Who is Kenenisa Bekele

"I ran with grief and joy alternating in my heart." --Kenenisa Bekele, following his 2005 World Cross double victory

For five years in a row, from 2002 through 2006, Kenenisa Bekele took both short (4k) and long (12k) races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, a feat no other runner has accomplished even once. (It will also never be duplicated, as the short course race has been eliminated since 2007.)

In 1999, Bekele got his first taste of World Cross Country action when he won his provincial championship and finished 6th in the National Championship. He would later finish 9th at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Belfast.

Bekele missed the 2000 junior World Cross meet due to illness, but ran a stellar performance in 2001, his last year as a junior. In that meet he finished second in the men's short course on day 1, and then dominating the junior's race by 33 seconds the following day.

2002 saw Bekele become the first runner to ever win the short and long courses in the same year. He won in dominant performances.

Early in 2003, Bekele won five straight European cross country races by an average margin of 27 seconds. He followed that up by winning the double for the second year in a row at the World Cross meet.

In 2004, Bekele again crushed the competition in both the short and long courses, earning his fifth and sixth career World Cross championships. This put him ahead of the great Kenyan runners John Ngugi and Paul Tergat, who each won five.

Bekele began 2005 with a victory at Spain's Venta de Banos 10k+ race, but his season took a terrible turn for the worse when his fiance, Alem Techale, died on January 4th. Bekele withdrew from the Great Edinburgh race, and lost two indoor track races before entering the World Cross competition. In the short race, Qatar's Saif Saeed Shaheen went out hard, but the pace--and Kenenisa--caught up with him, and Bekele was able to win comfortably. In the long race, the pace was controlled by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, until Bekele unleashed a kick at the start of the 6th lap and ran away to an easy victory. Bekele was quoted as saying after the race, "I ran with grief and joy alternating in my heart."

2006 saw Bekele win his fifth consecutive double World Cross titles in Fukuoka, Japan. The short course race was particularly close, but Bekele was able to hold off a number of challengers to win in 10:54, a sub-13:30 5k pace. Compared to the short course race, he won the long course with comparative ease.

The World Cross race in 2007 saw Bekele suffer his first loss since he was a junior. Eritrean Zersenay Tadesse took the victory after Bekele dropped out of the race, apparently suffering from the heat.

On March 30, Kenenisa successfully regained his title of World Cross Country Champion when he ran 38:43 over 12k to win his unprecedented sixth title over that distance.

Sources: Wikipedia, IAAF

"Yes, it was our plan to run even splits. In order to be able to set a world record I have to run the first half not too slow and not too fast, this was perfect. Of course in the second part I was out there alone and then it becomes a lot more difficult." --Kenenisa Bekele, after breaking the world record for 10,000 meters

Kenenisa Bekele's first medal on the track was a silver at the World Youth Championships in 1999. He again finished second at the World Junior Championships in 2000. In his first attempt at making a World Championships squad in 2001, he was stricken with abdominal pains at the Rome Golden League Meet and finished 16th in the race (4th Ethiopian) in 13:16, and failed to make the team.

In 2002, Bekele dominated cross country but was injured throughout most of the summer with an Achilles problem, and didn't compete in any serious European competitions.

Bekele finally ran on the senior circuit in 2003, when he went head to head with Haile Gebrselassie at 10,000 meters in Hengelo. When Gebrselassie unleashed his famous kick, Bekele responded with an even faster one, and won the race in a time of 26:53.70. He then went on to run a personal best 12:52.26 for 5,000 meters in a victory in Oslo. He out-kicked Gebrselassie again in Rome, but was upset in the race by Kenyan Abraham Chebii who ran 12:57.14. This was Bekele's first loss in international competition in two years.

Kenenisa's first global track gold came at the front of an intimidating Ethiopian sweep in the Paris World Championships 10,000 meters. Kenenisa, Haile and Sileshi Sihine broke the field with a 12:57.24 final 5000, Sileshi dropping back with 600 to go and Kenenisa kicking past Haile over the last 200 for a championship record 26:49.57. The 12:57.24 second half split was the fastest 5,000 meters in World Championships history at the time he ran it (it was broken days later in the 5,000 meter race).

The Paris 5,000 meters also went in record time, but this one was not Kenenisa's. He and Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya followed the finishing drive of Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj over the last 800 meters, and both were gaining on the Moroccan down the final straight, but only Kipchoge (12:52.79) got past him. Kenenisa settled for an unaccustomed bronze (12:53.12) as his second World Championships medal and then capped his season with a solid win over half a dozen top Kenyans in the 3000m (7:36.98) at the World Athletics Final.

