2008 in Review: Men\’s long distance – European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS

Following the rock bottom that European men's long distance running hit in 2007, there was certainly a lot of positive coming out of the 2008 season.

Three athletes made it to the final of the 5000m in Beijing compared to just two at the IAAF World Championship in Osaka. Eight Europeans made it to the final of the 10,000m race, while there were none in 2007 in Osaka.

Result wise the season wasn't that impressive, but one should must take note of the fact that the results in the men's 5,000m have dropped a bit on the world level too. Monder Rizki led Europeans with his 13:04.06 at  Heusden in July while Juan Carlos de la Ossa (ESP) was fastest in the 10,000m clocking 27:28.31 from the National Championships in July.

In the 5000m final in Beijing, the Europeans did not finish the way they did in Osaka 2007, where the sixth and seventh places went to Mo Farah (GBR) and Jesus Espana (ESP). Alemayehu Bezabeh (ESP) was the best European in Beijing finishing in the 11th place. Espana again made it to the final finishing 14th while the third European in contention Alistair Cragg (IRL) could not even finish the race.

Mo Farah, who had run some decent 3000m races before Beijing, faded in his heat and did not make it to the final. Farah went on to run 13:08.11 in Brussels in September.

The depth also saw great progress following a poor 2007 season, when only seven athletes recorded times under the 13:30 limit. 2008 saw as many as 18 athletes under this limit. In 2006 there were 16 athletes under 13.30, while 13 achieved the feat in 2005 and 23 in 2004.

However the normal effect of Olympic years must be noted here, rankings are always stronger during the Olympic seasons. There was some promise for better times ahead in the 10,000m too. Eight European athletes took part in the Olympics with Selim Bayrak (TUR) grabbing the 11th place with a 27:29.33 national record. Eight athletes went under 28 minutes this season when we only had four of those during 2007.

There was further good news with 20 athletes running under 28:30 limit. In 2007 only 10 athletes could do so, while 19 athletes ran under 28.30 in 2006.
European Athletics stats:

5000m

New entries for the European all-time list:

10th place 13:04.06 Monder Rizki BEL

10000m

New entries for the European all-time list:

19th place 27:29.33 Selim Bayrak TUR

European Athletics (EAA)