Legends - Haile Gebrselassie

With two Olympic gold medals in the 10,000m, Haile Gebrselassie is renowned as one of the greatest long-distance runners of all time.

Born in the province of Arsi in Central Ethiopia, Gebrselassie ran throughout his youth and at only 16, he began to show signs of being a promising athlete.

With no formal training, the runner entered the Addis Ababa marathon, finishing in 2:42.

It was in 1992 that he became known on the international scene, as he won the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Junior World Championships in Seoul.

At the Stuttgart World Championships in 1993, the emerging running sensation won the 10,000m and grabbed second in the 5,000m.

His first world record, 12:56.96, came in the 5,000m in 1994, in Hengelo, Holland.

In 1995, he went on to break the world record in 10k, with a time of 26:43.53 in a race also in Hengelo, Holland.

The following years were when the medals really started to flow, with his first Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games. He won the 10,000m in an Olympic record time of 27:07.34.

His second Olympic achievement came at the next Games in Sydney in 2000 and secured his position on top of the podium once more with a stunning performance in the 10,000m with a time of 27:18.20.

It was at these Games that he became the third man in history to successfully defend an Olympic 10,000m title, after Lasse Virén and Emil Zátopek.

However, his success came to a halt when he missed out on a medal in the 10,000m event at the Athens Games in 2004. It was from then on that the famous athlete quit the track and switched to the marathon.

He went undefeated in all of his road races in 2005, before going on to beat the world half marathon record in 2006.

Yet it seemed the Olympic Games were a distant memory for Gebrselassie as he also did not compete in Beijing in 2008, due to the high air pollution levels.

The Ethiopian however  did not manage to gain a berth on his country's Olympic marathon team for the London Olympics last year.

Related articles

• London Olympic Stadium to host Diamond League Grand Prix event
• Haile Gebrselassie drops out of Fukuoka
• Gitau wins Fukouka Marathon
• Athletics to return to Olympic Park on anniversary
• Haile Gebrselassie
• Sports › Gitau wins Fukuoka International Marathon

Gebrselassie Runs Fastest 10,000m

Gebrselassie Gives Up on London

Former marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has given up on his dream of competing in London 2012.

The Ethiopian, who turns 39 on Wednesday, was a two-time Olympic 10,000m champion before switching to the 26-mile distance in 2004.

But he has been unable to win a place in Ethiopia's Olympic marathon team.

"Many Ethiopian athletes run 2:04 and Haile cannot run that any more. He has given up on the Olympics with pain in his heart," said manager Jos Hermans.

The athlete suffered a setback in his bid to qualify for London 2012 by finishing fourth in February's Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:08.17.

Eighteen of his compatriots have clocked faster marathon times this year, which left the veteran with an uphill battle to earn his place.

Gebrselassie insists he will continue to run long distance and has confirmed his participation in May's 10k Great Manchester Run, which he has won in each of the last three years.

"Although I will not be taking part in the Olympic marathon I am still enjoying my athletics career and looking forward to coming to Manchester again and to a course which I love," he said.

But Gebrselassie, who also won four World 10,000m titles, admits he plans to run his final competitive track race over the middle distance in the Netherlands next month.

"This will be my last 10,000 metres race," he said. "But I still feel good. There is only a small difference compared to 2011. I am just a bit slower now."

Last weekend he beat Britain's Paula Radcliffe in a head-to-head half marathon, dubbed the "Emperor versus the Queen" race, in Vienna.

Gebrselassie, who gave a head start of seven minutes 52 seconds to Radcliffe in the 13.1 mile race, finished in 1:00.52.

Haile Gebrselassie's medal haul

1993 World Championships: Gold (10,000m), Silver (5,000m)

1995 World Championships: Gold (10,000m)

1996 Olympic Games: Gold (10,000m)

1997 World Championships: Gold (10,000m)

1999 World Championships: Gold (10,000m)

2000 Olympic Games: Gold (10,000m)

2001 World Championships: Bronze (10,000m)

2003 World Championships: Silver (10,000m)

Join OSM news service

Radcliffe Surprised Haile Loser

Haile Gebrselassie beat Paula Radcliffe in Sunday's head-to-head half marathon in Vienna.

The Briton had targeted a time below 70 minutes in the "Emperor versus the Queen" race.

However, she ended with a time of 1 hour 12 min 03sec, 11 minutes 11 seconds behind the Ethiopian.

"I am at a loss to explain why it was quite so bad. I still would have expected and hoped for a time in the 69s," she told BBC Radio 5 live.

Gebrselassie, who has not qualified for the men's marathon in London, finished in 1:00.52sec.

Radcliffe had a head start of seven minutes 52 seconds in the 13.1 mile race, which is the difference between their respective personal bests.

Radcliffe, who viewed the race as an important part of her preparation ahead of the Olympic marathon on 5 August, set a good early tempo and passed the 5km point in 16:13.

After surprisingly running past his pacemaker, Kenyan Philemon Rono, Gebrselassie upped his pace and passed the 5km mark in 14:12.

Having reduced the gap to only 3:42 at the 9km mark, the Ethiopian was well on target to pass Radcliffe with ease.

He did so at 15.3km, waving an encouraging arm to her as he ran past. But the Briton's pace had slowed to a long way behind her personal best.

She eventually finished well behind the two-time Olympic 10,000 metre champion, and appeared to shed tears of frustration after posting her slowest ever time for the half marathon.

The women's marathon world-record holder has not been in the best of health in the last fortnight, tweeting on Friday that she was relieved to have made it to Vienna after a bout of bronchitis and pleurisy.

She said the illness had been a factor in her slow time, but feels she should still have run far quicker.

"I know that racing on antibiotics isn't the best idea, and that is why I did not expect fireworks coming in," she added.

"The format of the race meant that I could not stop, even though I felt really bad, so I tried to just keep going. I tried to zone out and just get through it. That it was I did, and I feel a bit shaky now.

"The thing that worries me is that I did not feel myself out there while running. The danger is that it affects my confidence [for the London Olympics]."

However, the 38-year-old insists that she is entirely focused on the Games, and will use the races between now and August to rebuild her morale.

"I am not giving up on it by any means," she said.

"I think I need to get out and race and feel like myself. The 10kms that I race, and if I do race a half marathon, are a build up for the [Olympic marathon].

"They are not races for running as fast as I can in their own right. But I still want to go out and feel strong and feel good."

To maintain news service join OSM

London 2012 Haile Unlikely

Former marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has suffered a setback in his bid to qualify for London 2012.

The Ethiopian was fourth in the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday with a time of two hours, eight minutes and 17 seconds.

He was aiming to run under 2:05 to convince the selectors of his place.

"I felt fantastic for the first 30 kilometres but then I had some problems at the end of the race," said the 38-year-old.

The race was won by Kenya's Michael Kipyego in 2:07:37.

Despite the setback, Gebrselassie, who has insisted he is not going to retire as he is desperate for a place at London 2012, said he would not give up on the Olympics.

"I could run another marathon in two weeks," added the two-time Olympic and four-time 10,000 metres gold medallist.

The pressure is on Gebrselassie to break the 2:05 barrier after three Ethiopians ran under that time in Dubai last month.

Gebrselassie's marathon world record of 2:03:59 was bettered in September by Kenyan Patrick Makau, who won the Berlin Marathon in 2:03:38.