Kenenisa Bekele: “My Time is Not Over Yet”

We’ve covered Kenenisa Bekele’s incredible career before, but this time, we sat down with him to hear his story firsthand. He spoke candidly about the chaotic start of the Dubai Marathon, his fall, and why he still believes the world record is within reach.

Let’s start with what happened at the start of the Dubai Marathon. You went down hard. What do you remember?

Bekele: It was chaotic. The elites were supposed to have space, but there were too many runners mixed in. People were pushing even before the gun went off. When the race started, I got tangled with someone, and suddenly, I was on the ground.

Did you think about stopping right then?

Bekele: For a few seconds, I didn’t know what to think. It felt like a car crash. My body was in shock, my right side hurt, and I was confused. But then, a regular runner—just someone from the race—helped me up and said, “Don’t stop.” That gave me the push to keep going.

You caught up to the leaders quickly. Do you think that effort hurt you later in the race?

Bekele: Yes, definitely. I was 100 meters behind and had to sprint to catch up. I ran the first kilometer too fast. Probably around 2:48 or 2:50. That wasn’t part of the plan. At the time, I didn’t feel it, but after 15 kilometers, my body started shutting down. My hip was blocked, I was off-balance, and then my calf cramped. I couldn’t keep going.

How frustrating was it to drop out, knowing you were in great shape?

Bekele: It was very frustrating. I trained better than for Berlin, maybe 10-15% better. My goal was the world record. 2:04:11 was the winning time, but I had at least a 2:03 in my legs that day… If I didn’t fall.

Your manager Jos Hermens suggested the fall might not have been accidental. Do you believe that?

Bekele: I don’t want to think about that. I just focus on my training and my performance. But yes, things were not as they should have been at the start.

You’re still confident you can break the marathon world record?

Bekele: 100%. My plan was to break it this year. If not, then next year. My time is not over yet. I know what I am capable of.

What’s next for you? Will you race in Dubai again?

Bekele: First, London. After that, maybe Berlin. And yes, I’d love to return to Dubai, if they’ll have me. I have unfinished business there.

So you’re not giving up on the record?

Bekele: No. I am one of the best athletes in history. The day will come. It will happen.