Skip navigation
MOST POPULAR RELATED TAGS
  • TOPICS
  • SECTORS
  • COMPANIES
Sports Biz Video Gallery
TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead in his Florida home on Sunday. CNBC's Darren Rovell has the details.
The athletic company faces an uphill battle after its earnings fall 30%, reports CNBC's Darren Rovell.
darren rovell's sports index
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

RSS FEED

» Help

Current DateTime: 01:59:23 04 Jul 2009
LinksList Documentid: 30212900

SPORTS BIZ VIDEO GALLERY

» More

Current DateTime: 01:59:23 04 Jul 2009
LinksList Documentid: 30231077
    • TV Pitchman Billy Mays Dead at 50  29 Jun 2009

        TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead in his Florida home on Sunday. CNBC's Darren Rovell has the details.

    • Nike: Not Doing It  25 Jun 2009

        The athletic company faces an uphill battle after its earnings fall 30%, reports CNBC's Darren Rovell.

    • Likely #1 Draft Pick  25 Jun 2009

        Blake Griffin, the likely number one pick in Thursday's NBA draft, talks to CNBC's Darren Rovell.

    • Kyle Busch  24 Jun 2009

        One of the key selling points of a NASCAR sponsorship is driver access. Kyle Busch spent the day at sponsor M&M, getting a tour of the plant and signing autographs for employees, with CNBC's Darren Rovell.

    • Tony Stewart  24 Jun 2009

        Tony Stewart is a winner both on and off the track. The two-time Sprint Cup Champion also runs a dozen other businesses, including racetracks and a public relations firm, with CNBC's Darren Rovell.

    • Brian France  24 Jun 2009

        The France family has run NASCAR since its inception. Brian France is the third generation of the family to oversee the sport, with CNBC's Darren Rovell.

Sports Biz Blog
Text Size
Apr.13
4:14 PM ET
Friday, 13 Apr 2007
Boston Marathon Prediction
Posted By:Darren Rovell
Topics:Sports

Monday's Boston Marathon Prediction: A Kenyan Will Win

AP
2006 Boston Marathon men's winner Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya, and women's winner Rita Jeptoo of Kenya.

The Wall Street Journal's Allen St. John brings us a great stat about Kenyans and the major marathons. Kenyan men have won 14 out of the last 16 Boston Marathons. A Kenyan woman has won six out of the past seven years.

St. John, who I'm usually a fan of, does a nice job of providing us with one of the reasons why Kenyans win - their small nation (population: 34 million) had 58 people who ran a marathon in under two hours and 11 minutes in 2006 compared to the United States, which only saw three of its citizens run under that time last year.

While St. John offers up another reason -- Kenyans can train against each other versus other runners who are forced to train against the clock -- he doesn't offer up the most obvious reason why, at least in my opinion, Kenyans win these races. WHY, specifically, there are so many more Kenyans than people from other countries who excel in this sport.

It has nothing to do with race, with the air in Nairobi, with a specific diet. No, the Kenyans win because they care the most. They care because the Boston Marathon's $100,000 winner's prize is a king's ransom in their native land. It's retirement for life. It's fame and glory and permanent legend.

I've heard all the racist stories -- "they run far distances to get from place to place" and that they are "perfectly built for marathon distances." That's complete bunk.

Other Kenyans have seen the success their countrymen have had and they want it. So they work harder. Its why Nigeria has more than four times the population of Kenya and they don't populate the top ranks in the same number.

The money is a big factor. What's an American to do with $100,000? Buy 1/20th of a New York City apartment?

I truly believe that the Kenyans have their best athletes running. We don't. I'd love for Nike or Reebok or Asics or Brooks to come out and offer $2 million to the next American that wins Boston or New York. And see what happens. (Trust me, given the recent record, an insurance premium wouldn't cost that much). Let me take a guess -- there would be at least five more sub 2:11 marathons put up by Americans.

Questions?  Comments? 


Tools:
PrintEmailAdd This share icon


Current DateTime: 01:01:47 04 Jul 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29778428

Current DateTime: 01:04:09 04 Jul 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29779196

Current DateTime: 01:04:09 04 Jul 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29779199

Current DateTime: 01:04:10 04 Jul 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29779198
CNBCCNBC
About CNBC  |  Site Map  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Video Reprints  |  Advertise  |  Help  |  Contact
Partners: AOL Money  |  BloggingStocks.com
CNBC is a Division of NBC Universal
  Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes
Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis

© 2009 CNBC, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
Thomson ReutersThomson Reuters