Haile Gebrselassie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebresilassie in 2012
Personal information
Citizenship	Ethiopian
Born	(1973-04-18) 18 April 1973 (age 52) Asella, Arsi Province, Ethiopian Empire
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	54 kg (119 lb)
Spouse(s)	Alem Gebrselassie ​ (m. 1996)​
Sport
Country	Ethiopia
Sport	Athletics/Track, Long-distance running
Event(s)	10,000 metres, 5000 metres, 3000 metres, 1500 metres, Half marathon, Marathon
Club	Adidas
Retired	May 2015
Achievements and titles
World finals	1993 Stuttgart 5000 m, 2 Silver 10,000 m, 1 Gold 1995 Gothenburg 10,000 m, 1 Gold 1997 Athens 10,000 m, 1 Gold 1999 Seville 10,000 m, 1 Gold 2001 Edmonton 10,000 m, 3 Bronze 2003 Paris 10,000 m, 2 Silver
Olympic finals	1996 Atlanta 10,000 m, 1 Gold 2000 Sydney 10,000 m, 1 Gold 2004 Athens 10,000 m, 5th 2008 Beijing 10,000 m, 6th
Personal best(s)	1500 m: 3:33.73 (Stuttgart 1999) Mile: 3:52.39 (Gateshead 1999) 3000 m: 7:25.09 (Brussels 1998) 2 miles: 8:01.08 NBP (Hengelo 1997) 5000 m: 12:39.36 (Helsinki 1998) 10,000 m: 26:22.75 (Hengelo 1998) Indoors 800 m: 1:49.35i (Dortmund 1997) 1500 m: 3:31.76i (Stuttgart 1998) 2000 m: 4:52.86i (Birmingham 1998) 3000 m: 7:26.15i (Karlsruhe 1998) 2 miles: 8:04.69i (Birmingham 2003) 5000 m: 12:50.38i (Birmingham 1999) Road 10 km: 27:02 (Doha 2002) 10 miles: 44:24 (Tilburg 2005) Half marathon: 58:55 (Tempe 2006) Marathon: 2:03:59 (Berlin 2008)
Medal record Representing  Ethiopia Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 0 0 World Championships 4 2 1 World Indoor Championships 4 0 0 African Championships 0 1 1 World Cross Country Championships 0 0 1 Total 10 3 3 Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney 10,000 m Gold 1996 Atlanta 10,000 m World Championships Gold 1999 Seville 10,000 m Gold 1997 Athens 10,000 m Gold 1995 Gothenburg 10,000 m Gold 1993 Stuttgart 10,000 m Silver 2003 Paris 10,000 m Silver 1993 Stuttgart 5000 m Bronze 2001 Edmonton 10,000 m World Indoor Championships Gold 2003 Birmingham 3000 m Gold 1999 Maebashi 1500 m Gold 1999 Maebashi 3000 m Gold 1997 Paris 3000 m African Championships Silver 1993 Durban 5000 m Bronze 1993 Durban 10,000 m World Cross Country Championships Silver 1992 Boston Junior race Bronze 1994 Budapest Senior race Bronze 1994 Budapest Senior team World Half Marathon Championships Gold 2001 Bristol Individual Gold 2001 Bristol Team World Junior Championships Gold 1992 Seoul 5000 m Gold 1992 Seoul 10,000 m

Haile Gebrselassie (born 18 April 1973) is a famous Ethiopian athlete. He used to be a long-distance runner on the track and roads. Many people think he is one of the greatest long-distance runners ever.

Haile won two gold medals at the Olympic Games. He also won four titles at the World Championships in the 10,000 metres race. He was very successful in marathons too, winning the Berlin Marathon four times in a row. He also won the Dubai Marathon three times straight.

He set an amazing 27 world records during his career. These records were for different distances, from 800 metres all the way up to the marathon. He even broke his own world record in the Berlin Marathon in 2008. His record of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 59 seconds stood for three years! Because of his many achievements, people often called him the "Emperor of Distance Running."

Besides running, Haile is also a successful businessman in his home country, Ethiopia. He has helped his country grow through his businesses.

Haile Gebrselassie: A Running Legend

Early Running Days

Haile was born in Asella, Ethiopia, and was one of ten children. When he was a boy, he lived on a farm. Every morning, he would run ten kilometers to school. Then, he would run the same distance back home in the evening. This daily running helped him develop a special running style. He would run with his left arm bent, as if he was still carrying his school books.

Haile started getting noticed around the world in 1992. He won two gold medals at the World Junior Championships in South Korea. He won the 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre races. He also won a silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships.

In 1993, Haile won his first World Championship title in the 10,000 metres. He would go on to win this title four times in a row! In that 1993 race, he accidentally stepped on another runner's shoe, which caused it to come off. But Haile still managed to win in the end. He also won a silver medal in the 5,000-metre race that year. In 1994, he set his first world record in the 5,000 metres.

