Haile Gabrselassie vs. Daniel Komen - Men's 5000m (WR) - 1997 Zurich Meet

Weltklasse Track and Field Meet
Zürich, Switzerland
August 13, 1997
Men’s 5000m Results:
1) Haile Gebrselassie - 12:41.86 (WR)
2) Daniel Komen - 12:44.90
3) Paul Tergat - 12:49.87
4) Khalid Boulami - 12:53.41
5) Dieter Baumann - 12:54.70
6) Paul Koech - 12:56.29
7) David Chelule - 13:02.52
8) Thomas Nyariki - 13:04.41
9) Bob Kennedy - 13:07.71
10) Assefa Mezegebu - 13:18.18
11) Philip Mosima - 13:20.26
12) Domingos Casto - 13:20.46
13) Paul Bitok - 13:26.27
14) Habte Jifar - 13:39.67
15) Mathias Ntawulikura - 13:49.16
Abdellah Behar - DNF
Martin Keino - DNF
Elijah Maru - DNF
Noureddine Behar - DNF

[@CasaGreenEagle]

Late 90s and early 2000s was the golden era of long distance and middle distance runners. Haile Gabriel Selassie Daniel Komen Kenenisa Bekele Hicham El Guerrouj Noureddine Morsli Bernard Lagat Noah Ngeny Paul Tergat

[@waterproof4403]

For the womens too!

[@freedomm]

It was wonderful watching them week after week. Don't forget Said Seif Shaheen (Stephen Cherono), Moses Kiptanui and yes, even Eliud Kipchoge.

[@MrBeast-1]

I think a new age is here. Super Shoes and Uganda coming online is changing the game on the track.

[@VictorMoreno-tw2mi]

dont forget salah hissou, Wilson Kipketer (800 meter runner) and Khalid Skah

[@AnthonyMcqueen1987]

Daniel Komen's records still stand 20+ years later.

[@redd605]

Komen ran the same rate as last year 1996 Hallie was ready this time than in 1996. fantastic atmosphere in the old Zurich Switzerland never the same when there replaced it

[@palacerevolution2000]

It was interesting to see that Komen knew immediately that he had no answer for Halle's sprint.

[@Oni1One]

Komen still ran a 58 second last lap. But Haile ran 55 seconds. Gebrselassie always had the top speed advantage over his competition. ☺

[@waterproof4403]

😂

[@brandonshemonia4712]

@@Oni1One The finish of the the 2000 Sydney 10k between Geb and Tergat is still my all time favorite race. Man I miss 90s running. Just so many untouched barriers being shattered

[@ianhope3203]

In face he did speed up also and made this world record

[@kalipogmail8217]

HGS was a goat, treating the record holder like a pacemaker

[@GeoAce777]

Weltklasse, GREATEST track event on the planet back in the day ;-)

[@charlesthorndike2702]

Kinda interesting to see how much more of a finish Gebrselassie had, compared to Komen, considering their PBs in the 1500m and the mile. 1500m: Komen - 3:29.46, Haile - 3:33.73 (and 3:31.76 indoor) Mile: Komen - 3:46.38, Haile - 3:52.39 One would think Komen would be a faster finisher.

[@robinbauer1975]

Not really if you take a look Komen's performances you notice he was a strength and endurance based athlete. That means he ran faster over the same period of time. Haile just had an enournous finish due to it beeing required for the 10.000m at World Championship level. For example Selemon Barega ran once in a 5.000m heat 51 seconds for his last lap and has (only) a 1.500m pb of 3:32, Jakob Ingebrigtsen on the other hand runs faster on the 1.500m but has a slower finish because he is just faster than all but one athlete he is competing against.

[@random-zb7fp]

I think Haile could have ran a much faster 1 mile time but he didn't really race the distance. He has run a 3:58 mile in a 5000m race. Finishing with a time of 12:39!!

[@randyevermore9323]

Speed endurance vs. basic speed. Komen was the king of speed endurance, as his 26--year-old 3,000m WR and 3:46 mile PR attest. Geb had better basic speed.

[@AjayKumar-vr2pe]

Haile shows his greatness. both are great athletes. equal respect for them

[@user-cielbland]

2:01ローペースのラスト勝負なら分るが世界記録を３秒も更新するレースでこのラストの切れ味は驚異的すぎる。

[@ianhope3203]

🎉Komen was a one off and made this World Record

[@DivineMoon215]

I see the brown run wow this is greatness

[@dewolmedia]

Impressive

[@denislanglais955]

Trés certainement le plus grand '' coureur de fond '' médaillé de l'Histoire , pour l'anecdote : il est asthmatique ... Ouais ...

[@cornedefouw5049]

What a kick

[@daniellopez9051]

Dayum

[@random-zb7fp]

Lol these guys were insane. Watch their other world records. And Bekeles 2004 WR

[@shadowcat1_]

It’s spelt Haile not Halle

[@jimmuchmore5854]

Thanks for the correction

[@shadowcat1_]

@@jimmuchmore5854 No problem

[@BrayoFitnessTrainer]

Would’ve loved to see Halle’s speed against Mo’s today.

[@Charlie-ip9ku]

TheRealBrayo mo wouldn’t stand a chance

[@alansamuel2454]

Mo hit his head in frustration when he lost to Jeilan. With Geb he would be crying.

[@gacal202]

Mo Farah did compete with both Haile Gebreselassie and Kenenissa Bekele in the same race. Haile third, Mo second and Kenenisa first. Kenenisa beat Mo only because Mo started his kick 200 meters too late. In fact, any time Mo lost, it was only because his strategy was used against him.

[@alansamuel2454]

@@gacal202 Are you talking about the road run? Cause if you think he striked too late, you're wrong. Do you not know that Bekele also has a splendid kick? He did not even need to have to use it. And Gab was old ah and still got third.

[@alansamuel2454]

@@gacal202 Do you know how old Haile was then? Buddy plz. Haile is way better than Farah. He could maintain a solid pace and still have a kick most of the time better than Farah did. And despite his age Haile posted a very solid time in the race that you mentioned.

[@samersman2953]

seeing such a ridiculous surge in speed, I feel that at his prime, Gebreselassie could've run sub 12:30

[@edwarddijkstra1185]

yyeeaaahhhh right in your prime you on heroin

[@waterproof4403]

@roger watson what about with the kangaroo shoes and robotic wavelights cheptegei runs on now?

[@waterproof4403]

Of course he could have !

[@henryhobert5761]

@@waterproof4403 no no he couldn’t they aren’t a 9 second difference

[@martinirving3824]

It's interesting how everyone admires a kicker, a sprint finisher. I admire the "big engine." Without Komen there to pull Geb. along, this time probably would not have been achieved.

[@luispastor8089]

Haile broke many other records without Komen. He would have destroyed HIS OWN record wheter he was there or not

[@random-zb7fp]

@@luispastor8089 😂 agree! I feel like we didn't even see the full potential of Haile. He could have run much faster from the 3k to the marathon

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

think of what Haile could have done if 5.11 which is normal height for men

[@awkwardcustomer2113]

Pazzesco!!!!

[@joniapabay5292]

Haile gebreselasie is hero of all time.

[@godislove1692]

Yehi sewye iko mekeber yalebt seeye new

[@DivineMoon215]

Duh duh I know one too me fast…

[@user-zy4zk8sl7k]

Running against yourself.

[@leotv8303]

He was con his money

[@redd605]

Komen ran the same rate as last year 1996 Hallie was ready this time than in 1996. fantastic atmosphere in the old Zurich Switzerland never the same when there replaced it