Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebreselassie is always on the short-list when discussing the greatest distance runners of all-time. He competed at four Olympics, winning the 10,000 metre gold medal back-to-back in 1996 and 2000. He was a five-time World Champion, winning over 10K in 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999, and adding a half-marathon title in 2001. He added four other World Championship medals, with silvers in the 1993 5,000 and 2003 10K, and bronzes in the 2001 10K and in cross-country in 1994. Gebreselassie was a four-time World Indoor Champion, winning the 3,000 metres in 1997, 1999, and 2003, and also winning the 1,500 in 1999.

Against the clock Gebreselassie was equally dominant. He set three world records in the 10,000, with a best of 26:22.75 in 1998. In the 5,000 he set three world records, finishing with 12:39.36 in 1998. In lesser contested events he had world records over 2,000 metres, 3,000 metres, 2-miles, 15 km, 20 km, 25 km, and 30 km.

Gebreselassie turned to the marathon later in his career, winning multiple city races, including the Berlin Marathon four-times consecutively from 2006-09, setting world records there in both 2007 and 2008. He won the Dubai Marathon in 2008-10, the Amsterdam Marathon 2005, and Fukuoka in 2006.

Personal Best: 5000 – 12:39.36 (1968); 10000 – 26:22.75 (1998); ½-marathon – 58:55 (2006); Marathon – 2-03:59 (2008).