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Even The Greats Eventually Get Left Behind...
(by David Graham) 5000 Metres - Men Paris 6 July 2012
1 Gebremeskel , Dejen ETH 12:46.81
2 Gebrhiwet , Hagos ETH 12:47.53
3 Koech , Isiah Kiplangat KEN 12:48.64
4 Alamirew , Yenew ETH 12:48.77
5 Longosiwa , Thomas Pkemei KEN 12:49.04
6 Kipkoech , John KEN 12:49.50
7 Bekele , Tariku ETH 12:54.13
8 Kipchoge , Eliud KEN 12:55.34
9 Bekele , Kenenisa ETH 12:55.79
10 Soi , Edwin Cheruiyot KEN 12:55.99
11 Masai , Moses Ndiema KEN 12:59.21
12 Edris , Muktar ETH 13:04.34
13 Kiptoo , Mark Kosgei KEN 13:06.23
14 Hirt , Hassan FRA 13:10.68
15 Durand , Yohan FRA 13:32.18
Chepkok , Vincent Kiprop KEN DNF
Gathimba , Gideon Mwangi KEN DNF
Merga , Imane ETH DNF
Ndiwa , Remmy Limo KEN DNF
On May 30th, 1954, IN PARIS, Emil Zátopek ran a World Record for the men's 5,000 meters: 13:57.2. Had he been magically transported to tonight's race in Paris and had he run that time, he would have been LAPPED...by probably the first ten men!
And when David Moorcroft ripped 6 seconds off of the 5000 WR in Oslo to run 13:00.41 in 1982, it seemed so amazing at the time...and now in one race, 11 men beat that time! (Moreover, Moorcroft's former WR currently ranks #330 on the All Time list!)
I still remember Steve Ovett talking about how shocked he was by Haile Gebrselassie's 12:44.39, near 11 second WR for the men's 5,000 meters at Zurich in 1995. Ovett said he never expected to see a sub 12:50 in his lifetime. And now...in one race...6 men do it!
And when Kenenisa Bekele ranked #1 in the world in the 5,000 meters in 2009 (a mere three years ago), his winning 5,000 meter times at races that summer were 13:00.76, 13:04.87, 12:56.23, 13:17.09, 12:52.32, and 12:55.31. Tonight in Paris, he ran a 12:55.79...and got 9th!
My how much the world changes!! And how quickly...
Even the greats eventually get left behind...
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