Kenenisa Bekele

Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele (ቀነኒሳ በቀለ) (born June 13, 1982 in Bekoji/Arsi) took the gold medal in the 10,000 m at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics and the bronze at the 5,000 m.

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As of 2005, he has taken both (short and long) races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships four years in a row, a feat no other runner has accomplished even once. In 2004, he broke the world records for the indoor 5,000 m, outdoor 5,000 m and outdoor 10,000 m.

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In two out of three encounters with his senior compatriot Haile Gebrselassie, Bekele has taken the win: In the 10,000 m. at the 2004 Summer Olympics Kenenisa took the title away from his compatriot Haile Gebrselassie, who achieved a fifth place. Bekele closed the last 400 in 53.02 seconds, outkicking his teammate Sileshi Sihine. Bekele also took a close silver medal in the 5,000 m in the same Olympics, being kicked down in the last 50 meters by the miler Hicham El Guerrouj.

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Bekele won the gold medal in the 10,000 m at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics with a stunning last 200 m spurt.

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Ethiopia: The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Amharic ኢትዮጵያ Ityopp'ya) is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. It has one of the most extensive known histories as an independent nation on the continent, or indeed in the world. Unique among African countries, Ethiopi...

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June 13: June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining....