Haile Gebrselassie

The greatest long distance runner:

Sampath BANDARA

Haile Gebrselassie is the greatest long distance runner the world has ever seen. He is the current marathon world record holder who has set 26 world records in Marathon and long distance events.

Haile Gebrselassie was born on April 18, 1973 in Asella. Arsi Province Ethiopia. As a child growing upon a farm in Asella, Haile ran ten kilometres to school each day and another ten kilometres on his way back home which laid the foundation for his running career.

Haile has five brothers and four sisters. Hailing from very poor family being a son of a dairy farmer he worked hard everyday with the cows and sheep. He didn't like to walk, just run but liked to do things faster.

In 1987 he won the 1500 metres race in a school meet and starte the colourful long distance and marathon running career.

His international fame began back in 1992 with wins in the 5000 metre and 10,000 metre races at the Junior World Championships in Seoul. The same year he won a Silver Medal in the World Cross Country Championships, in 1993 won the World Championships title in the 10,000 metres and Silver Medal in 5000 metres. In 2006 he beat the world Half Marathon record and in the same year he won the Berlin Marathon. In 1994 he set his first world record by running 5000 metres with a timing of 12.56.96 in 2005. Haile Gebrselassie was undefeated in all of his road races.

In the year 2006 he beating the world Half Marathon record in the American soil he also broke Paul Tergat's 20 km record and 25 km world record. In 2007 he won the New York City Half Marathon record.

His records in the Olympics are unbroken. He clinched the 10,000 metres Gold Medals at 1996 Atlanta and at 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Haile Gebreselassie could easily be named the best long distance runner of all time. Haile currently lives and trains in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with his wife Alem and his three daughters Eder (9) Melat (7) and Batly 5. Haile nick named 'Geb' decided not to take part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics due to high air pollution in the city.

Haile Gebrselassie hopes to enter Politics after retiring from the sport.

He is National asset of Ethiopia, idol of World Athletic History.