(takethemagicstep.com) — Swimming and gymnastics are great, of course, but for us, the “real” Olympics get underway on Friday, with the first track and field events. In the day’s first final, the women’s 10,000m, Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba will try to win the first of two golds. (She will likely also run the 5,000m, an event in which she’s the world record holder.)
On the men’s side, two runners will also be seeking double gold—Kenenisa Bekele will run the 10,000m and 5,000m, and Bernard Lagat will try to duplicate the 1500m/5,000m double he won at last year’s World Championships. Their match-up at 5,000m should be an amazing race to watch.
Today, we’ll look at the men’s distance races. Check back tomorrow for a preview of the women’s events.
800m
Final: August 23
Sudan’s Abubaker Kaki, just 19 years old, convincingly won the world indoor title in March, and his junior world record of 1:42.69 is the fastest time in the world this year. Still, he’ll hardly have an easy time of it. Yuri Borzakovskiy (Russia) and Youssef Saad Kamal (Bahrain) have run 1:42.79 this year. Borzakovskiy is the defending champion; Kamal is a Kenyan native and the son of two-time 800m world champion Billy Konchellah.
1500m
Final: August 19
The 1500m is a relatively open race. Last year’s world champion Bernard Lagat (USA) has a good shot at the gold, if he can reach his form of the past year. The fastest in the field this year is the Kenyan Augustine Choge (3:31.57). The fastest man in the world this year, Daniel Komen (3:31.49) failed to qualify for the Kenyan team.
3,000m Steeplechase
Final: August 18
With world record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar) out with injury, yet another Kenyan medal sweep seems likely. Richard Matelong, defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi and Brimin Kipruto are supposedly the Kenyan squad, but this year’s world’s best Paul Koech (8:00.57), nominated as reserve, might start for one of them. With Tareq Taher (Bahrain), another strong Kenyan native is in the race.
5,000m
Final: August 23
The fastest runner of the year will also not be in the 5,000m; Moses Masai (Kenya/12:50.55) will run the 10,000m instead. If he competes, Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) might be the favorite. But, his start is not as certain as it is over 10,000m. Defending world champion Bernard Lagat as well as possibly Kenenisa’s brother, Tariku, and Moses Kipsiro (Uganda) should be the elder Bekele’s main challengers. In a slow, tactical race, look for the Kenyan Edwin Soi, who has a tremendous finishing kick.
10,000 m
Final: August 17
The big favorite is, of course, defending champion Kenenisa Bekele. Under normal circumstances, the Ethiopian is hard to be beat. His compatriot Sileshi Sihine placed second at the last two World Championships as well as the 2004 Olympics, and seems to be again the best bet for the silver medal. The question is to what extent the three Kenyans—Moses Masai, Martin Mathathi and Micah Kogo—as well as Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) can keep up. In their best form they have a chance. It will prove difficult for Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) to win a medal.