Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

 

 

The Life of a Teenage World Championship Gold Medal Marathoner - IAAF

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Sep 22nd 2015, 1:40am
Comments

Teen Trailblazer

Published by IAAF on September 21, 2015

Ghirmay Ghebreslassie caused one of the bigger upsets in Beijing last month for two reasons: 1) His marathon win at the World Championships delivered gold to Eritrea for the first time in the championships' history; 2) At 19-years-old, he became the first ever teen to win the event. We find out about his journey to the summit of a mountain called Road Running.

Not too cool for school

Born in the rural village of Kisadeka – around 115km south of the Eritrean capital city of Asmara – Ghebreslassie first started to run competitively in 2009. Impressed with his style when running around with classmates, a wily PE teacher encouraged the youngster to give athletics a crack. His parents feared sport might negatively impact on his outstanding academic life, but his astute teacher saw no such conflict. 

“He told me that Zersenay Tadese [Eritrea's five-time world half-marathon champion and 2007 world cross country champion] was also a great student. That's what motivated me to see what I could do,” Ghebreslassie explains.



Read the full article at: spikes.iaaf.org

More news

History for DyeStatPRO.com
YearVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024 5 1    
2023 17 1    
2022 17 1    
Show 46 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!