Gina Kolata of the New York Times reports (link) on heated discussion throughout the US on whether Mebrahtom Keflezighi’s win during the 2009 New York City Marathon should be considered an American victory. Mebrahtom Keflezighi was born in Eritrea but moved to the US when he was 12, has become a US citizen, and has trained in the US system. I would be intrigued to discuss this story with kids and see where the discussion leads to as it could go in many different directions. You could discuss racial stereotypes, the desire to define citizenship, or the need to classify people under nationalities. It would be nice if the runner could just enjoy his achievement.
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