Posted: April 6, 2006

Athletics: Fans Could Sway Bekele To Continue In Cross Country

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Elshadai Negash

Ethiopia's eleven-time world cross country champion, Kenenisa Bekele, might change his mind about retirement from the world cross country championships if 'the people of the world ask him to.'

Bekele, who for the fifth consecutive year won the world short and long course titles at the 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, had indicated right after winning the long race on Sunday that he will bow out of the championships to make way for his young Ethiopian teammates.

But in an interview after the race, Bekele says that the public might make him reverse his decision. "That still remains my decision," Bekele said. "But if the people of the world ask me to reconsider my decision, I am willing to reconsider it."

Various Ethiopian discussion boards have been filled with pleas for Bekele to go back on his decision and lead Ethiopia's challenge at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships to be held in neighboring Kenya in Mombassa.

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