Interesting comments from Peter and others on the Felix Limo situation.
There were I recall 14 Kenyans in the 10,000 in Brussels (quite a few
relatively lesser known such as Felix Limo) and so it's not surprising
there was some confusion among commentators etc.
I did happen to notice Limo through the race however because I was
trying to work out who he was (funnily enough I know him reasonably well
in person but have only seen him race once before so didn't recognise
the style). I followed him running with Kalya lap after lap (both have
pretty awkward running styles); he was wearing Nike and I thought he
looked too old to be one of the young guys represented by Gianni
Demadonna/Eric Lilot.
Straight after the race the other Kenyans were laughing at the situation
because they too were convinced he had run a lap short. But that is
mainly because Limo is not generally considered a top-class distance
runner (a bit unfairly perhaps - he had run well earlier in the year in
Ingolstadt, finishing 3rd behind Komen & Misoi in I think 7:42 looking
pretty good) and also because it seemed Tergat was soooo far ahead
although he was in fact slowing dramatically over the last 3km.
Anyway, I am 100% sure Limo was not lapped..........I don't see how he
could have been a lapped runner during 4-8km when I saw him running
strongly in the top 6 (....not many are lapped by 4km!).
I'd be interested to hear any other opinions,,,,,,,
Regards,
James T
PS Peter refers to Tergat's target of the fastest time of the year; that
may be the spin they (Fila, Tergat etc) are putting on it after the
'disappointing result' however I can tell you they were definately
aiming at the WR. Benjamin Limo was asked to run 13:10 or under for
5km; he managed 13:18 and Tergat wasn't exactly all over him at that
point so was obviously not going to manage 26:20. I didn't think Tergat
looked so good to be honest; not as good as his efforts at 5000 this
year.
Peter Matthews wrote:
>
> I have noticed various postings to the list concerning the Brussels 10,000m
> - and the 'errors' committed by Larry Rawson etc. concerning Felix Limo at
> the finish.
> I was in Brussels, and with Steve Ovett commentated on the race in its
> entirety for ISL's clients, who may not have received this commentary, as
> the 10k was before the main 2 1/2 hour programme began. The last lap or two
> was inserted into the main programme later.
> May I support Larry - and Walt Murphy's comments on this subject - because
> despite watching the race throughout (with a very few interruptions) neither
> Steve nor I had any doubt at the time (and said so on our commentary) that
> Limo was a lapped runner who helped Tergat to a decent finish. The other
> commentators that I have spoken to were all of the same opinion.
> However, subsequent investigation does appear to support the official result
> that Limo finished 2nd.
> I had noted the file of runners behind the early pacemaker Ben Limo - and
> then the main protagonists Tergat and Ivuti - and, for instance, at the
> 5000m point Limo was not in the next five or so runners (I am told now that
> he went through in about 13:27 compared to Tergat's 13:18.98).
> The file had sorted itself out by 2k to the pacemakers (Damiao, Ornellas,
> and Ben Limo) and then: Tergat, Ivuti, Maina, Rutto, I Kirui, P Kosgei ...
> and I think from memory that that order of those Kenyans was more or less
> retained for many laps. I did not note Felix Limo at all.
> >From 5km to 6km Ivuti challenged Tergat as they went clear of the pack, but
> then it was Tergat (who ran the 6th and 7th kilometres in 2:42.09 and
> 2:42.64) against his target of the world's fastest time of the year - and we
> noticed Ivuti gradually falling back.
> Now it may be that Limo ran a more consistent pace and passed all those
> other men - Maina, Kalya, Ivuti etc. - but it is curious that neither of us
> noted that - but then it would have been well behind Tergat (and not shown
> on our TV monitor) - and there was 1 large field of 24 runners.
> Tergat certainly slowed from the 7k point with kilometres of 2:47.48,
> 2:49.70 but then produced a last km of 2:42.98.
> Having initially dismissed Limo's time - I am now adding it to my lists in
> view of authoritive opinion. But I retain some scepticism and would love to
> see a lap chart or details of Limo's splits throught the race.
>
> Peter Matthews,
> Editor International Athletics Annual, Co-publisher Athletics International
> 10 Madgeways Close, Great Amwell, Ware, Herts SG12 9RU, England
> Tel. 44 (0)1920 870434, Fax 44 (0)1920 877392
