 |
Kenesisa BekeleEthiopian long distance runner
Date of Birth: 13.06.1982
Country:  Ethiopia |
Content:
Kenenisa Bekele: The Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner
Running 5000 or 10000 meters is already a challenge for an average person; by the end of such a distance, an untrained runner would barely be able to move their legs. Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele's unique trademark has become an incredible burst of speed at the end of long distances - with the help of inexplicable reserves of energy, Bekele has often changed the list of winners in the very last moment. He is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, a steeplechaser, and the holder of world and Olympic records in the 5000 and 10000-meter distances. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and the first man to win gold in both the 5000 and 10000 meters at the same Olympics. He became famous for his ability to develop an incredible speed in the very last moments of long distances. This talent often helped Bekele surge ahead literally in the final moment.
Biography
Kenenisa Bekele was born in Bekoji, Ethiopia. In the same town, his sisters Dibaba and Derartu Tulu were also born, who are equally famous and successful athletes. In August 2001, Kenenisa set a new world junior record in the 3000-meter distance, which lasted for 3 years. In 2004, Bekele broke world records in the indoor and outdoor 5000-meter races, as well as the 10000-meter race. On January 4, 2005, Bekele's fiancée, 18-year-old Alem Techale, died under unclear circumstances (likely due to a heart attack) during a training run, witnessed by Bekele himself. It is worth noting that Techale was an experienced athlete herself, winning the 1500-meter race at the 2003 World Youth Championships. Alem's death devastated Bekele, and he deeply mourned for several weeks, only returning to the track on January 29. The loss took a serious toll on him, but with time, Kenenisa was able to recover. By March, he participated in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he managed to keep up with a tough pace set by Qatari Saif Saaeed Shaheen on the short distance and defeated Eritrean Zersenay Tadese and Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge on the long distance.
On August 8, 2005, Bekele won gold in the 10000-meter race at the World Championships in Helsinki, using his signature sprint in the final 200 meters. Three weeks later, on August 26, 2005, Bekele set a new world record in the 10000-meter distance. In 2006, Bekele started with a victory in the 3000 meters at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Moscow. This was followed by a new world record in Birmingham. On March 24, 2007, Bekele's impressive winning streak of 27 cross-country races came to an end. During the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, he couldn't withstand the harsh weather conditions and ultimately lost to Zersenay Tadese. However, before the end of the year, Bekele bounced back, winning the 10000 meters at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka. On November 18, 2007, Bekele married Ethiopian film actress Danawit Gebregziabher.
On August 17, 2008, Kenenisa won gold in the final 10000-meter race at the Olympics, setting a new Olympic record. On August 23, 2008, he also won the 5000-meter race, again setting an Olympic record. A year later, Bekele took two gold medals at the World Championships in Berlin, becoming the first person to conquer both long-distance events at the same championship. In 2010, Bekele faced setbacks due to injuries, but in 2011, he began to regain his form, although not to the fullest extent, and could not achieve his previous level of performance.
On September 15, 2013, he won the Great North Run half marathon with a time of 1:00:09, marking his first career half marathon. On April 6, 2014, he made his marathon debut, winning the Paris Marathon with a course record of 2:05:03. On May 18, he won the Great Manchester Run 10-kilometer race. On January 23, 2015, he participated in the Dubai Marathon but had to drop out at the 30th kilometer due to an Achilles tendon injury on his right leg.
On April 24, 2016, he finished third in the London Marathon with a time of 2:06:36. On September 25, 2016, he won the Berlin Marathon with a personal best time of 2:03:03. On April 23, 2017, he placed second in the London Marathon, trailing the winner Daniel Wanjiru of Kenya by 9 seconds.
On April 22, 2018, he finished sixth in the London Marathon with a time of 2:08:53, while the winner Eliud Kipchoge completed the race in 2:04:17. On September 29, 2019, Kenenisa Bekele won the Berlin Marathon for the second time in his career with a time of 2:01:41, just two seconds shy of Eliud Kipchoge's then-world record set in Berlin in 2018. Bekele was running two seconds faster than Kipchoge's pace at the 40th kilometer but ultimately fell short of the world record in the final kilometers.
On September 16, 2021, at the age of 39, Kenenisa Bekele finished third in the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:06:47, trailing winner Guye Adola by just over a minute.
