U.S. runner chasing 10,000 meter medal drought

By JEFF METCALFE

The Arizona Republic

ATHENS, Greece - Abdi Abdirahman not only knows the story of Billy Mills, he carries it with him everywhere he goes.

Five years ago, a college roommate at the University of Arizona gave him a copy of "Running Brave," the movie version of Mills' 10,000-meter triumph at the 1964 Olympics. Abdirahman watches it before his races, just as he will before again trying to become the first American since Mills to medal in the Olympic 10,000 on Friday, the first full day of track and field competition.

``No one even expected him (Mills) to make it to the finals or be even top 20,'' Abdirahman said. ``He was unknown. At least I'm known. If I win the gold medal, there's no doubt many people would be surprised (but) they'd say we already know that guy because he's run some good times.''

He has the 10th fastest personal best in the field going into the first running final at Olympic Stadium, 27 minutes, 34.24 seconds, which he ran this year. It's his second Olympics and he was the top American finisher in Sydney (10th).

But moving into the medals against the African brigade, including two-time defending champion Halle Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, will require a Mills-like miracle - particularly since Abdirahman was not the Olympic Trials champion. Meb Keflezighi opted to concentrate on the marathon because he likes his medal prospects better against the heat, hills and 26.2 miles. So what chance does that leave Abdi?

``In his heart he (Mills) knows he can do it and that's one thing I want to take away from that tape,'' Abdirahman said. ``If I didn't think I was going to win the gold, I would have stayed in Tucson. Anything can happen.''

The 27-year-old came to Arizona from his native Somalia almost 15 years ago. He became an American citizen in January 2000. Former UA coach Dave Murray and current UA cross country/distance coach James Li are his coaches.

Keflezighi has tried for four years to convince Abdirahman to train with him in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., but said, ``He's a Tucson boy.''

``I love Arizona,'' Abdirahman said. ``There's no place like home. An American says if it's not broken, don't try to fix it. I've been running well since I was in college and I improved every single year so I just decided to stay. Eventually I will go train with him (Keflezighi) for a while, but I don't like to move out of my place. Moving out of Tucson is going to be hard.''

Keflezighi and Abdirahman teamed up with Alan Culpepper, running in the Olympic marathon, to upset the Kenyan men at the Bolder Boulder (Colo.) International Team Challenge.

Of course it's an entirely different group of Kenyans here, and Gebrselassie is joined by two younger Ethiopians who have run faster than he has.

No American has even cracked the top eight since Frank Shorter finished fifth in 1972. Aside from Mills, a Native American with a loyal following in Arizona, the greatest American Olympic 10,000 accomplishment was the silver won by Arizona Hopi Lewis Tewanima in 1912.

Now Abdirahman, who is making his marathon debut in New York on Nov. 7, hopes to make his own Olympic history for his adopted state to mark the 40th anniversary of Mills' breakthrough.

He'll rewind "Running Brave" for yet another viewing to remember on the start line that Mills, too, went into the Olympics as a trials runner-up with no chance.