Nairobi — One of many nice athletics rivalries of all time can be renewed at Paris 2024 after Kenenisa Bekele was named in Ethiopia’s marathon squad.
The 41-year-old is a three-time Olympic champion over 5,000m and 10,000m however has not appeared on the Video games since London 2012, when he completed fourth over the longer distance.
Nevertheless, his second-placed end within the London Marathon final month means Bekele will come up in opposition to Kenyan nice Eliud Kipchoge on 10 August.
Former marathon world file holder Kipchoge, 39, is aiming to turn out to be the primary particular person to win three successive Olympic marathons after his victories at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
His rivalry with Bekele stretches all the way in which again to their first assembly in a closing, additionally in Paris, on the 2003 World Championships.
On that event Kipchoge took gold within the 5,000m, with Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in second place and Bekele taking bronze.
A yr later on the Olympics in Athens, Kipchoge must accept bronze over the identical distance as Bekele took silver behind El Guerrouj, with the Ethiopian then clinching gold over 10,000m gold.
Bekele, Kipchoge meet 4 years later
4 years on on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Bekele would once more get the higher of Kipchoge on the Video games because the pair completed first and second within the 5,000m and Bekele defended his 10,000m title.
Kipchoge has established himself as an all-time nice since switching to marathon-running in 2013, successful 11 main races alongside his two Olympic gold medals.
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Bekele produced the sixth-fastest debut over 26.2 miles (42.16km) when he made a successful marathon debut in Paris in April 2014, however his profession since then has been hampered by accidents.
Now, 21 years on from their first battle within the French capital, this could possibly be the ultimate time Bekele and Kipchoge go head-to-head.
Kenenisa Bekele’s return to the Olympics after a 12-year hole has brought on excessive ranges of pleasure amongst athletics followers.
One of many sport’s all-time legends, who turns 42 subsequent month, is getting his final crack on the best stage.
There may be a lot at stake by way of their rivalry, with Bekele largely dominating on the observe earlier than Kipchoge established primacy over the marathon discipline.
The Kenyan held the world file till final October and in 2019 turn out to be the primary to run the gap below two hours – albeit not in open competitors and utilizing rotating pacemakers.
The final time they raced collectively was the London Marathon in 2018, when Kipchoge gained, and Bekele can be seeking to spoil the occasion as Kipchoge goals to make historical past together with his third Olympic win.