Great showing by Kenyans in Beijing

[MOON Ki]

Kenya has done very well in this tournament.  Nicholas Bett is proof that there is some talent that can be world class in the shorter races, if some effort is made to identify it.  There is very weak to non-existent support infrastructure for short races in Kenya.

I would agree in toto. It seems to me that Bett benefited immensely from his exposure to better environment or conditions in Finland -- the facilities, technical coaching, sports medicine, psychologists, well balanced diet, proper gym workout routine, etc. These are things that the Kenyans should be investing in.

Bett could be one of those freak type athletes in the mould of, say, the late Ugandan great John Akii-Bua or Zambia's Samuel Matete.

I was listening to some radio discussion on the WC, in which commentary Bett's performance came up.   Where did he come from?   Was he doping or not? 

One of the people who responded made an interesting observation: If you look back at Kenyan athletics in the 70s (and even early 80s), you will find quite a few talented hurdlers at that distance.    But there was never any concerted effort to develop such talent, and much of it got dissipated; instead, most of the effort went into middle and long distance track events.    The commentator had his doubts in Kenyans doing straight 400m (which requires muscular brute force) but thought there is a lot of potential in the hurdles.   Who knows.

In fact, even at 800m, a guy like Rudisha now is something like an oddball.   And forget field events.   

[RV Pundit]

How so? Last I checked Kenyans have always won a medal in 800m....with or without Rudisha. In fact since Chelimo time...we have done well in both men and women 800m. As for field events....apart from shot put...I don't see why kenyans cannot do well in high jump, javelin and poll volt...those are classic kenyan events..that we need to own. All you need is one training center akin to what you have in Iten...and  you have a pipeline of raw talent...coming through primary and secondary competitions.

In fact, even at 800m, a guy like Rudisha now is something like an oddball.   And forget field events.   

[RV Pundit]

And what do we stand to lose in this perception game exactly! As long as Kenyan althetes are allowed to compete; nothing. AK should do it job but more importantly WADA and those in charge of any competition or say marathon can demand for rigorous testings. Nothing stops Chicago Marathon from demanding random testings before and after as condition to getting the price money.

Anything else in this "perception" game would be self-defeatist. You cannot punish athletes thanks to AK ineptitude. And there is no much we can do about AK or IAAF.

Kenyans should be proud of their success.....sour grapes or not.

Windy, how comes the two kenyans doppers were found positive in China.AK cannot go around the country testing 10,000 (lower number) athletes; those holding competitions should do the testing; many russians, us, turkey and north african have tested positives; and nobody is blaming russia or turkey;

That's not how would look at it.   As I see it, the key point is perceptions.   And it is important to note that perceptions do not necessarily have to match reality: the fact that most Kenyan athletes do not dope will not matter much if the world believes that they do.     

Why is that important? 

If there is one thing that unites Kenyans, especially across the never-ending issue of tribe, it is the pride they take in their athletes on the world stage, the best of whom actually come from just one or two tribes.    That pride, in turn, comes from how the rest of the world sees Kenyan athletes, a view that is reinforced every time I listen to commentary on Kenyans in action.   So the first thing that has to be recognized is that athletics (especially track) means something much more to Kenyans than to Russians or Turks.   The second is that if Kenyans get to be seen by the rest of the world as a bunch of dopers, then much of what is positive will disappear; and, as I have noted, it is the perception that matters. And a third point is that even if it could be argued that 50% (or even 100%) or Russian and Turk athletes are dopers, it would not (a) stop the ongoing worldwide comments on the caught Kenyans,  or (b) reduce any reputational damage, or (c) reduce the obligations that Athletics Kenya must discharge.

Kenya is not being blamed here.  The parties being blamed are the dopers and Athletics Kenya, which, so far has taken a casual attitude to the problem and has in fact been hostile to those (including some Kenyans) who pointed it out.

We need to be mindful of the fact that on the international stage, Kenya really has just two things: runners and tea.   A post-mayhem Sri Lanka and some "creative blending" on the Kenyan side---at night, as Ms. Waiguru would probably put it---aren't doing much for the "tea portfolio".  So ...

AK cannot go around the country testing 10,000
...
those holding competitions should do the testing;
...
The point is simple; before althetes compete in any event; they are tested; and eventually the dopers will get nabbed.

And who is to do the testing?   As I see it, the onus is on those with the most to lose. Right now, the organizers of the WC are being praised for doing a good job in catching doping cheats while the dopers and those who sent them there are taking a lot of flak.

AK does not have to test 10,000.   But if it chooses a small handful to represent the country on a major international stage, then it has certain obligations.   So, did AK test every athlete they sent to Beijing? 

[MOON Ki]

How so? Last I checked Kenyans have always won a medal in 800m....with or without Rudisha. In fact since Chelimo time...we have done well in both men and women 800m.