In 2004, Bekele made a stunning debut on the indoor circuit with a 7:30.77 win at 3,000 meters in Stuttgart and a 12:49.60 world record 5,000 in Birmingham, his first senior global mark, taken, fittingly, from Gebrselassie. His pre-Olympic outdoor season, consisting of just four races, included the removal of two more of Gebrselassie's world records-the big ones: 5000 (12:37.35 at Hengelo) and 10,000 (26:20.31 at Ostrava), both captured in a span of nine days.

As is documented below, Bekele went on to win gold in the 10,000 meters at the Athens Olympics, and took the silver to Hicham El Guerrouj in the 5,000 meters.

In early 2005, Bekele lost his fiancee, Alem Techale, and lost a couple indoor track races. Bekele escaped unhappy memories at home by training in Flagstaff, Arizona for the track season. He attacked his own world 10,000m record in Hengelo, but was thwarted by heavy winds and clocked 26:28.72. Wins over 5,000m in Paris (a record attempt that yielded history's fourth fastest clocking, 12:40.18), 3,000m in Lausanne (7:34.57) and 5,000m again at London's Crystal Palace (12:55.55) followed.

By the time of Helsinki World Championships, the 10,000m gold was a foregone conclusion, and on a rainy night, he won easily in 27:08.33 with a 54.25 last lap, leading Sihine to silver ahead of Kenya's Moses Mosop. Despite the urging of the Ethiopian Federation that he go for the 5,000-10,000 double he had attempted twice before, Kenenisa chose not to run the 5000, and the first World Championships distance doubler turned out to be his countrywoman Tirunesh Dibaba.

Kenenisa then used a a 7:32.59 3000m win in Zurich, ahead of new World 5000m champion Benjaimin Limo of Kenya and bronze medalist Craig Mottram of Australia, to warm up for an assault on his own world 10,000 meter record. He demolished the mark with a 26:17.53 run in the Brussels GL, paced by his brother Tariku through the halfway mark (in 13:09.19), and putting in a smoldering last kilometer and a 57-second last lap. For the second straight year, Bekele led the IAAF World Rankings both in his category and overall, and his Cross Country golden double, global track title and world record earned him the IAAF Athlete of the Year award.

In January, 2006, Bekele returned to indoor track at New York's Millrose Games, where he tackled his first mile race. A minor training injury had led him to pull out of an intended 1500m debut in Karlsruhe a week earlier. Bekele faced Olympic 1500m silver medalist Bernard Lagat of the US on the 160 yard (146.3m) steeply banked Millrose track, where Lagat had set the meet record a year earlier. A fast early tempo from pacemaker Elkanah Angwenyi dropped Kenenisa by half way, but he held off world 1500m bronze medalist Rui Silva of Portugal for second.

Bekele then aimed for Gebrselassie's 8:04.69 two mile world record in Birmingham, and though he came up half a second short (8:05.12), the second fastest ever, he confirmed his form. Bekele's main goal for the season has always been the World Cross Country Championships, but he detoured to Moscow for the World Indoor Championships in March, winning the 3000 decisively (7:39.32) over Shaheen and Kipchoge. He thus became the first ever to hold World titles in indoor and outdoor track and cross country at the same time.

Bekele would go on to win five of his six Golden League races in 2006.

In early 2007, Bekele earned another world record when he ran 4:49.99 for the indoor 2,000 meters in Birmingham. Later in 2007, he successfully defended his World Championship at 10,000 meters by defeating countryman Sihine to take gold in Osaka. The win was his third consecutive World Championship at the distance.

Kenenisa has since started off 2008 with a bang by taking down Haile Gebrselassie's last world record on the track, the indoor two mile. Kenenisa ran 8:04.35 in Birmingham to take .34 seconds off the old record. In early May, he won the African Athletic Championships 5k in Addis Ababa in a time of 13:49.67. His first European competition was at the Fanny Blankers-Koen meet in Hengelo, where he ran a world leading 12:58.94 for 5k.

Kenenisa went for his own world record in the 10,000 meters at the Prefontaine Classic, but finished in 26:25.97, the fourth fastest time ever for that distance. He then won the CAA Super Grand Prix 5k in Rabat in a solo effort of 13:06.38. Kenenisa has announced that he will double at the Beijing Olympics.

Kenenisa won the first half of his double by setting a new Olympic Record in the 10k, 27:01.17. In his first heat of the 5k, he ran 13:40.13 to finish third and qualify for the final, where he won his second gold in an Olympic Record 12:57.82.

