The summer track circuit happens so fast, that plenty of small news can get swept under the rug. Unlike the other seasons where everything is geared towards the weekends, all sorts of meets are held throughout the week. It’s a bit like baseball, I guess. As much as I like watching games almost everyday, I’m also usually kicking myself for not setting my fantasy team’s roster.

So between the USA Championships (last week), the USA Youth Champs (ongoing) Ostrava (today), Edmonton (tomorrow), Harry Jerome (Sunday), and Birmingham (Sunday), some important tidbits may go unnoticed.

Kenenisa Bekele Probably Wouldn’t Have Won NCAAs

It looks like Bekele’s bid to defend his two World Championship titles in the 5k and 10k has come to end. Today in Ostrava, the three-time Olympic and five-time World Championship gold medalist took fourth (13:07.88) in an Ethiopian and Kenyan 5k sandwich.

Finishing right in front of Bekele was Arizona’s Lawi Lalang. The six-time NCAA champion lead took the lead at 3k and finished third (13:07.13). It’s about a one second PR for Lalang, but a PR nonetheless. Huge props to Lalang for leading in his first race on the big stage.

Ethiopia’s Edris Muktar (13:03.69) dropped a devastating 53.x last lap to pull away from Kenya’s Augustine Choge (13:06.37) to take the win. It was basically a repeat of the Hengelo 5k where Muktar and Choge went one-two as well.

Bekele has a lot of work to do if he wants to run the 5k... or even the 10k in Moscow. While we were watching Ostrava, we wondered what representatives Ethiopia would choose for their two distance teams. They had the #1 (Yenew Alamirew - 12:54.95), #2 (Hagos Gebrhiwet - 12:55.73), and now the #7 (Edris) marks in the world.

The Ethiopian Federation sometimes chooses its team based off time. That’s why the results from the Folksam Grand Prix make things so interesting.

Olympic silver medalist Dejen Gebremeskel won his debut track 10k a world leading time of 26:51.02. After his BAA 5k win, he told Flotrack that he wanted to run both events at the World Championships. He’s halfway there.



That’s not all the bad news for Bekele. Ethiopia’s Abera Kuma finished second (26:52.85) and Imane Merga placed third (26:57.33).

That leaves Bekele as the fourth fastest 10k’er in Ethiopia and potentially off the World team.

What’s it like to watch a former shell of the 5k and 10k world record holder?

I feel like watching Bekele run now is comparable to Jordan in his final days. It was fun to watch even though he will never be the same.

— Isaac Wood (@isaacegbertwood) June 27, 2013

Update: Bekele is running a 10k this Sunday in Belgium. Stay posted.