Kenenisa Bekele celebrates his second Olympic 10,000m victory (© Getty Images)
Ethiopia’s Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele could face up to four months on the sidelines following severely bruising his ankles, putting in doubt a defence of his World Cross Country title.
The 26-year-old, who became only the fourth man in the history of the Olympic Games to clinch an unlikely distance double in Beijing, ended his first serious road running attempt at the 2008 Seven Hills 15km race in Njimegen, Netherlands in third place after sustaining his injury over the final kilometres.
“I was advised by doctors not to take part in the race,” said Bekele whose injury first surfaced in training for the possible World record attempt in the small Dutch city. “But after warming up for the race, I felt better and decided to take part.”
After running the first 5km of the race in 14:03, he remained on course to attack Felix Limo’s World record of 41:29 following a fast 5km split of 13:45. But by the end of the contest in which he could only manage third behind fellow Ethiopian Ayele Abshiro and Uganda’s Isaac Kiprop, Bekele was not even able to stand on his two feet and had to be carried from the finish line, with the help of his manager Jos Hermens, to seek urgent medical attention. He had been moving around his home in crutches for a week since his return and is still limping from the serious injury, unable to climb stairs or drive a car.
“It is a serious injury,” he said. “I have been told to rest completely for two months and then start light training. I also seriously doubt whether I would be able to recover to run the cross country season this year.”
Bekele is not new to career-threatening injuries. In 2002 and after winning the first of his five World Cross Country short and long course doubles, he suffered an Achilles heel injury that ruled out his entire track season.
“Such an injury has never happened to me,” the 26-year old said of his latest setback. “Like every other athlete, I had planned a full indoor season and now this has happened. I am not happy. It is really tough not being able to compete and train.”
Elshadai Negash for the IAAF