Kenyan and Ethiopian runners thrive on hardships

By Phumza Macanda

BEIJING (Reuters) - Kenya and Ethiopia's strong performances in track events at the Olympic Games prove that poverty does not have to stand in the way of glory.

The two African countries have collected 19 athletics medals between them in middle and long distance running events and could add to that haul in the men's marathon on Sunday.

"Our athletes have to walk long distances from a very young age to go to school unlike those in developed countries, so they just get used to it quite early," Kenya's assistant coach Peter Mathu told Reuters on Saturday.

"We are very good at long distance because of the hardships we face. Training at high altitudes has also helped," he said.

Ethiopia's senior team official Gebeyaw Takele echoed his feelings.

"Conditions are hard in Ethiopia and our athletes are used to that and having to work hard," Takele said.

Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, Ethiopia's runners have shone.

Tirunesh Dibaba cruised to victory in both the women's 10,000 and 5,000 meters and her compatriot Kenenisa Bekele achieved the same feat to become the first man to complete the Olympic long-distance double since 1980.

"We focus on what we can do and we have a project of starting them from 800 meters and then go to long distance, the events we have got most medals for in the past," he said.

Ethiopia and Kenya outshone bigger teams from Nigeria and South Africa, which had collected four medals between them by Saturday.

Nigerian team official Dony Nezianya said the continent could take lessons from Ethiopia and Kenya.

"Most of it is just better planning. Kenyans and Ethiopians work very hard at developing their talent and raising the level of their performance," he said.

Nigeria got two bronze medals in women's long jump and the 4x100 meters relay.

"We had expected to perform better so this calls for sober reflection on our part," he said.

South Africa, which has the most developed sporting facilities on the continent, has collected one silver medal.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)