(Reuters) — Twice Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie will run in the 10,000 metres at the Beijing Olympics.
Gebrselassie, who suffers from asthma and has pulled out of the Olympic marathon over about pollution in Beijing, will also be the standard bearer for Ethiopia at the August Games.
“As I said, earlier, I would not participate in the marathon event due to my health. But I would certainly run in the 10,000 metres event,” Gebrselassie, 34, said.
“I am the standard bearer and it is my earnest determination to lead my country’s athletes at the Beijing Olympics.”
He also denied speculation he would boycott the Games, saying such rumours were being spun by “people of ill will against China”.
“I respect the leadership and people of that country very much,” he said. [Haile, the leadership of China is a gang of mass murderers. Look what they are doing in Tibet. They should be opposed, not respected.]
In a separate interview, Ethiopian chief athletics coach Woldemeskel Kostre clarified comments made to Reuters through an interpreter on April 1 when he said Gebrselassie was “not ready to run 10,000 metres at the Olympics”.
“I did not say Haile would not run in the 10,000 metres event at Beijing. What I said was as long as Haile meets the minimum requirement he would run in the 10,000 metres,” he said.
The four times world 10,000 champion retired from the track after finishing fifth in the 2004 Athens final to concentrate on the marathon where he is the world record holder.
Gebrselassie will run in a 10,000 race at Hengelo, Netherlands on May 24 where he will face his compatriot — the Olympic champion and world record holder Kenenisa Bekele.
Reuters
FORUM | 5 Comments
The above article tells me & the rest of Ethiopians how uneducated & ignorant Haile is!! Haile you can be a good runner as the same time a person with common sense. How could you possibly say “I respect the leadership…of China”!!!!? By the way Haile, how do you measure leadership?…….please STOP RUNNING for a second and think.
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April 10th, 2008 at 2:41 PM
I think it is better for him to participate in the marathon, which may be his last chance in Olympics. I guess 10,000m will be very hard for him due to Kenenisa and others like Kenyans, etc.
As long as he can run for 10,000m without health problem, why not the Marathon which we expect him the most?
Haile: how come you comment about China like that against the whole world’s image? Is there a conspiresy (forcing you like Woyanne) behind your comment? We don’t expect genuine answer for this since we know where you are living in. But you could have been neutral rather than giving such comments to the media just for your reputation.
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April 10th, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Dear editor dont be decieved by the western media, China’s leadership is not a group of gangs, rather a group of determined heroes who made poverty a history in that nation. The west is extremely worried with China’s dominance and so does every type of allegation to the government. Haile is right!! Please dont compare Weyane with China’s leaders.
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April 10th, 2008 at 4:36 PM
money talking b-s is walking.He has a manager , that is
why all words are not his. May be a little be confused what
he is trying to say…any way God bless him. He is intitle
to his own opinion..
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April 10th, 2008 at 7:23 PM
I am wondering why the so called “Ambasel” gave that kind of pessimistic comment against Haile.If “Ambasel” beleives,in the first place ,that Haile is Uneducated,then he should not have criticized him for the words that he uttered.He is a very great athlete,one cannot guess what Haile is going to do.We respect and encourage him.Nevertheless,it is strange to read a damn comment against Haile by one who is trying to judge Haile for his being uneducated.At last I would dare to say that “Ambasel” should apologise for the grave mistake by setting aside,at least for a second,the worry about the measure of leadership….
[Reply]
April 11th, 2008 at 6:55 AM