Bekele with his World record clock in Brussels (© Getty Images)
“The race tonight was fantastic, and I am very happy because I beat the World record. There were a lot of people in the stadium and they were very proud of me, so I am very happy," confirmed Kenenisa Bekele after his 10,000m World record - 26:17.53.
“I had tried to beat the World record (5000m) in London but the pacemakers there were not too good, and in Hengelo (10,000m)I had to compete in bad weather. Today my brother Tariku did a very good job, he was with me up to 5000m, and it is not easy to run in the front for such a long time. The weather and the pace were both perfect, so I was able to break the World record.”
“Yes, it was our plan to run even splits. In order to be able to set a world record I have to run the first half not too slow and not too fast, this was perfect. Of course in the second part I was out there alone and then it becomes a lot more difficult.”
“This record is very different from the one I set in Ostrava. There it was windy and the pacemakers were not all very good, but also at the time I was happy and felt confident - I expected to break the world record. This year I am not happy, I am not in full confidence so this was different.”
“This year was not good for me, even the summer was not good. I lost my fiancée, and my heart cannot be happy. I know that I cannot do anything about what is passed, that need to go on.
Of course I will still try to improve this time. Breaking a World record is not easy, but I cannot stop trying, I need to try! I need to improve. I am still very young and need to work for a long time. And perhaps at 27-28 I will move to road running, first competing in half marathons and then try the marathon.”
“Yes, there are days when running and training twice a day is not easy. Sometimes the weather is bad or it is simply a bad day. I am not happy every day, but running is my job. My life has changed but running is a part of my life.”
“I have always done well here in Brussels; I ran a PB at 3000m here, won the double at the World Cross Country Championships last year, and had won the junior race at the Brussels Cross in 2000, so Brussels is nothing new to me, and I know the spectators are always great.”
“This will be my last race this season, after Brussels I only expect to run in Shanghai I think it will be a fantastic race there, China is such a huge country and they really like athletics.”
“I don’t know yet what will be my focus next year, when there will be no Olympic Games or World Championships. For the moment I want to rest for a month or two, then I will discuss the plans for 2006 with my coach and manager,” concluded Bekele.
Anna Legnani for the IAAF
