Haile Gebrselassie Says London 2012 Is His Target
- By Duncan Larkin
- Published Sep. 29, 2011
- Updated Sep. 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM UTC
Despite his recent setbacks, he still thinks he can win gold.
Even though he dropped out of last weekend’s Berlin Marathon, Haile Gebrselassie, the famous Ethiopian distance runner, says don’t count him out yet. He recently told CNN that he aims to be competitive at the Olympics next year in London.
“My plan is for gold in London, but it will not be easy,” he said. “The younger runners are going to be hard to beat. If you think of it like car models, a 2010 engine is newer and faster than an engine from 10 years before. That is what I will be up against.”
Gebrselassie has already won two Olympic gold medals (both in the 10,000m).
“I want to win in London,” he admitted. “It is a big city with a great history and people will always remember who won the marathon at the 2012 London Olympics.”
For fans of his, this is good news. After his disappointing DNFs in New York last year and Berlin last weekend, the Internet was buzzing with rumors that the great Gebrselassie was finished for good.
For More: CNN
FILED UNDER: New York City Marathon / News TAGS: aging pros / Berlin Marathon / DNF / Ethiopian runner / Haile Gebrselassie / Injury / London 2012 Olympic Games / Marathon
Duncan Larkin
Duncan Larkin is the news editor at Competitor.com and a freelance journalist who’s been covering the sport of running for over five years. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. His first running book, RUN SIMPLE, was released last July.