Meb Keflezighi relives the 2004 Athens Marathon | Olympic Rewind

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USA's Meb Keflezighi looks back at the Marathon event at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Keflezighi talks us through the performance which saw him win Silver.
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[@AlonsoRules]

Remember that idiot that ran onto the course and pushed that guy away? Also the same dude who ran onto the track at Silverstone 2003.

[@Not_An_Alien]

That guy should be executed if he did that twice, in a just world.

[@obscurelyvague]

"Anthony Kernich" That runner could have won. There is no way to know .

[@cesarcoelho7227]

De Lima had won if he wasn't attacked . Been attacked that point of the race mess your whole pace and devasted you. Mentally and physically. I'm surprised he finished the race . AMAZING

[@487porkchop]

No, De Lima was going to get caught regardless, they were closing the gap fast and he was dying hard. Still unfortunate but he woulda gotten 3rd either way

[@thomasholmes8063]

Meb has the best attitude!! The Irish priest was a shock! DeLima recieved a very nice award for his struggle. Meb could run 2 marathons within mine.

[@IceCreamMan1909]

I love Meb. Great competitor and an inspirational runner. That said, Vanderlei had a 25 sec lead with no more than 12-15 mins to go and would have probably won the race if he wasn't attacked. Meb learned a lesson from Vanderlei that day and used it in the 2014 Boston Marathon, he made an early move, did not get attacked and won the race

[@willsorg]

At the 30 km mark, Vanderlei was 45 sec ahead. At the 35 km mark (where the attack occured), the lead had shrunk to 25 sec. Stefano Baldini finished the last 7.2k in 20:19, while Meb, who had the second fastest stint, did it in 20:53. The facts: - The chasing group was considerably faster than Vanderlei de Lima and the lead was shrinking - Baldini ran the last 7.2 km exceptionally well, 30 secs faster than anybody else. Vanderlei had no shot at winning it.

[@Andre-pc8ot]

Interesting facts, assuming they are accurate (sorry for the skepticism but it is KZbin...) That said, come on now? "Vanderlei had not shot at winning it" ? No shot? How can we so surely assume that Vanderlei had no capacity to respond to the chase group at all. That's quite the assumption. Baldini and Meb's performance after Vanderlei's attack were a response to an unexpected event and opportunity. We simply can't know for a fact that they would've been able to come up with the same response if Vanderlei had not been attacked. So I suppose that "Vanderlei had not shot at winning it" is short sighted and too rigid of a conclusion based on limited facts. "Vanderlei would have probably won the race if he wasn't attacked" is definitely a possibility. And so is the possibility that the chase group could've caught up with Vanderlei, in that case we would've watched an amazing finish to the Olympic marathon! I'm not trying to take away from Baldini and Meb. The fact is that this was a tarnished race with medals that should come with an asterisk...Just trying to remember history the way it happened in order to honor those who were done wrong to while giving their best effort in the biggest stage of their career...

[@andrewmaciel4285]

no shot is a pretty stupid statement, but he couldn't win it

[@solomonseshie6950]

Orfeu Has

[@ΝίκοςΤαμουραντζής-λ6φ]

Being a Greek I was there in Panathinaiko Stadium watching the race and waiting for the finishers. Me and an englishman when we saw the times at 30 and 35 km we both assumed that Vanderlei de Lima will definitely get caught. The disagreement between us was at what point he will get caught. My estimation was at the 41km while the englishman' s was at the 40 km. The incident lasted 10 - 12 sec. and had a cost of 15 - 20 sec. for Vanderlei de Lima. He was passed at the 38,5km. If the incident hadn' t occured he would have been past at the 39,5 km from Baldini and at the 40km for Keflezighi and in that sense the Englishman' s estimation was on the spot. Some people claim that de Lima was waning and that the attack gave him a boost of addrenaline that while wasn' t enough to keep Baldini and Keflezighi at bay finally gave him the bronze medal ahead of Jon Brown. While this claim is not totally irrational it really streches my logic to the limits. The truth is that Vanderlei de Lima made a spectacular and well calculated move that gave him a well deserved bronze medal. He wasn' t waning that much at the final stages of the race and he only got caught because Keflezighi and Baldini where coming like trains. Baldini specifically covered the last 2,2km in 6min and 7sec.! As unfortunate as was this incident it didn' t change the final outcome. The incident deprived us spectators from a thrilling finale in men' s marathon. While Baldini and Keflezighi where righteous winners in the subcontious of the vast majority of non experts or runners their legacy is a little bit tarnished. In a perversed way the only one who benefited from the incident was Vanderlei de Lima. He took the medal he deserved, he received the rarely awarded Pierre de Cupertin medal, he lit the olympic cauldron in Rio Olympics and he is probably the most remembered man from the race much more than the actual winners.

[@SEGregg]

10 days before the Olympic Games, Meb Keflezighi says he was bit by a German Shepherd.And still managed to win the Silver Medal.This shows the strong character and persistence of an athlete.Which is a good example to follow when running in the spiritual marathon.

[@EdiDrums]

Eight years later Meb would pull off another stunningly well-paced race in the London 2012 Olympic Marathon. Watch it. He chips away steadily from some way back - Meb, if you're reading this, (1) RESPECT! (2) What was your position at halfway in London 2012? About 20th-25th? - and, as in Athens 2004, it was warmer than ideal conditions. Hall + Abdirahman (the other two USA runners) plus all three Ethiopians drop out behind him, but Meb cruises past Marilson Dos Santos (Brazil) in the last few hundred metres for 4th place. Aged 37.

[@budwud2449]

Beautiful commentary Meb. Thank you very much for sharing this review with the world. It is a really excellent insight into the psychology of champions.

[@gusmaosks]

Alguém por favor poderia colocar a legenda em português pra mim entender o quê o Meb fala sobre o Vanderlei. Admiro muito eles, dois atletas que são inspiracão pra mim.

[@mariorolloraj]

Wanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, uma lenda na Maratona no Brasil. Aí está o motivo.

[@sourabh8085]

Mario Rollo yes de Lima deserve that gold.

[@سلاماتسلامة-ز3ب]

Eritrean American

[@hopeinsf]

I met Meb twice in person before!

[@ЯрославКовальчук-и9ь]

How they closed final 5k in under 12 min is beyond my understanding

[@RivailsonCarlos]

Triste momento em que nosso querido Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima foi agarrado por um padre maluco que acho que de padre NÃO tem nada .Vanderlei chegaria em Primeiro lugar e com folga.Ok obrigado Vanderlei Cordeiro e depois pegou medalha de honra do Esporte.

[@jayselva1206]

I can remember watching this very race.

[@jayselva1206]

Meb, I can appreciate your great Sportsmanship.. Very humble. Thanks!

[@JollyRoger0]

I love Meb! Read his books :)

[@momoben9899]

bravo a tous super le reportage

[@kain2755]

Mebs daughter goes to my school and he run at our Jogathon

[@rmk2762]

It was 90 degrees omg that's so hot

[@cesarcoelho7227]

RMK not really

[@Baker4life777]

Cesar Coelho run a marathon at 90

[@blackfrancy03]

good by black francy03

[@caravaggio31]

Thanks that silver medal to a guy called Cornelius Horan, Meb!

[@dereidgenosse7273]

back then they were pumped up on EPO. How can it be that the runners are getting faster nowadays "clean"

[@drwiroj]

it is a bad experience when the dog attack

[@anonentrepreneur7518]

1

[@panchovilla5101]

if you're not first you're last