World record holder Kenenisa Bekele withdraws from Tokyo Marathon

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Ethiopian long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele, the current world and Olympic record holder of the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter events, withdrew from the 2019 Tokyo Marathon, announced the organizing committee of the event on Wednesday.

36-year-old Bekele suffered from a fracture which is why his medical staff judged that he should first focus on recovery so he can be in better shape for the 2020 Summer Olympics which will also happen in Tokyo.

According to Bekele, he did not feel well since the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon in which he performed well but had to quit because of injuries. In the last few kilometers, Bekele walked out of the running track after talking to his agent Jos Hermens.

Kenenisa Bekele from Ethiopia holds the national flag of his country to celebrate winning men's 5000-meter gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. /VCG Photo

When asked about his future goals, Bekele listed his targets: one is to recover his health and to have an outstanding performance in one contest; the other is to win the Olympic gold medal in marathon in 2020. Bekele said he is still hungry for competition, motivated to run well and confident that he will be 100 percent healthy again.

As one of the most successful runners in the world, Bekele won the gold medal in both the 10,000m and the 5,000m events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Four years before that, he was the 10,000m champion and the 5,000m runner-up in Athens. Bekele also had six long-course (12 kilometers) and four short-course (four kilometers) titles under his name.

Kenenisa Bekele celebrates winning men's 10,000m gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. /VCG Photo

Bekele's records of finishing 10,000m race at 26 minutes and 17.53 seconds, 5,000m race at 12 minutes and 37.35 seconds, indoor 5000m race at 12 minutes and 49.60 seconds so far remained unbroken. In 2016, Bekele won the Berlin Marathon in two hours, three minutes and three seconds, his personal best in marathon and the third-fastest record in the world.

Having learnt the news of Bekele quitting, former London marathon bronze medalist Bedan Karoki rued but believed that this year's Tokyo Marathon will still be filled with intense competition.

"I was not focused training to beat Bekele alone…he was not in my plans…"I know it will be hard in Tokyo, but I am prepared with or without Bekele. I finish my training on Thursday and then depart for Tokyo on Friday," said Karoki.