We could go back and forth on this.   The fact is that whatever international reputation Kenyans have in athletics is largely from 1500m and above.  (Please note the emphasis.) Internationally, Kenyan athletes generally do not have a huge reputation at 800m and below.   They might even "always win medals", but even then, if it were so, there it is: perception again.   

As for field events....apart from shot put...I don't see why kenyans cannot do well in high jump, javelin and poll volt...

Nor do I.   But right now, for the most part they don't.   At least not at the highest levels.

[MOON Ki]

And what do we stand to lose in this perception game exactly! As long as Kenyan althetes are allowed to compete; nothing.

Once again, you have neatly captured Athletics Kenya's attitude.   Why has a person like Rudisha has, even before this, had some strong words on the matter?   

We could go back and forth, arguing about whether perceptions matter, but the fact is that they do.   And not just in athletics.   What's more, perceptions frequently have concrete consequences, regardless of whether fair or not. 

Nothing stops Chicago Marathon from demanding random testings before and after as condition to getting the price money.

True.   Other than the fact that people won't be keen to pay to watch "dope fiends", let us consider the case of someone like Jeptoo.  One may argue that the organizers of this of that marathon should have tested her, but there she is: out in the cold.   And the marathon organizers?

You cannot punish athletes thanks to AK ineptitude.

Nobody is proposing anything of the sort.  What people like Rudisha, and others whose opinions cannot be easily dismissed, are pointing out is that AK's incompetence leads to a situation where all are tarred with the same brush.

And there is no much we can do about AK or IAAF.

Perhaps not about the IAAF.   But who actually pays for AK?   Why can Kenyans not insist that AK do a better job at monitoring those that it selects to represent Kenya on the international stage?

Kenyans should be proud of their success.....sour grapes or not.

Kenyans should indeed be proud.   But sour grapes on whose part?   Dope-up Kenyans have been caught at the World Championships, and it has caused a stir all over.   Would it have been different if Jamaicans or Americans or ... were the ones that got caught?

[RV Pundit]

You must be smoking something illegal. Kenya is known from 800m-all the way up. Other countries have been trying to encroach into 800m (Aman is probably the first Ethiopian to challenge and Botswana dude is odd mall...and last non-kenya threat in 800m was maybe Sudan dude).

Just name a non-kenyan who has kicked arse in 800m. WR record after COE was with Kipketer then Rudisha. No other country has done well in 800m since 1980s than kenya.

You really have big perception issues. 800m is kenyan as it get.My village mate I think still has junior world record. Some of greatest 800m runners recently are kenya Bungei, Japtheth Kimutai,Alfred  Yego..

We could go back and forth on this.   The fact is that whatever international reputation Kenyans have in athletics is largely from 1500m and above.  (Please note the emphasis.) Internationally, Kenyan athletes generally do not have a huge reputation at 800m and below.   They might even "always win medals", but even then, if it were so, there it is: perception again.   

[Real P]

Great performance from our Kenyan men in the 1500M this morning!

Other videos this morning:

My girl Allyson Felix showed up in the women's 4x400m Final, but the rest of her teammates were disappointing to watch.  Them Jamaican women really rose up this morning.

Finally the U.S. men's 4x400-meter relay team showed up. LaShawn Merritt anchored the U.S. to a sixth straight world title


On a positive note, our Kenyan team won the world championships with a record-breaking seven golds.

http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-championships/15th-iaaf-world-championships-4875/medaltable

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

You must be smoking something illegal. Kenya is known from 800m-all the way up. Other countries have been trying to encroach into 800m (Aman is probably the first Ethiopian to challenge and Botswana dude is odd mall...and last non-kenya threat in 800m was maybe Sudan dude).

Just name a non-kenyan who has kicked arse in 800m. WR record after COE was with Kipketer then Rudisha. No other country has done well in 800m since 1980s than kenya.

You really have big perception issues. 800m is kenyan as it get.My village mate I think still has junior world record. Some of greatest 800m runners recently are kenya Bungei, Japtheth Kimutai,Alfred  Yego..

We could go back and forth on this.   The fact is that whatever international reputation Kenyans have in athletics is largely from 1500m and above.  (Please note the emphasis.) Internationally, Kenyan athletes generally do not have a huge reputation at 800m and below.   They might even "always win medals", but even then, if it were so, there it is: perception again.   

Botswanans and folks from around that region actually seem to do well in the longer sprints.  So Nijel is not such an oddball.

I find Nicholas Bett interesting.  If I were to start off training him, his body structure would have placed him in the 800m.  He is a classic 800m physique. 

The way ability can transfer, I could see 400m hurdles being as demanding as the 800 race.  So depending on focus, Bett could have been a formidable 800m runner.  Same with Rudisha and the 400m hurdles.