(JUNE 22, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND)--Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele is the star of the show on the first night of the British Olympic Trials, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia competes in the Men's 10,000 metres final during day one of the Aviva 2012 UK Olympic Trials and Championship at Alexander Stadium on June 22, 2012 in Birmingham, England.
The Aviva 2012 Trials is arguably one of the most important domestic athletics competitions in recent history for British athletes,
but on the first night of action at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium
the top performances came from a handful of leading African athletes.
Months of meticulous planning has gone into the Aviva 2012 Trials –
the event where British athletes try to secure their place on the team
for the London
2012 Games. But Ethiopian athletes have not had the benefit of being a
part of such a slick operation and confusion has reigned over their
selection policy for the Olympics.
Initially it was understood that the 10,000m at the FBK Games in
Hengelo would be the official trial race for Ethiopian athletes and as
such, a large contingent – including Haile Gebrselassie – travelled to
the Dutch city in an attempt to prove their worth, and Tariku Bekele won
on his debut at the distance.
But since then it transpired that the Ethiopian federation were yet
to make up their mind. Further, they reversed their decision to
pre-select Kenenisa Bekele – the reigning Olympic champion in the event –
after he had suffered a series of defeats on the international circuit. Read more Athletics weekly »
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