Hypothetically... (Read 532 times)

Would you rather get a Gold Medal or beat your own world record? From Marathonguide: Gebrselassie - What's With That Guy? We're starting to get tired of the battle between the Ethiopian Athletics Federation and Haile Gebrselassie. The Ethiopian Federation says that Gebrsellasie must run the Olympics Marathon for his country. Geb says he will not - legitimately citing concern about the pollution and its health-effects - but Geb says he will run the 10,000M in the Olympics. The Federation, who chooses who may be on the team, says that if Geb won't be running the Olympics Marathon, he won't be running anything at the Olympics... Wow. Now Geb has come out himself saying that he won't run anything at the Olympics because he will try to break his own world record at Berlin. As far as we're concerned, to make it to the Olympic Marathon (and especially if coupled with a Gold Medal) is the greatest honor in the world - and for the world-record holder to forgo that opportunity is heresy. Some say that Geb is only good when running a paced time trial - we'd like him to prove those naysayers wrong at the Olympics!

Interesting question, I would want to beat my own world record. Especially considering the controversy overshadowing this Olympics. That being said, what is really right for Gebrselassie? Personally, the selfish me wants to see him run the Olympics. The "put myself in his shoes" me would wonder if all the training, time, sacrifice and effort is worth the pressure of trying to entertain selfish brats like myself. Has the Ethiopian Athletics Federation paid him or otherwise supplemented his career in some way that they have the right to expect him to enter certain races? I know there are projects that I would rather be working on but I'm paid to do what my boss wants.

Geb already has two olympic gold medals, and he is unlikely to get another one in the 10000 meters. I would also bet against him in the olympic marathon as it won't be a flat fast course in good conditions, nor is it likely to go out in 2:05-2:06 pace. As far as the Ethiopian athletics federation goes, they can't make him run the marathon, but at the same time it's within their rights not to grant him a spot in the 10000m. If they decided to choose their 10000m team with a trials race, I don't think he would even make the team as there are a lot of very talented fast younger guys.