In his first race after Beijing, Kenenisa won the Weltklasse 5k in 12:50.18. He then ran a world-leading 7:31.94 for 3k in Gateshead, England before ending his season.

Kenenisa suffered a stress fracture at the start of his 2009 season. He won his first 5000m of the season at the Berlin Golden League meet, running 13:00.76. He then won the Oslo 5000m, running 13:04.87.

Sources: Wikipedia, IAAF

"I have prepared well and I have the confidence I can win." --Kenenisa Bekele

Under heavy pressure from his country, Kenenisa Bekele agreed to run both the 10,000 and 5,000 meters at the 2004 Athens Olympic games. He entered the Olympics as the heavy favorite to win the 10,000 meters. He was also one of two runners--Hicham El Guerrouj being the other--expected to win the 5,000 meters.

The 10,000 meters went much as expected. The Ethiopians attempted to duplicate their sweep from the Paris World Championships in 2003, but Haile Gebrselassie was suffering from inflammation in his Achilles tendon prior to the race. Bekele and Sileshi Sihine slowed the pace down to help Gebrselassie medal, but when he was unable to maintain, they took off in pursuit of the win. Sihine led the race until 500 meters to go, when Bekele unleashed an in credible 53 second final lap to seal the victory in an Olympic Record time of 27:05.10. Sileshi Sihine finished second, and Eritrean Zersenay Tadesse finished third. Haile Gebrselassie eventually finished fifth in the race.

The 5,000 meters was a different story. With El Guerrouj and Eliud Kipchoge--the 2003 World Champion at 5,000 meters--in the race, tactics became more important than ever. The race started slowly, and despite predictions that Kipchoge or Bekele would push the pace to try and escape from El Guerrouj's kick, they did not do so. In the end, El Guerrouj waited and his miler's speed enabled him to out-kick Bekele to take the gold. Bekele finished in second place, earning the silver medal.

His Olympic victory at 10,000, his near miss at 5,000, his double World Cross victories and his three world record performances got him named IAAF Athlete of the Year for 2004.

Sources: Wikipedia, IAAF

Kenenisa ran his first road race in Nijmegen, Netherlands, finishing 3rd in the Fortis Zevenheuvelen loop. He clocked 43:41 for the 15k course, but may have suffered a stress fracture in the process.

Cross Country Championships

2001 World Junior Cross Country Champion (8k)
2002 World Cross Country Champion (4k)
2002 World Cross Country Champion (12k)
2003 World Cross Country Champion (4k)
2003 World Cross Country Champion (12k)
2004 World Cross Country Champion (4k)
2004 World Cross Country Champion (12k)
2005 World Cross Country Champion (4k)
2005 World Cross Country Champion (12k)
2006 World Cross Country Champion (4k)
2006 World Cross Country Champion (12k)
2008 World Cross Country Champion (12k)

Track Championships

2003 World Outdoor Championships 10000m
2004 Summer Olympics 10000m
2005 World Outdoor Championships 10000m
2006 African Championships 5000m
2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships 3000m
2007 World Outdoor Championships 10000m
2008 African Championships 5000m
2008 Summer Olympics 10000m (27:01.17 OR)
2008 Summer Olympics 5000m (12:57.82 OR)

Personal Bests

3:32.35 - 1500m - Shanghai (2007)
4:49.99i - 2000m - Birmingham (2007)
7:25.79 - 3000m - Stockholm (2007)
8:04.35i - 2 mile - Birmingham (2008)
12:37.35 - 5000m - Hengelo (2004)
12:49.60i - 5000m - Birmingham (2004)
26:17.53 - 10000m - Brussels (2005)
43:41 - 15000m - Nijmegen (2008)

