Matt Tegenkamp 5000 Finalist 2009 IAAF Track World Championships : Speakers & Interviews

He's broken 13 now! 12:58.56

Wheres the interview for that??

Dave,
You're a good sport. Wish I could watch the race with you and continue the friendly debate.

Go Teg!

White flag! I agreed with you! I didn't accuse you of anything! I said you clearly didn't have the things you said I alleged!
Go Teg!
Peace. Love. Mile Repeats.

Why root for Dallas? Why would anybody?

Hey, I truly am rooting for Teg. I've followed his running since he was at Wisconsin. I truly believe he has a real shot.....at a medal.
It is not taking anything away from Teg to acknowledge that Bekele is something special. I was rooting for Tyson Gay, but I understand that Bolt is just at another level.
Bekele has run 12:37! Teg has not broken 13:00. Bekele can break 13:00 for the 2nd half of a 10,000. Teg (for that matter everyone in the world) has no shame being beaten by a legend.
I have no lack of allegiance as you allege. I just realize the world does not revolve around the USA and I can appreciate outstanding performers/performances no matter anyone's country.
Go Teg!

I concede, "Teg fan." Being realistic doesn't offend me, though. A perceived lack of allegiance or support for the guy who might actually be reading this is what spurs me to write again. You clearly don't have either.
True indeed Greggers - 80, not 84. And I will have fun rooting "my boy." But why would I cheer for him to not win? Need I cheer on the guy who is supposed to win? That seems rather odd. Why would I root for Dallas if I was a Skins fan?

10:25 AM EDT 8/23 You can see it live @ universalsports.com

Dave Fontaine - stop eating the crazy candy. Bekele Handles Teg along with Everyone else - thats how it goes. So have fun routing your boy on to a silver or bronze - assuming the americans race tactics dont faulter - AGAIN.

Oh - and the Oly hockey reference you made - yea, its 1980, not 84. At least get the facts straight if your gonna spit it out like that.
giggity.

I am happy to see my buddy "TS", Matt Tegenkamp going into the finals with teammate Chris Solinsky. Tegenkamp and Solinsky will be the Darkhorses of the 5K to win two medals

Dave, Now I get it. I thought Teg was the Sweden team USA beat for the gold medal.
You don't get it either. I am rooting for Teg all the way. It is not a crime to recognize the Bekele is a phenomenal talent in a league of his own. He can have an "average" day and Teg the race of his life and Bekele still wins.
I cheering for Matt. Sorry if being realistic offends you.

Teg will NOT win dave...there you go

To "Teg Fan". I thought my analogy was pretty obvious. I'll spell it out. When there is an overwhelming favorite (such as a Hockey team that is unbeaten in competition - In my example the USSR Hockey team), that team won't always win. You see what I did there? Kenny Bekele is the USSR Hockey team.... and Teg is analogous to the USA Hockey team. WOW! Funny how that works! I KNOW that KB is the most talented in the field. Everyone does. Please don't feel that it is your duty to school everyone in that fact. But I don't want him to win, you see. I want the guy from MY country to win. The one that I see on FloTrack all the time. I want the improbable to happen. So, again, I'm gonna go ahead and cheer for Teg.

And anyone else who wants to tell me that there's no way for Teg to win?, please just save it. Won't help. And it doesn't make you look smarter.

I doubt he'd take Bekele, I was simply stating that I would not be surprised if Bekele won in a sub-13:00 and pulled Teg to a sub-13:00 as well. I'm just being optimistic and speculating, that's all.

Aaron....Bekele is light years stronger than anyone else in the world. The only way anyone might have a chance is to make it slow and do like El Guerrouj did to him a few years ago, but there is a big difference in El Guerrouj's speed (3:26.0) and anyone else's that will be in the 5000m final.

Tegenkamp is promising and I love his speed and the training they've been doing in the Oregon project, but don't count on anyone out-kicking Bekele who ran the last 5,000m of the 10,000 in about 13:00 flat. I agree that Tegankamp can go under 13 in the final if the race goes that way.

I really, really think this guy has a sub-13:00 in him. If Bekele went and ran a 26:45, I doubt he'll be much over 13:00 in the final, and if Tegenkamp is near him... Ya never know. Fingers crossed. =)

team tactics is the only way to go someone must take one for the team

watch it on universalsports.com, its live

Dave, good to be positive. Anything can happen but it would take a fluke on Bekeles part. The good thing for Matt though is that he really looks like he belongs in the top of that field the way he's running. It's a bit of a crap shoot if it comes down to a last 600 because there are so many quality guys but he should be in there with the best of them. Just hope it's all 3 usa jerseys up there when the pressure starts.

Anabessa!!!!!!!! Bekele 12:47

Hey, I'm rooting for Teg as much as anyone, but Bekele is the Usain Bolt of distance track. Of course he can be beat, but it would take the lighting strike not wiping out the rest of the field.

BTW, the US beat USSR in 1980 in hockey.

everything run or every event is posted on the Berlin WC website.

you can look it up on Google too.

hehe he kinda looks like the joker. ;)

nice pep talk @ the end for us americans tho.

When is the eastern time of the 5000??

very refreshing attitude, and great that he stuck with Bekele when he moved.

Well aren't we smart with our stats... Way to down on enthusiasm. Have fun clubbing baby seals and stealing candy from babies. "No one" could beat the USSR hockey team in the 1984 Olympics either. If you know who is going to win, why bother watching? I'll go ahead and cheer for Matt, thanks.

Well it's very hard to imagine Bekele failing especially if the race goes near 13:00 or under but he is not 100% invicible. I really like how Matt looked in his semi and he seemed to negotiate the talented field almost with the ease that Rupp was showing at NCAA's. I think he's going to have a great final. He's talking very confident, but I hope he'll be ready to make that bold move if he needs to. In his 13:0X race a month or so ago he was holding back and should have made his move to win the race with 250 to go, but it was as if he didn't think he should win. Bekele aside I think Matt may be as good as anyone in the final including Lagat for 5K now.

Will we have 2 runners chasing a medals in the last 600? I think so, and I think Solinsky won't be far behind but Matt's experience is showing thru now.

That would be 4:00 for the last mile of a 10,000 race, believe it or not! No American can do that. Bekele has some special genes and works really hard with it. He won't be beat.

Sorry Mr. Fontaine. Wishful thinking at best. Monkeys will fly out of my butt if Matt beats Bekele, seriously. The guy can run 4:00 for the mile for his last mile of a 5k race. I like Matt and wish him well, but he's not beating him, no way!!!!!

I'd rather see him break 13 first before attempting to take on Bekele.

BDB!!! BRING DOWN BEKELE!!!!! He's got junk in his legs from the 10 win. You can do it Matt. The US is sending all its JuJu your way!

at the front door.

This guy represents himself and us well.
Looking Good!

I believe there are three.

Great to see two Americans in the final!

Hope and pray you do well!