About Haile Gebreselassie

Haile Gebreselassie is a famous long distance running champion. Born in Arsi Province, Ethiopia in 1973, Haile had 9 siblings and their family lived in financially deprived conditions. He was forced to run 10 kms to school every morning and back the same distance in the evening.

Regardless of being asthmatic, he was so fast that his friends could never catch up. Soon, his gift was spotted and he was asked to try out for the Ethiopian national athletics team. So, without formal training the boy was able to run faster than his trained teammates.

He went on to win two Olympic gold medals at the 10,000m distance and he won the Berlin Marathon for a record four times. He won the Dubai Marathon three straight times.

Additionally, he won four world titles indoors and was the 2001 World half champion. In 2001, Haile Gebreselassie conceptualized the Great Ethiopian Run. He has broken 61 Ethiopian records and astonishingly set 27 world records ranging from the 1500m to the marathon. After 2004, Haile focused on road racing and marathons. He continued his successful career with many victories and then retired finally in 2015, although he stated, “I’m retiring from competitive running, not from running.

You cannot stop running, this is my life.” He told BBC sport. Haile was once dubbed by the media, “A man from another planet.” He remains the world record holder at 20,000m, the one-hour race and 10 mile run. Haile is currently the president of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation. He envisions entering politics to further advance the nation. He is also a mentor and ambassador for the G4S 4 teen, a program supporting 14 young athletes. He also starred as himself in the movie Endurance in 1999.

He is an inspirational man who overcame many trials to become the legend he is today. With a success story like Haile’s it is no wonder why he is so prosperous in the business world as well.