Haile Gebrselassie retires from athletics

Marathon world-record holder Haile Gebrselassie has announced his retirement from athletics.

The 37-year-old from Ethiopia made the announcement after dropping out of his first New York Marathon after 16 miles with a knee injury.

“I never thought about retirement. But for the first time, this is the day,” said the two-time Olympic champion.

Gebrselassie set the world record of two hours three minutes and 59 seconds in Berlin in 2008.

It was one of 27 world bests he set over his career, which also yielded eight world titles since 1993, ranging in distance from the 1,500m up to the marathon.

“Let me do another job,” he added. “Let me give a chance to the youngsters. I did very hard work to win this race, it didn’t work.”

Gebrselassie retired from the track to concentrate on the marathon after finishing fifth in the 2004 Athens Olympics 10,000m final.

He won gold in the event in both Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney four years later.

The legendary runner had a scan ahead of Sunday’s New York race that showed fluid and tendonitis in his knee but although he lined up for the race, he was unable to finish.

He has developed a successful business career away from running in his homeland.

He owns his own running club, has established a school in Addis Ababa and employs more than 1,000 people in his home city, where he is known as ‘The Emperor’.

Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam, who won Sunday’s race, admitted afterwards he was saddened to see his countryman pull up as they headed for the final 10 miles of the race.

The 26-year-old said: “I was behind Haile when he dropped out. I said to him: ‘Come on Haile’ but he couldn’t move. He just said: ‘I can’t, Gebre, you have to go on’

“Haile is a good guy, he is king. I have learned so many things from him.”
Source: BBC