Kenenisa Bekele celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 5000m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on August 23, 2009. Photo: IC

Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba lit up the track at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Ethiopian running legends each claiming victories in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.

Away from the barn-storming performances of Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt, Bekele and Dibaba's feats were arguably the highlight of the track and field at the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing.

However, the duo have not had the run-in to the London Games they would have liked.

And it has been confirmed that neither will defend their double golds this year, instead racing just the 10,000m, with each named as replacement for the 5,000m.

Bekele saw his last chance to nail down a spot as one of the three automatic choices for the lesser distance go up in flames when he could only finish ninth at this month's Diamond League meet in Paris.

Bekele has slowly been coming back to form after a calf injury, but he never looked comfortable at the Stade de France.

"I won't be going to the Games to race the 5,000m," he said. "But I'm not so disappointed because I have my place in the 10,000m. I don't have enough training under my belt to go in the 5,000m."

Dejen Gebremeskel, Hagos Gebrehiwet and Yenew Alamirew will instead race the 5,000m, with Bekele, his brother Tariku and Gebregziabher Gebremariam named for the 10,000m.

Dibaba, a seven-time world champion and the 5,000m world record holder, has spent much time out of action because of injury.

But the 26-year-old has won three outings this year to impress her homeland's Olympic selectors.

Come London and Dibaba will have to be at her best, with Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot keen to follow up on the 5,000-10,000m double.

Meserat Defar, Gelete Burka and Genet Yalew will compete in the 5,000m, while Dibaba, Belaynesh Olijara and Werknesh Kidane were unveiled as the 10,000m runners.

AFP - Global Times