<< << Stephen Cherono (date of birth 15Oct82) set a world junior record in
the
3000 steeple of 7:58.66 at Van Damme meet last Friday. >>
Digging a little deeper, I checked the All-Time list for Juniors that I had
in my file, printed off for 4/01/2000 and saw this:
#1 8:07.69 Paul Kosgei (KEN) '97
#2 8:15.31 Ray Yator (KEN) '99
#3 8:16.76 Kipkurui Misoi (KEN) '97
#4 8:18.71 Julius Chelule (KEN) '97
#5 8:19.12 Stephen Cherono (KEN) '99
Given Cherono's date of birth (15Oct82), that means the Age 16 World Record
(if there is such a thing) is 8:19.12. Unless any of the 4 names ahead of
him were also 16 when they ran faster, or some other SIXTEEN YEAR OLD has
run faster in the last year and a half.
MAN THOSE KENYANS ARE GOOD! It is no wonder Cherono could crack 8:00-flat
when he was already at 8:19 at just 16 years old.
Most North Americans couldn't steeple a 9:40 at 16 years old.
Maybe Entine is right ... we have no chance, and should just give up before
we fall further behind. We have no chance of ever getting a 16 year old to
go 8:19 or even a 19 year old to go 7:58.
