For me, running is like eating: Haile Gebrselassie

MUMBAI: Haile Gebrselassie stands at just five feet, five inches. But such is his stature in the world of athletics that you hardly n
otice his height.

There are runners who have won more Olympic gold medals - Pavvo Nurmi. There are runners who have a more endearing personality - Emil Zatopek.

There are runners who have a more compelling story behind their struggles - Abebe Bikila. But Gebrselassie offers you the complete package.

A champion, born poor to a family of 10, raised on maize and corn, who ran 20kms to his school and back, whose father did not believe in his abilities until he won the World title, now employs more than 650 people back home in Addis Ababa.

Gebrselassie runs a school and gives back to the society almost as much as he earns. He also owns 27 World Records, two Olympic gold medals and four 10,000m world titles, besides innumerable marathon titles.


We ring the bell of his hotel room and to our surprise, the 'King' himself opens the door and greets us by flashing that famous smile which has been an inseparable part of each of his wins.

There's not a hint of any arrogance too as he opens up about running, about his country's poor show in London and the rivalry with Kenyans. Excerpts...

You've stayed competitive even 20 years after your his first world title...
I love running. For me running is like eating, it gives me the energy to last the day. I will run for as long as I can. I will run even when I am 50 or 60. Some people run because they want to finish a race; I run because I think I can win races.

Ethiopia had a poor Olympics...
Our women won some medals, but the men missed out. In the past, Ethiopia have won lots of gold medals. It is not a transition stage. I guess it is part of sport.

Reason for such intense rivalry between Kenyan and Ethiopians?
We (Ethiopia) should have ideally been beating them for ages... We are 80 million, they are only 40 million. But our infrastructure is concentrated in and around Addis (Abbaba) while in Kenya, most of the runners do not live in Nairobi. They have a better running structure and that's why they are doing well.

Ethiopians always do well in marathons. Break records too..
When I break a World Record, people in my country ask me what did I do! When I tell them I broke a World Record in 10,000m, they congratulate me, but ask me when will I break the marathon World Record? For Ethiopians, running a marathon is the ultimate thing. I guess that's because Abebe Bikila won two Olympic gold medals in marathon (1956, 1960).

Your rivalry with Paul Tergat was legendary...
He is an unlucky man. If he were to run before my time or after my time, he would be an Olympic champion. If you want to be a true sportsperson, your enemy must be your friend. This is a peace fight. I will fight with my brother on the track, but outside I will love him.

Your favourite victory on the tracks?
The Sydney 10,000m win over Tergat. I was lucky that day. I won over my friend by the tiniest of margins after 24 laps of gut-wrenching battle.

How much does a loss hurt?
Losing is painful. But once it happens, you can do nothing about it. There is always the next race to run.

You are a role model to many athletes. Who are your idols?
Bikila is my hero. He won in Rome (1960) and that too barefoot! I like Yifter too, because I adopted his tactic of waiting behind the lead runner and attacking him in the final stretch.

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