Athletics Briefs: Bekele thinking of dumping Ethiopia, Asbel Kiprop heads for Australian tour ...and more

LONDON (GBR): Insidethegames writes that Kenenisa Bekele is so upset about what has happened that he is reportedly considering running for another country.

Bekele's manager Jos Hermens, who has also guided the career of Bekele's fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, his predecessor as Olympic 10,000 metres champion and world record holder, told insidethegames: "I have just spoken to Kenenisa, who is back home, and he is so upset about the whole thing that he is saying 'Let me run for another country'.

He says the first time he knew anything about it was when he saw the reports on Ethiopian TV. He said to me 'I have not been shown any respect'. He has told the federation he does not want to train on the Mondo track at the national stadium because it is too hard and it could lead to injury. Kenenisa and Haile were among several athletes who asked the authorities not to lay a hard track there three years ago, but they were ignored. This is a nation with the world's best endurance runners, and they lay a sprinter's track at the national stadium. You can't believe it. In a couple of months' time Kenenisa is going to set up a softer track of his own 10 kilometres outside Addis. He has spent $1 million of his own money on it, and it will mean other Ethiopian athletes can train there too. But instead of getting thanks, this is the way they treat him. It's unbelievable."

"Kenenisa is not due to run until the end of February, but this is going to affect seven or eight athletes who are supposed to be running in the Dubai marathon in a week's time." Hermens also added: "This is something the IAAF have to look into and I hope they can sort it out."

NAIROBI (KEN): Olympic and world 1500 m winner Asbel Kiprop announced his next races for Australian tour. After competing during the weekend in Kenya in cross country he said he will race the 800 m in Sydney in February and 1500 m in Melbourne early March at the IAAF World Challenge event.

ANCONA (ITA, Jan 22): Moroccan Abdellah Haidane clocked 3:42.13 in the 1500 m ahead of Mor Seck of Senegal 3:42.29 (national indoor record), Italian Merihun Crespi 3:42.80 and Serbian Goran Nava 3:43.34.


SAO PAULO (BRA, Jan 20): Kenyan Joseph Kachapin won the Corrida de Sao Sebastiao at 10 km in 29:08 beating best Brazilian Gilmar Silvestre 29:39. In the women race also Kenyan win for Elizabeth Rumokol 34:01.

[Copyright © 2012 Alfonz Juck/Eme News]