Full Name: Haile Gebrselassie
Date of Birth: 18 th April, 1973
Country: Ethiopia
Sport involved in: Athletics
Achievements made:
• Gold medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics
• Winner of silver medal in the 5000 meter event at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics
• Winner of silver medal in the 5000 meter event at the 1993 IAAF African Athletics Championships
• Bronze medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 1993 IAAF African Athletics Championships
• Winner of bronze medal in the 1994 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
• Gold medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
• Winner of gold medal in the 10,000 meter event in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics
• Gold medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics
• Gold medal winner in the 3000 meter event at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships
• Gold medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics
• Gold medal winner in the 1500 meter and 3000 meter event at the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships
• Winner of gold medal in the 10,000 meter event in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games
• Gold medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics
• Winner of the 2001 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
• Elected as a member of the IAAF Athletes Commission in 2003
• Gold medal winner in the 3000 meter event at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
• Silver medalist in the 10,000 meter event at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
• Winner in the 2005 Amsterdam Marathon
Career: Haile Gebrselassie got his first international title in 1992. Gebrselassie won the 5000 meter and 10,000 meter events in the 1992 World Junior Championships. He set his first world record in the 5000 meter event with a time of 12:43.53 seconds. In 1995, Gebrselassie made a new world record in the 10,000 meter event with a timing of 26:43.53 seconds. In the same year, he again became the world record holder in the 5000 meter event with 12:44.39 seconds. Gebrselassie appeared at the Olympics in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games . In the Games, he won gold medal in the 10,000 meter event. In 1997, Gebrselassie again improved the world record in the 5000 meter event with a timing 12:41.86 seconds. This time he defeated Daniel Komen of Kenya. In 1998, Gebrselassie set indoor world records in the 2000 meter and 3000 meter events. He also took back both the 5000 meter and 10,000 meter outdoor world records. In the 5000 meter event, Gebrselassie finished the race in a record 12:39.36 seconds. In the 10,000 meter event, he reached the finishing line in 26:22.0 seconds. In 1999, Gebrselassie won gold medals in the 1500 meter and 3000 meter events in the IAAF World Indoor Championships. He defended his outdoor World Championships 10,000 meter title. Gebrselassie again became the world champion in the 5000 meter and 10,000 meter events in the 2000 World Championships. He competed in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games . Gebrselassie became the third athlete in history to defend an Olympic 10,000 title by winning the race in the Sydney Summer Games. In 2003, he was elected a member of the IAAF Athletics Commission. In the 2003 World Championships, Gebrselassie won silver medal in the 10,000 meter event. He won another world title in the 3000 meter event in the IAAF World Indoor Championships. In the 2004 Athens Summer Games , Gebrselassie wanted to win the 10,000 meter event for the third time. However, he could only finish in the fifth place. After the 2004 Summer Games, Gebrselassie focused on marathon and road racing. He participated in the London marathon in 2002 and 2006. He was the winner in the 2005 Amsterdam marathon. In 2006, Gebrselassie set a new world record at the half marathon with a time of 58:55.0 seconds breaking the existing record by 21 seconds. He also broke Paul Tergat's 20 kilometer record. He won the Berlin marathon in a 2::05:56 seconds and set another world record.
Performance at the Olympics: Haile Gebrselassie was holding the world record in the 10,000 meter event two world championships title before his appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games . In the 10,000 meter competition, Gebrselassie was faced with a tough challenge from Paul Tergat of Kenya. They had ahead-to-head competition until in the final lap, Gebrselassie moved ahead to win the race by 6 meters. In the 2000 Sydney Summer Games , Gebrselassie and Tergat again faced each other on the track. In the 10,000 meter competition, Tergat led at the point of entering the final lap. The finish was even closer this time. Gebrselassie edged ahead at the very last moment. The winning margin of victory was only 0.09 seconds. In his third appearance at the Olympics in the 2004 Athens Summer Games , Gebrselassie finished in the fifth place.
