It's on.. Kipchoge V's Bekele

Ceepo

Major scoop for London marathon with the announcement that Bekele is added to the field. This sets up a potentionally mouth water battle between two of greatest athletes of all time.
Bekele is arguably the greatest distance runner and Kipchoge arguably the greatest marathon runner. But only 2 seconds separating the best times over the marathon. ( excluding nike sub 2 )

Kipchoge has the better head to head over the marathon, but Bekele has seem to have sorted his injury problems and more importantly has got his head back in the game.

If both are fit and healthy on the start line it should be a great battle, and a very hard one to call..

So who is your money on ???

average_runner

Ceepo wrote: »

Major scoop for London marathon with the announcement that Bekele is added to the field. This sets up a potentionally mouth water battle between two of greatest athletes of all time.
Bekele is arguably the greatest distance runner and Kipchoge arguably the greatest marathon runner. But only 2 seconds separating the best times over the marathon. ( excluding nike sub 2 )

Kipchoge has the better head to head over the marathon, but Bekele has seem to have sorted his injury problems and more importantly has got his head back in the game.

If both are fit and healthy on the start line it should be a great battle, and a very hard one to call..

So who is your money on ???

Money always on Kipchoge, he is the most professional out of the two of them. Always turns up for the big races.


But a Kipchoge defeat would be good for the Olympics and maybe even for Kipchoge, so that he steps up to another level.

healy1835

I'd be far more confident of a great race and spectacle if we'd seen Bekele back up his Berlin performance with another good run. His hit and miss ratio for the marathon has more bad days than good days. I thought that, after his DNF with 2k to go in Amsterdam when he was on 2:08 pace, he was done. Obviously he wasn't, but you still couldn't predict with too much confidence that he will perform on the day. I'll be watching for sure though (stupid London GFA time change )

Ceepo

healy1835 wrote: »

I'd be far more confident of a great race and spectacle if we'd seen Bekele back up his Berlin performance with another good run. His hit and miss ratio for the marathon has more bad days than good days. I thought that, after his DNF with 2k to go in Amsterdam when he was on 2:08 pace, he was done. Obviously he wasn't, but you still couldn't predict with too much confidence that he will perform on the day. I'll be watching for sure though (stupid London GFA time change )

I think Bekele head is in a far better place now than previously.
There was some talk that his business interests were struggling and he also had personal problems, along with some injuries.
I read somewhere that he was 7kg lighter in Berlin than Amsterdam.
If some or alll of that is true, and he has overcome them issues then we could be in for a great race.

My heart says Bekele, but head says Kipchoge..

Dudda

26th of April to save other's googling it.

KSU

As much as I love Bekele as an athlete I have a feeling it will be a DNS or DNF.

His best marathons have come when he is pressure free both in 2016 when he was wrote off as an elite marathon and September when injury has all but put an end to become a genuine rival to top marathoners in the world

shotgunmcos

https://youtu.be/6tP613i2KxM

YFlyer

Bekele if they are together last kilometre.

robinph

YFlyer wrote: »

Bekele if they are together last kilometre.

Can't see that happening though. Kipchoge knows he can run two minutes quicker than Bekele, even if there were other factors at play, so will have the confidence to just ramp up the speed before then if Bekele looks like he's even slightly likely to hold on to his tail.

YFlyer

robinph wrote: »

Can't see that happening though. Kipchoge knows he can run two minutes quicker than Bekele, even if there were other factors at play, so will have the confidence to just ramp up the speed before then if Bekele looks like he's even slightly likely to hold on to his tail.

Yeah Kipchoge would need to turn the screw a long way out. Only El Guerrouj and Farah could beat Bekele at a sprint finish.

yaboya1

Kipchoge's hammered Bekele every time he's taken him on in the marathon (4-0) over a 5 year period.
Why will this year be any different?

KSU

YFlyer wrote: »

Yeah Kipchoge would need to turn the screw a long way out. Only El Guerrouj and Farah could beat Bekele at a sprint finish.

2003 World Championships 5000m - (from 4.20) El G and Bekele

Birmingham 2013 -

2014 Chicago - Kipchoge threw down a 4.33 in mile 24 Bekele couldn't respond

Why do people think Kipchoge doesn't have wheels?

YFlyer

KSU wrote: »

2003 World Championships 5000m - (from 4.20) El G and Bekele

Birmingham 2013 -

2014 Chicago - Kipchoge threw down a 4.33 in mile 24 Bekele couldn't respond

Why do people think Kipchoge doesn't have wheels?

Couldn't watch the first clip. Edit. Was able to watch. Second best 5000m after Daniel Komen cracked Geb in the last 200 metres.

That isn't Kenenisa in 2nd clip?

KSU

YFlyer wrote: »

Couldn't watch the first clip. Edit. Was able to watch. Second best 5000m after Daniel Komen cracked Geb in the last 200 metres.

That isn't Kenenisa in 2nd clip?

1st one is Kipchoge out kicking El G and Bekele to win World Championships

2nd is him holding Farah's kick at bay (didn't even spot Bekele's brother was also in that field) my point was that Kipchoge has the natural speed to compete with the best there ever was he closed that World Championship race in 53 quicker than many of Farah's legendary kicks and that was off sub 13 pace. He was a 3.50 miler which is often overlooked.

YFlyer

KSU wrote: »

1st one is Kipchoge out kicking El G and Bekele to win World Championships

2nd is him holding Farah's kick at bay (didn't even spot Bekele's brother was also in that field) my point was that Kipchoge has the natural speed to compete with the best there ever was he closed that World Championship race in 53 quicker than many of Farah's legendary kicks and that was off sub 13 pace. He was a 3.50 miler which is often overlooked.

I'll put my hands up. I have young Bekele still in my mind.