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Town of Runners
Valuable insight … Town of Runners.
Valuable insight … Town of Runners.

Town of Runners – review

This article is more than 11 years old
One small Ethiopian town is the source of much athletic gold in Jerry Rothwell's dispassionate documentary

As Britain gears up for the Olympics, this is well worth a look: a documentary about the extraordinary record of one small Ethiopian town in producing world-class long-distance athletes. Jerry Rothwell's film offers a dispassionate inspection of Bekoji, and introduces us to genial coach Sentayehu Eshetu, the man who spots potential champions and puts them on the conveyor belt. There doesn't seem to be any magic answer – other than a desire to escape grinding poverty – and any aspiring Olympian has plenty of obstacles to overcome: we see one promising 14-year-old virtually crack up over the uncertainties she faces. Still, this is a valuable insight into the roots of the sport.

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