Olympic Gold and World Records

In 1995, Haile broke the world record for the 10,000 metres. He ran it in 26 minutes and 43.53 seconds. Later that summer, he broke the 5,000 metres world record too. He ran it in 12 minutes and 44.39 seconds. This amazing performance was even voted "Performance of the Year" by a running magazine.

In 1998, Haile continued to break records. He set new indoor world records for the 2,000 and 3,000 metres. He also took back the outdoor world records for both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. He even won a special prize for winning all his races in the Golden League series that summer. In June 1998, he set a new 10,000 metres world record of 26:22.75. Just 13 days later, he broke the 5,000 metres world record again, running it in 12:39.36.

Haile (second, in green) on the way to becoming two-time 10,000 m Olympic champion in Sydney in 2000

In 1999, Haile was in a movie about himself called Endurance. The movie showed his journey to win an Olympic gold medal. That year, he won two indoor world titles and kept his 10,000 metres world championship title. He won all his races that year, from 1,500 metres to 10,000 metres.

At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Haile made history. He became only the third man ever to win two Olympic gold medals in the 10,000 metres in a row. He won by a tiny margin of just 0.09 seconds!

In 2001, Haile ran his first half marathon race and won it. He also won the World Half Marathon Championships. He helped create the Great Ethiopian Run, a big running event in Ethiopia. In 2003, he won a silver medal in the 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Paris. The race was incredibly fast, especially the last half.

At the Athens Olympics in 2004, Haile hoped to win his third straight Olympic gold in the 10,000 metres. But he had an injury to his Achilles tendon. Even though he was hurt, he still competed because his country wanted him to. He finished fifth in the race.

Conquering Marathons

After the 2004 Olympics, Haile started focusing on road running and marathon races. He ran in many famous marathons around the world.

In 2002, he ran his first marathon in London. He started very fast, but other runners passed him. He finished third. In 2005, Haile won all his road races. This included a fast 10K race in Manchester and the Amsterdam Marathon. He also set a new world best for 10 miles.

Haile shortly before winning the 2005 Amsterdam Marathon

In 2006, Haile set his first world record in the United States. He ran the half marathon in 58 minutes and 55 seconds, breaking the old record. He also broke the 20K record during that race. Later that year, he won the Berlin Marathon with a very fast time of 2:05:56. This made him only the fifth man ever to run a marathon in under 2 hours and 6 minutes. He also won the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan.

In 2007, Haile tried to run the London Marathon again but had to stop because of an allergic reaction. A month later, he set two more world records in the "one hour run" and the 20,000 metres. He ran 21,285 metres in one hour!

Haile competing at the FBK Games in Hengelo in 2009

On September 30, 2007, Haile won the Berlin Marathon again. He set a new world record of 2:04:26, beating the old record by 29 seconds. In January 2008, he won the Dubai Marathon. Then, on September 28, 2008, he defended his Berlin Marathon title. He broke his own world record by 27 seconds, finishing in an amazing 2:03:59!

Because of air pollution concerns, Haile decided not to run the marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He has asthma, and he worried about his health. He did run the 10,000 metres race there, finishing sixth.

In 2009, Haile won the Dubai Marathon again. He also won the Berlin Marathon for the fourth time in a row. He set a new world record for the 30-kilometer road race during that marathon. In 2010, he won the Dubai Marathon for the third time.

Life After Racing

On November 7, 2010, Haile announced he was retiring from competitive running. He had to stop during the 2010 New York City Marathon because of a knee injury. But just a few days later, he said on Twitter that he was thinking about running again. He even wanted to try for the 2012 London Olympics! He won his first race back, a 10K road race in Angola.

Haile at the Vienna City Marathon in 2011

In 2011, Haile won the half marathon at the Vienna City Marathon. He also won the Great Manchester Run for the fourth time. Later that year, he had to stop during the Berlin Marathon again due to his asthma. His manager said it was "the end of an era of record-breaking for Haile, but it's not the end of his career." He continued to win other races, like the Birmingham half marathon.

In 2012, Haile ran the Tokyo Marathon and finished fourth. He then won the Vienna Half Marathon. He tried to qualify for the 10,000 metres race at the 2012 London Olympics. But he finished sixth among Ethiopians and did not make the team. However, he was still part of the opening ceremony, carrying the Olympic flag.

On April 14, 2013, Haile won the Vienna City half marathon. He also set his first world record for runners over 40 years old. He ran 10 miles in 46 minutes and 59 seconds.

Haile officially announced his retirement from competitive running on May 10, 2015. He finished 16th in the Great Manchester Run. He said, "I'm retiring from competitive running, not from running. You cannot stop running, this is my life." His career lasted 25 years, during which he won two Olympic gold medals, eight World Championship victories, and set 27 world records.

