The legendary Ethiopian long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, who has won two Olympic medals in the 10,000 meters and four world championships, was born on April 18, 1973, in Asella, Ethiopia.
Growing up on a farm, Haile would run ten kilometers to school every morning and return by running the same distance in the evening. This childhood routine left a lasting mark: even in his professional career, his left arm remained crooked as if he were still holding his schoolbooks while running.
One of the most tragic events of Haile Gebrselassie’s youth was losing his mother to cancer when he was just 16 years old.
His first major success came in 1992 at the World Junior Championships, where he won both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races. In the years that followed, he would rise to global fame with his outstanding achievements.
He Became the Fastest in the World Four Times in a Row
He won four consecutive world championship titles in 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999. Among these, his victory at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart is remembered for an unfortunate incident—he accidentally stepped on Moses Tanui’s heel, causing Tanui’s shoe to come off.
Despite the controversy, Haile secured the win, and the moment became a memorable part of athletics history.
In the 1995 10,000-meter race, Haile Gebrselassie’s remarkable achievement of running the final 200 meters in just 25 seconds was named “Performance of the Year” by Track & Field News magazine. At the 1996 Olympic Games, he went on to win the gold medal.
Following these successes, he starred in a film titled Endurance, which was based on his life and career. The movie depicted his journey leading up to his gold medal victory in the 10,000 meters at the Atlanta Olympics.
In 1997 and 1999, Haile Gebrselassie also secured three gold medals at the World Indoor Championships.
Back-to-Back Olympic Glory: One of Only Three to Achieve It in the 10,000 Meters
At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, he once again triumphed in the 10,000 meters, winning his second consecutive Olympic gold in that event. With this achievement, he became one of only three athletes in history to win the 10,000-meter race at back-to-back Olympic Games.
In 2001, Haile Gebrselassie won the IAAF World Half Marathon Championship and earned a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the World Athletics Championships.
On August 30, 2003, Haile was elected as a member of the IAAF Athletes’ Commission. That same year, he won a silver medal at the World Championships in Paris and claimed another gold medal at the World Indoor Championships.
Mid-career
In 2004, his goal was to become the first athlete to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 10,000 meters. However, an injury prevented him from achieving this. He suffered from Achilles tendon inflammation, which forced him to stop training for three weeks.
After the 2004 Olympics, Haile Gebrselassie shifted his focus from track to road racing and marathons. Among his marathon victories as a professional were the 2005 Amsterdam Marathon, the 2006 Berlin and Fukuoka Marathons, the 2007 London Marathon (where he broke the world record), the 2008 Berlin Marathon (breaking the world record again), as well as the 2009 and 2010 Dubai Marathons.
During the 2010 New York City Marathon, he withdrew due to a knee inflammation and announced his retirement, expressing an interest in entering politics.
However, in 2012, he declared his intention to compete in the Olympics once again. On April 17, 2011, he won the half marathon at the Vienna City Marathon. About a month later, Haile won the Great Manchester Run in the UK for a fourth time, finishing in 28:10.
On May 10, 2015, after finishing 16th in the Great Manchester Run, Haile officially announced his retirement from competitive running. His 25-year career came to a definitive end, marked by two Olympic gold medals, eight World Championship titles, and 27 world records. He still holds the world record for the 10-mile run.
Successful Businessman
Haile Gebrselassie began his entrepreneurial journey in 1995, using the money he earned from athletics to establish his own company.
Over time, this business grew significantly and went on to employ around 600 people.
In 2010, he opened the luxurious Haile Resorts on the shores of Lake Hawassa. The resort quickly expanded into different regions of the country, including Amhara, Oromia, and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region. Later, he launched the Grand Haile Resort in the capital city, Addis Ababa.
Diversifying into other sectors, Haile acquired a Hyundai dealership in Ethiopia. In 2020, he initiated the country’s first electric vehicle assembly operation. He is also the owner of a car company called Marathon Motors.
In addition, Haile owns the Haile Estate coffee farm, which carries his name. He has also played an active role in various real estate projects.
Today, he is recognized as a prominent businessman in Ethiopia, providing employment for approximately 3,000 people.