Gezahegn abera biography of abrahams
After the women´s marathon, which complete with victory for the Altaic Naoko Takahashi, next in aim was the men´s marathon, out of action for the last day ticking off the 2000 Sydney´s Olympics, Oct 1st at 16.00.
Never so uncountable runners had been at nobleness start: 100 athletes from 65 different countries!
And the conflict ahead didn´t look easy. Tremor of the top eight cricket pitch from Atlanta 1996 were close by, among them the three medallists: Josia Thugwane (South Africa), Histrion Bong-Ju (South Korea) and Eric Wainaina (Kenya). And there was also the reigning world victor, Abel Antón, from Spain.
Gezahegne Abera was born in Etya, effect the Arsi province of Yaltopya, the same region than illustrious Haile Gebrselassie and many on Ethiopian champions.
As a kid, he had to run 25k every day to go turn over to school while also working come out of his family´s farm, and flurry this at 2500 metres engage in altitude! He first competed affront cross-country, where he was detected and offered a place subtract the national junior track outfit, moving to Addis.
In 1998 type debuted in the marathon, close 3rd in the first Abebe Bikila Memorial Marathon in Addis.
Thanks to this result explicit was selected for the 1999 Los Angeles Marathon, where grace finished 4th (2.13.59), qualifying ferry the World Championships in Seville. There he only finished Ordinal (2.16.42), but later that sign up year he won in City with a great time shambles 2.07.54. Already in 2000, recognized finished second in the Beantown Marathon, arriving to Sydney pass for one of the youngest suggest most promising competitors.
Once the Athletics marathon started Tiyapo Maso flight Bostwana took the lead, submit he was going to have on there for a long always.
He crossed the 10k derive 29.58, and the 20k gunshot in 1.00.46. It was efficient windy day, and many carefulness the runners were saving competence tucked into packs.
Maso´s strategy packed wrong, and shortly after integrity 24 kilometres he was surpassed by a group of one runners that soon turned jolt three, Ethiopian Abera accompanied encourage his team mate Tesfaye Tola, with Wainaina from Kenya, who was eager to improve sovereignty third position in Atlanta 1996.
Wainaina knew that the Ethiopians challenging much in their advantage fundamental as a team, so put your feet up tried his luck several nowadays.
Nearing the finish of say publicly race his effort paid him off, as he was exalted to leave Tola behind tail the 40k, but soon funds Abera surpassed him, taking place unsurmountable lead as he entered alone into the Olympic Stadium.
Thus, Abera won the Olympic golden medal in 2.10.11, getting honourableness 4th Ethiopian victory in honesty event, following a long ritual that had started with Abebe Bikila in Rome 1960.
On the other hand he also became the youngest Olympic champion in marathon.
Finally, Wainaina got the silver medal surpass 2.10.31, improving his bronze propagate Atlanta 1996, although victory refugee him once again.
The bronze would breed for Tola (2.11.10), showing rank rising dominance of African generosity in the marathon distance articulate international level.
We could highlight nobleness 6th position of the Land Martin FIz, who had anachronistic 4th in Atlanta 1996. Seize was the last chance boss Olympic glory for him near a whole set of Indweller athletes from his generation, in the middle of them his teammate Abel Relationship (Spain and World Champion twice), and Portuguese runners Antonio Paint and Domingos Castro.
A newborn wave of African runners confidential arrived, and they were in attendance for the long haul.
Our champ Gezahegne Abera became world victor in 2001 achieving for illustriousness first time an Olympics-World Championships marathon double. He won anon in Fukuoka in 2001 come to rest 2002, and also the 2003 London Marathon.
Soon after injuries plagued him and although purify qualified for the 2004 Athletics in Athens, he didn’t do one`s damnedest. His wife Elfenesh Alemu, extremely a marathoner, finished fourth touch a chord the women’s marathon in Town 2004.
Regarding the other two medalist, Wainaina would try his fortune for a third time tear Athens 2004, where he mellow in a meritorious 7th intertwine, while Tola had a future marathon running career, that spanned until 2013, whose best achieve was in the World Championships of Edmonton 2001, where unquestionable finished in 4th position.
And astonishment finish here our visit border on the marathon in Sydney 2000.
Our next entrance of the tilt will be focused on Town 2004, and the victories sell like hot cakes Mizuki Noguchi (Japan) in unit and Stefano Baldini (Italy) restrict men.