Business Ventures

After his running career, Haile Gebrselassie became a successful businessman. He started investing his earnings from sports in 1995. He now has many businesses and employs thousands of people in Ethiopia.

In 2010, Haile opened Haile Resorts in Lake Hawassa. These resorts have grown to include locations in different parts of Ethiopia. He also has a dealership for Hyundai cars in Ethiopia. In 2020, his company, Marathon Motors Engineering, even started putting together Hyundai electric cars in Ethiopia.

Haile owns several businesses, including hotels and a coffee plantation. He is also an ambassador for a German charity called "Menschen für Menschen." This organization works to help develop his home country of Ethiopia.

Achievements and Records

Haile Gebrselassie has achieved many great things in his running career. Here are some of his top results and the world records he set.

International Competitions

Representing  Ethiopia

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Result
1991	World Cross Country Championships	Antwerp, Belgium	8th	Junior race (8.415 km)	24:23
			2nd	Team	26 pts
1992	World Cross Country Championships	Boston, United States	2nd	Junior race (7.8 km)	23:35
			2nd	Team	28 pts
	World Junior Championships	Seoul, South Korea	1st	5000 m	13:36.06
			1st	10,000 m	28:03.99
1993	World Cross Country Championships	Amorebieta, Spain	7th	Senior race (11.75 km)	33:23
			2nd	Team	82 pts
	African Championships	Durban, South Africa	2nd	5000 m	13:10.41
			3rd	10,000 m	27:30.17
	World Championships	Stuttgart, Germany	2nd	5000 m	13:03.17
			1st	10,000 m	27:46.02
1994	World Cross Country Championships	Budapest, Hungary	3rd	Senior race (12.02 km)	34:32
			3rd	Team	133 pts
	World Road Relay Championships	Litochoro, Greece	2nd	Marathon relay	1:58:51
1995	World Cross Country Championships	Durham, England	4th	Senior race (12.02 km)	34:26
			5th	Team	169 pts
	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	—	5000 m	DNS
			1st	10,000 m	27:12.95
1996	World Cross Country Championships	Stellenbosch, South Africa	5th	Senior race (12.15 km)	34:28
			3rd	Team	107 pts
	Olympic Games	Atlanta, United States	—	5000 m	DNS
			1st	10,000 m	27:07.34
1997	World Indoor Championships	Paris, France	1st	3000 m	7:34.71
	World Championships	Athens, Greece	1st	10,000 m	27:24.58
1999	World Indoor Championships	Maebashi, Japan	1st	1500 m	3:33.77
			1st	3000 m	7:53.57
	World Championships	Seville, Spain	1st	10,000 m	27:57.27
2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	1st	10,000 m	27:18.20
2001	World Championships	Edmonton, Canada	3rd	10,000 m	27:54.41
	World Half Marathon Championships	Bristol, England	1st	Half marathon	1:00:03
			1st	Team	3:00:31
2003	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, England	1st	3000 m	7:40.97
	World Championships	Paris, France	2nd	10,000 m	26:50.77
2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	5th	10,000 m	27:27.70
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	6th	10,000 m	27:06.68

Marathon Races

Representing  Ethiopia

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Result
2002	London Marathon	London, United Kingdom	3rd	2:06:35
2005	Amsterdam Marathon	Amsterdam, Netherlands	1st	2:06:20
2006	London Marathon	London, United Kingdom	9th	2:09:05
	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	1st	2:05:56
	Fukuoka Marathon	Fukuoka, Japan	1st	2:06:52
2007	London Marathon	London, United Kingdom	—	DNF
	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	1st	2:04:26 WR
2008	Dubai Marathon	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	1st	2:04:53
	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	1st	2:03:59 WR
2009	Dubai Marathon	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	1st	2:05:29
	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	1st	2:06:08
2010	Dubai Marathon	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	1st	2:06:09
	New York City Marathon	New York, United States	—	DNF
2011	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	—	DNF
2012	Tokyo Marathon	Tokyo, Japan	4th	2:08:17
	Fukuoka Marathon	Fukuoka, Japan	—	DNF

Track and Field Highlights

Representing  Ethiopia

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
1995	Grand Prix Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	10th	3000 m
1998	Golden League	Europe	1st	Jackpot winner	Shared with Hicham El Guerrouj and Marion Jones
1998	Grand Prix Final	Moscow, Russia	1st	3000 m

World Records Set by Haile

Haile Gebrselassie set many world records during his career. Here are some of the most notable ones.

Personal Best Times

These are Haile Gebrselassie's fastest times in different races.

Film Appearances

Haile Gebrselassie has also appeared in a couple of films.

See also

In Spanish: Haile Gebrselassie para niños