Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassieis a retired Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon. Further to this, he won four world titles indoors and was the 2001 World Half Marathon Champion...
ProfessionRunner
Date of Birth18 April 1973
CityAsella, Ethiopia
soccer country winning
You know the marathon in my country is just exceptional. It's like soccer in England. If England win the world cup and Ethiopia win the marathon - it's the same.
running country athlete
Since I achieved something, running has exploded in my country. For me sometimes it is difficult even to know who the athletes are who are competing at the highest level. There are thousands.
country winning careers
You know, I want to help my country. Definitely I can help them, simply by winning races. Sure, they can follow my path to a good career. But for me it is not enough. I want to be more than that. In everything I want to be a role model.
running country
Since I achieved something, running has exploded in my country.
country running moving
Eradicate poverty. This is all that matters in my country. When I am out training I think about this a lot; when I am running it is going over in my mind. As a country we cannot move forward until we eradicate poverty.
country want duty
It is not my duty to spend my money in my country, but it is what I want to do. There is nowhere else I would like to invest.
expect minutes plan race run second
That was our plan. We didn't expect the first part of the race to be fast. Our plan was for the second part. My plan was to run under 59 minutes and that is what we did.
champion good learn london marathon olympic opinions paul runners winner
I can learn a lot from Paul. I need him to get his opinions. There are other good runners ? the Olympic and world champion and the London Marathon winner ? but with Paul there, it's good for us.
certainly chasing london record
I am still chasing the world record but London will certainly not be the place.
field given last london next parade record strong
When we parade in London next month, a world record will be the last thing on our minds, more so given the strong field that will be running.
last record
When we race in London a world record will be the last thing on our minds.
came change grown oh possible time yes
Oh yes, yes they did, but it came from a long time ago, it was not possible for me to change it. Me and the style, we have grown together.
gives love
I love the music. It gives you energy.
competitor learn learnt needed paul prepared ran
I needed Paul in the race, not only because he is my competitor but because he is my friend. When I see him run, I can learn a lot from him. When he ran the world record, I learnt from how he ran and how he prepared for it. I need him to get experience.