Sources: Wikipedia

Marathon

01. 2:03:59 - Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) - Berlin (2008)
02. 2:04:27 - Duncan Kipkemboi Kibet (KEN) - Rotterdam (2009)
03. 2:04:27 - James Kipsang Kwambai (KEN) - Rotterdam (2009)
04. 2:04:55 - Paul Tergat (KEN) - Berlin (2003)
05. 2:04:56 - Sammy Korir (KEN) - Berlin (2003)
06. 2:05:04 - Abel Kirui (KEN) - Rotterdam (2009)
07. 2:05:15 - Martin Lel (KEN) - London (2008)
08. 2:05:24 - Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) - London (2008)
09. 2:05:30 - Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) - London (2008)
10. 2:05:38 - Khalid Khannouchi (USA) - London (2002)
11. 2:05:47 - Vincent Limo (KEN) - Paris (2009)
12. 2:05:49 - William Kipsang (KEN) - Rotterdam (2008)
13. 2:05:50 - Evans Rutto (KEN) - Chicago (2003)
14. 2:06:05 - Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) - Berlin (1998)
15. 2:06:10 - Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) - Fukuoka (2008)
16. 2:06:14 - Felix Limo (KEN) - Rotterdam (2004)
16. 2:06:14 - Patrick Makau (KEN) - Rotterdam (2009)
18. 2:06:15 - Titus Munji (KEN) - Berlin (2003)
18. 2:06:15 - Bazu Worku Hayla (ETH) - Paris (2009)
20. 2:06:16 - Emmanuel Mutai (KEN) - London (2008)
20. 2:06:16 - Moses Tanui (KEN) - Chicago (1999)
20. 2:06:16 - Daniel Njenga (KEN) - Chicago (2002)
20. 2:06:16 - Toshinari Takaoka (JPN) - Chicago (2002)
24. 2:06:17 - Ryan Hall (USA) - London (2008)
NR. no time - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - hopefully soon!

Half-Marathon

01. 58:33 - Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) - Den Haag (2007)
02. 58:52 - Patrick Makau (KEN) - Ras al Khaimah (2009)
03. 58:55 - Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) - Tempe (2006)
04. 58:59 - Zersenay Tadese (ERI) - Udine (2007)
04. 58:59 - Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (KEN) - Ras al Khaimah (2009)
06. 59:05 - Evans Kiprop Cheruiyot (KEN) - Udine (2007)
07. 59:06* - Paul Tergat (KEN) - Lisbon (2000)
08. 59:07 - Paul Kosgei (KEN) - Berlin (2006)
09. 59:16 - Deriba Merga Ejigu (ETH) - Udine (2007)
10. 59:20* - Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) - Lisbon (2000)
11. 59:21* - Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN) - Lisbon (2005)
12. 59:26 - Francis Kibiwott (KEN) - Berlin (2007)
13. 59:27* - Wilson Kiprotich Kebenei (KEN) - Lisbon (2005)
13. 59:27 - Patrick Ivuti (KEN) - Rotterdam (2007)
15. 59:28 - Robert Kipchumba (KEN) - Rotterdam (2006)
16. 59:30* - Martin Lel (KEN) - Lisbon (2006)
16. 59:30 - Yonas Kifle (ERI) - Udine (2007)
18. 59:32 - Dieudonné Disi (RWA) - Udine (2007)
18. 59:32 - Wilson Chebet (KEN) - Ras al Khaimah (2009)
20. 59:33 - Marilson dos Santos (BRA) - Udine (2007)
NR. no time - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - hopefully soon!

* Slightly downhill course.

10,000 Meters

01. 26:17.53 - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - Brussels (2005)
02. 26:22.75 - Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) - Hengelo (1998)
03. 26:27.85 - Paul Tergat (KEN) - Brussels (1997)
04. 26:30.03 - Nicholas Kemboi (KEN) - Brussels (2003)
05. 26:30.74 - Abebe Dinkesa Negera (ETH) - Hengelo (2005)
06. 26:35.63 - Micah Kogo (KEN) - Brussels (2006)
07. 26:36.26 - Paul Koech (KEN) - Brussels (1997)
08. 26:37.25 - Zersenay Tadese (ERI) - Brussels (2006)
09. 26:38.08 - Salah Hissou (MAR) - Brussels (1996)
10. 26:38.76 - Abdullah Ahmad Hassan (QAT) - Brussels (2003)
11. 26:39.69 - Sileshi Sihine (ETH) - Hengelo (2004)
12. 26:39.77 - Boniface Kiprop (UGA) - Brussels (2005)
13. 26:41.75 - Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) - Brussels (2005)
14. 26:49.02 - Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) - Hengelo (2007)
15. 26:49.20 - Moses Masai (KEN) - Brussels (2007)
16. 26:49.38 - Sammy Kipketer (KEN) - Brussels (2002)
17. 26:49.55 - Moses Mosop (KEN) - Hengelo (2007)
18. 26:49.90 - Assefa Mezgebu (ETH) - Brussels (2002)
19. 26:50.20 - Richard Limo (KEN) - Brussels (2002)
20. 26:50.67 - Albert Chepkurui (KEN) - Brussels (2002)

