18-08-2005 13:28									#1
	Kipketer retires... Full PM-box? Change here!

quote: Middle-distance great Wilson Kipketer has officially announced his retirement from competitive athletics. The 34-year-old still holds the world record at 800m, having broken Sebastian Coe's long-standing mark in 1997 in a time of one minute 41.11 seconds. "I made my decision after Athens," Kipketer told the IAAF website. "I had only one ambition: to win Olympic gold. "After my bronze at the Athens Games it is clear my goal will not be achieved. I am not fighting on until Beijing." The Kenyan-born athlete, who switched nationality to Denmark, had originally planned to retire after the 2006 European Championships in Sweden. But he has not raced on the circuit this season and has already turned his thoughts to life off the track. "What I will miss is the way I felt when running 800m," Kipketer said. "The way I felt when controlling the race, the feeling of leading a race, the atmosphere - this is what I am going to miss." Kipketer won world titles in 1995, 1997 and 1999, Olympic silver in 2000, bronze at the 2004 Games and claimed the European crown in 2002.

Not a big surprise, but a big shame he never achieved his dream, and that his dream was cut short by something he couldn't control in malaria.

	18-08-2005 13:51									#2
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He gave us some good moments, and his athletic ability was impressive, back in the day. But as he's really not a very agreeable person, I can't say I'll miss him much. Sebastian Coe OTOH..

BTW, it wasn't just malaria that prevented him from Olympic triumph. The first time around, he was blocked by the Kenyan Athlete's Association because he planned to compete for Denmark, but hadn't yet achieved citizenship here, IIRC. Apparently, he expected to get preferential treatment from Danish authorities... What a hoot.

	18-08-2005 17:34									#3
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....whatever.

I predict his WR to stand for another 10 yrs...