Kenenisa Bekele not on Ethiopia Olympic marathon team

Kenenisa Bekele, an Olympic champion and world-record holder in the 5000m and 10,000m, is an alternate for Ethiopia’s Olympic team in the marathon, his preferred distance since his 26.2-mile debut in 2014.

Ethiopia named an Olympic men’s marathon team of reigning Boston, Tokyo and Dubai Marathon winners Lemi Berhanu Hayle, Feyisa Lelisa and Tesfaye Abera on Thursday.

The women’s team includes 2015 World champion Mare Dibaba, two-time Berlin Marathon winner Aberu Kebede and AselefechMergia, who finished second in the 2015 New York City Marathon.

Bekele, 33, could still be named to Ethiopia’s Olympic track team in the 5000m or 10,000m. In the 5000m, he earned silver at the Athens Olympics and…