5,000 Meters

01. 12:37.35 - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - Hengelo (2004)
02. 12:39.36 - Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) - Helsinki (1998)
03. 12:39.74 - Daniel Komen (KEN) - Brussels (1997)
04. 12:46.53 - Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) - Rome (2004)
05. 12:47.04 - Sileshi Sihine (ETH) - Rome (2004)
06. 12:48.66 - Issac Songok (KEN) - Zurich (2006)
07. 12:48.81 - Stephen Cherono (KEN) - Ostrava (2003)
08. 12:49.28 - Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) - Brussels (2000)
09. 12:49.71 - Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) - Brussels (2000)
10. 12:50.24 - Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) - Ostrava (2003)
11. 12:50.25 - Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) - Brussels (2005)
12. 12:50.55 - Moses Masai (KEN) - Berlin (2008)
13. 12:50.72 - Moses Kipsiro (KEN) - Brussels (2007)
14. 12:50.80 - Salah Hissou (MAR) - Rome (1996)
15. 12:50.86 - Ali Saïdi-Sief (ALG) - Rome (2000)
16. 12:51.00 - Joseph Ebuya (KEN) - Brussels (2007)
17. 12:51.95 - Thomas Longosiwa (KEN) - Brussels (2007)
18. 12:51.98 - Saif Saeed Shaheen (QAT) - Rome (2006)
19. 12:52.33 - Sammy Kipketer (KEN) - Oslo (2003)
20. 12:52.40 - Edwin Cheruiyot Soi (KEN) - Saint-Denis (2006)

3,000 Meters

01. 7:20.67 - Daniel Komen (KEN) - Rieti (1996)
02. 7:23.09 - Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) - Brussels (1999)
03. 7:25.02 - Ali Saïdi-Sief (ALG) - Monaco (2000)
04. 7:25.09 - Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) - Brussels (1998)
05. 7:25.11 - Noureddine Morceli (ALG) - Monaco (1994)
06. 7:25.79 - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - Stockholm (2007)
07. 7:26.62 - Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) - Monaco (2000)
08. 7:27.18 - Moses Kiptanui (KEN) - Monaco (1995)
09. 7:27.59 - Luke Kipkosgei (KEN) - Monaco (1998)
10. 7:27.72 - Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) - Brussels (2004)
11. 7:27.75 - Thomas Nyariki (KEN) - Monaco (1996)
12. 7:28.28 - James Kwalia (KEN) - Brussels (2004)
13. 7:28.41 - Paul Bitok (KEN) - Monaco (1996)
14. 7:28.45 - Assefa Mezgebu (ETH) - Monaco (1998)
15. 7:28.67 - Benjamin Limo (KEN) - Monaco (1999)
16. 7:28.70 - Paul Tergat (KEN) - Monaco (1996)
17. 7:28.72 - Issac Songok (KEN) - Rieti (2006)
18. 7:28.78 - Augustine Choge (KEN) - Ad-Dawhah (2005)
19. 7:28.93 - Salah Hissou (MAR) - Monaco (1999)
20. 7:28.94 - Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) - Monaco (1999)

2,000 Meters

01. 4:44.79 - Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) - Berlin (1999)
02. 4:46.88 - Ali Saïdi-Sief (ALG) - Strasbourg (2001)
03. 4:47.88 - Noureddine Morceli (ALG) - Paris (1995)
04. 4:48.69 - Vénuste Niyongabo (BDI) - Nice (1995)
05. 4:48.74 - John Kibowen (KEN) - Hechtel (1998)
06. 4:49.99i - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) - Birmingham (2007)
07. 4:50.08 - Noah Ngeny (KEN) - Stockholm (1999)
08. 4:50.76 - Craig Mottram (AUS) - Melbourne (2006)
09. 4:50.81 - Saïd Aouita (MAR) - Paris (1987)
10. 4:51.39 - Steve Cram (GBR) - Budapest (1985)
11. 4:51.52 - John Walker (NZL) - Oslo (1976)
12. 4:52.20 - Thomas Wessinghage (FRG) - Ingelheim (1982)
13. 4:52.40 - José Manuel Abascal (ESP) - Santander (1986)
14. 4:52.44 - Jim Spivey (USA) - Lausanne (1987)
15. 4:52.53 - Moses Kiptanui (KEN) - Berlin (1992)
16. 4:52.82 - Peter Elliott (GBR) - Lausanne (1987)
16. 4:52.82 - Luke Kipkosgei (KEN) - Bratislava (1998)
18. 4:52.86i - Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) - Birmingham (1998)
19. 4:52.88 - Ismaïl Sghyr (MAR) - Nice (1995)
20. 4:53.06 - Jack Buckner (GBR) - Lausanne (1987)

Sources: All-time Athletics