brother Tariku and the third Ethiopian, Abreham Cherkos, with the two Kenyans and Lagat tucked in behind.
When the field stretched out with three laps to go, Lagat and the two other Ethiopians faded leaving a straight race between Bekele and the Kenyans.
Bekele kicked at the bell and, glancing frequently behind him, had a 10-metre advantage over Kipchoge midway through the back straight which he extended to 30 by the time he crossed the line.
“I had just enough, just enough, I was tired,” he said.
Although outside his world record of 12:37.35, Bekele’s time was good enough to beat the previous Olympic mark of 13:05.59 set by Morocco’s Said Aouita when he won gold in 1984.
Kenyan-born Lagat won the 1,500m and 5,000m double at last year’s world championships but failed to reach the final of the shorter race in Beijing.
“Inside me I was not ready,” said the 33-year-old. “My mind, my body, my Achilles. I could not kick at all. It’s been a tough two weeks for me.”
August 23rd, 2008 at 5:25 pm
This is an outstanding victory for Ethiopia and Kenenisa.Four Gold was a fait accompli,we knew that this result would come.What we didn’t know for sure was whether Kenenisa or his brother would take the 5 km gold.
But folks this is not enough,we need more in marathon,1500,and other short distances.What I don’t understand is what the federation is doing.We got 4 medals during the Sydeny olympics and the same number of medals now,so what or where is the change?Whether the federation exists or not Kenenisa ,Tirunesh and Defar would get medals.I think the fed has done nothing in this olympics.This is the result of the efforts of the athelets and not that corrupt fed or government.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Congrats, Kenenisa and all Ethiopians!
This is a great story that we all shall celebrate.
JzB, this has nothing to do with your Amara paranoya. You are just showing what type of people EPRDF is having.
Thank you Kenenisa. And best wishes for your future!
August 23rd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Great game, great finish, great win…..
Guys,,,, imagine Ethiopia without Kenenisa and Tirunesh….
Now, we need fresh n young capable athelets…..
Favouratism must stop….that gettata tirsam Haile & Ejigayoh n the other loosers have to give the chance to new comers……
We love Haile, because once he made us proud….
But, we’r not supposed to preach about him forever, especially when he failed us infront of the world.
He knew he was going to loose the 10k, so, why the ethiopian atheletics federation chose him? Because he’s famous?
and why the hell did he wanted to run instead of giving the chance to others?
If he run a Marathon, we could get another additional gold medal,,,,Now, we lost Marathon.
but, his excuse was that Beijing is a polluted country which is an insult to 1.3 billion chinese.
But, still he’s in China…..for more than a week….he should pack n fuck leave Beijing if it’s a polluted country?
August 24th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Regarding air polution, Haile himself noticed recently that its ok this time. How many of us know that China planted 2 million trees in Beijing alone to manage the problem? And they did it. The other thing is please let’s have respect for one another. It seems that we have become too intolerant in every respect these days. How can an Ethiopian have a tongue to insult Haile. Sure Haile should leave space to his followers; we have to sharply critize his and the Fed’s decision. But let’s have a respect to our people (not only to athletes for that matter). Let’s control our imotions, guys, and engage in reason and objectivity in all our actions (social, political, whatever).
August 24th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5_aIe-r43A&eurl=http://tsehainy.com/Olympics08.html
September 9th, 2008 at 5:18 am
I found your blog via Google while searching, and your post regarding a outsprinted his rivals with a stunning last lap | EMF looks very interesting for me!