22 year old Ethiopian distance running sensation. Bekele has won the
World Cross Country Championships' short course (4k) and the long course (12k) together in the last three years. Previously, this had never been done at all, let alone by someone so young. Bekele proved himself on the
track at the 2003
World Championships by winning the 10k. In
2004, within a period of 8 days, he eclipsed his fellow countryman Haile Gebrselassie'
s 5k and 10k records by approximately 2 seconds each. In both races he had no one to challenge him, and the rabbits did not do their job properly, so it is generally assumed that he will continue to lower his own world record. He recently won the Olympic gold medal in the 10k in olympic record time (27:05). He was so dominant that he ran the last lap in 53 seconds and said "It was no problem for me" after the race. He is the favorite in the upcoming 5k Olympic Final which will be one of the most competitive distance races of all time featuring Bekele, 20 year old Ethiopian prodigy Sileshi Sihine who won
silver in the Olympic 10k, world champion Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and
world runner-up at 5k and
world champ at 1500 from Morocco Hicham El Guerrouj. If Bekele wins, he will be the first to complete the 5k and 10k double since Miruts Yifter, also from Ethiopia, in 1980.
Height: ~5'4
Weight: ~120 lbs.
Date of Birth: June 13, 1982
Place of Birth: Bekoji, Arsi Province (Ethiopia)
5k PR: 12:37.35 (World Record)
10k PR: 26:
20.
31 (World Record)
Jose Contreras: Haile Gebrselassie
may be the greatest distance runner of all time with 17 world records.
Bruce Lee: ya but Kenenisa Bekele will be the greatest of all time eventually... he has the versatility of Geb on the
track, but what sets him apart is his success in cross country as well, which Geb never had.
