Do Ethiopian/Kenyan athletes have an unfair long distance advantage?

darkman2

Just wondering what people think of this. Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes have dominated the track in athletics for years particularly long distance. It's been suggested now and again and in elements of the media over the years that these athletes have a natural unfair advantage due to economic circumstances in these countries that are (or were) the worst in the world with famines and all that (or at least had been, don't know how much things have improved) which, the theory goes, has facilitated a level of physical endurance that is impossible for other countries to match long distance. I remember one article which was insinuating that if drug taking was giving athletes an unfair advantage than East African runners have a similar advantage! Which is a silly comparison of course but it is hard to argue they don't have an advantage of some sort given how much they have dominated long distance running. It's a moot point - nothing can or should be done about it - it's not the athletes fault they are just better than the rest. Still, it would be nice to see other nationalities actually able to compete properly for once:o

Pherekydes

How can a natural advantage be unfair?

"Oh, woe is me, I'm born in Ireland..."

darkman2

Pherekydes wrote: »

"Oh, woe is me, I'm born in Ireland..."

Lot of people like myself been thinking that exact thing in recent years but not to do with athletics

Pherekydes wrote: »

How can a natural advantage be unfair?

I don't know. I am just wondering how Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes keep winning long distance track all the time and asking if anyone has any insight. What's the secret?

Chartsengrafs

darkman2 wrote: »

Just wondering what people think of this. Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes have dominated the track in athletics for years particularly long distance. It's been suggested now and again and in elements of the media over the years that these athletes have a natural unfair advantage due to economic circumstances in these countries that are (or were) the worst in the world with famines and all that (or at least had been, don't know how much things have improved) which, the theory goes, has facilitated a level of physical endurance that is impossible for other countries to match long distance.

That's a hell of a statement.
"The theory goes" - what theory?
"It's been suggested now and again and in elements of the media over the years" -by who?

You're saying essentially that these people are poor, hungry and determined, am I right? And that's an 'unfair advantage'? (Your words, not mine).
Famine?! Yeah, sure is unfair.

Steven81

When you have to run a few miles to get water every day at a young age that is a big advantage in years to come.

smcgiff

Advantage yes, unfair? No.

Wilberto

In fairness, I read an article that was posted on these board before about the training that the Kenyan long distance runners go through and it was simply breathtaking. Would love to find the article again but someone on here posted a link before anyway.

I think maybe it's almost like they focus heavily on long distance running because it's the cheapest of the events to "invest" in.


If you ask me then, "in theory" places like Ecuador, Bolivia etc. should have great long distance runners, purely because of the altitude they were born, raised and train in 24/7. So obviously just because something works in theory........etc.

average_runner

darkman2 wrote: »

Just wondering what people think of this. Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes have dominated the track in athletics for years particularly long distance. It's been suggested now and again and in elements of the media over the years that these athletes have a natural unfair advantage due to economic circumstances in these countries that are (or were) the worst in the world with famines and all that (or at least had been, don't know how much things have improved) which, the theory goes, has facilitated a level of physical endurance that is impossible for other countries to match long distance. I remember one article which was insinuating that if drug taking was giving athletes an unfair advantage than East African runners have a similar advantage! Which is a silly comparison of course but it is hard to argue they don't have an advantage of some sort given how much they have dominated long distance running. It's a moot point - nothing can or should be done about it - it's not the athletes fault they are just better than the rest. Still, it would be nice to see other nationalities actually able to compete properly for once:o

I suggest reading the book Running with kenyans. A very good read and explains alot

Big Ears

Wilberto wrote: »

If you ask me then, "in theory" places like Ecuador, Bolivia etc. should have great long distance runners, purely because of the altitude they were born, raised and train in 24/7. So obviously just because something works in theory........etc.

Well I am just going off what a University lecturer told me before so I can't back this up with any links to research articles, but apparently the East Africans and the South Americans have adapted differently to the condition (altitude) imposed on them in a physiological sense.
This was a few years ago, so embarrassingly I can't even remember what the difference supposedly was, but it would help to explain how altitude has has a significantly positive effect on one set of people and not as much on another.

The advantages the East Africans have are genetics and a vast quantity of runners. The disadvantage they have is money. Is this fair ?, well no not really, but sport isn't fair. The result in the majority of sports that involve some form of a race (not including motor sport) is predominately determined by the participants genetics. But I don't think we can be too upset about this, yes sport mightn't be fair but neither is life, so let's just get on with things.

woodchopper

We will see how unfair it is when Mo Farah and Galen Rupp whoop the Kenyans in the greatest showdown of all time tonight in good auld East Landan

CIARAN_BOYLE

woodchopper wrote: »

We will see how unfair it is when Mo Farah and Galen Rupp whoop the Kenyans in the greatest showdown of all time tonight in good auld East Landan

Well Mo Farah was born in Kenya wasn't he?

Pherekydes

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Well Mo Farah was born in Kenya wasn't he?

Somalia.

BobMac104

woodchopper wrote: »

We will see how unfair it is when Mo Farah and Galen Rupp whoop the Kenyans in the greatest showdown of all time tonight in good auld East Landan

Ooh nice call woodchopper!!

ChickenTikka

Well done to Farah and Rupp :-) Great to see it!

I think the discussion re the Kenyans comes back to the question is it nature or nuture. If we compare it to home and the dominance of hurling within one half of some counties and football in the other half. There's gifted athletes everywhere and if they all pick the same sport to dedicate themselves to, it will appear like they have an advantage over other counties or countries.