Latest News - Haile Gebrselassie Announces Retirement

Note:

If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)

By Rameshon

Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)

Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)

Haile Gebrselassie - A Tribute To The Greatest Distance Runner Ever.

Lim Thow Wee - (10th in Standard Chartered Marathon 2008 race)
Who gave the online point to point race details of ING NYC marathon 2010.
This ending is really not worthy for someone so great like Haile. He's done so much to inspire the world on track and off it. Personally, he has inspired me deeply. His picture is on my computer wallpaper and I intend to name my son in future as 'Haile'.

Ruben Galen
He retired?

Joshua Gabriel Tan
His spirit is powerful.

Brendan Lee - A comment from Singapore Standard Marathon 2009 runner (3hr 05min)
Always a sad day when a great champion retires.

Mun Yong Liang - A comment from middle-distance runner
I'm very sad. sigh!

Hafiz Bin Hamden - Two comments from another fan of Haile
(1)  I'm very sad to see him like that. It was very emotional to see such a great man like that while watching his after-race interview. I thought Haile Gebrselassie wanted to run the London Olympic Marathon in 2012?

(2) A legendary and illustrious career for one of the greatest runners of all time, Haile Gebrselassie.

A comment from Thomas Ganzhorn (Std Chartered Marathon - 2hr 55min)
Thomas Ganzhorn
Thanks for your post on Haile Gebrselassie... He's a great runner. I saw him doing the 5000m world record (13:10.98 in 1996) in my hometown Sindelfingen. But it's great he's retiring when he's still in good shape. People will remember him as a champion.

Thomas Ganzhorn - Giving his frank opinion on Haile from Germany

A comment from Ashley Liew (2nd Local Standard Chartered Marathon 2009)
Ashley Liew
It's very sad to hear it's the end of the road for Haile Gebrselassie. He is truly the greatest distance runner and has inspired many. Here's his nail-biting 5k track WR 12min 39.36sec in 1998.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnyx06yjhU4

Picture 1 - Haile on his way doing 2hr 03min 59sec in Real Berlin Marathon 2008

I remember visiting Kenya in the year 2001, December. When an airport official knew that I came to Kenya to stay in Kip Keino Camp, he became very friendly and started talking about running. While I was waiting for my flight back, he told me that I should one day meet Haile Gebrselassie. From there, I realised that Haile was actually well-liked in Kenya because of his values as a sportsman.

Picture 2 - Daniel Ling (left) and my meeting with Moroccon American Khalid Khannouchi (centre)  a former world record holder - 2hr 05min 38sec (2002 London Marathon).

Over time, I met Haile, Khalid Khannouchi (former world record holder, 2hr 05min 38sec) and Paul Tergat (former world record holder, 2hr 04min 55sec) in England, when we had to run the London Marathon 2007. During the race, Haile actually stopped in that race and commented that he must have had food poisoning. I remember the newspaper's comments, questioning his form. In that year, Haile ran the Berlin International Marathon 2007 and broke the world marathon record, which at that time, belonged to Paul Tergat, the invincible five times World Cross Country Champion. Again in the year 2008, Haile broke the world record to sub 2hr 04min. He did 2hr 03min 59sec. Several days before the race, Haile said, "I will show you" when asked on whether he can do faster than 2hr 04min for the Berlin International Marathon 2008.

Picture 3 - Haile Gebrselassie (left) and Paul Tergat displaying sportsmanship

Very recently, 6 weeks before the New York City Marathon 2010, Haile showed his magnificent form by coming in first in the Bupa Great North Half-Marathon Run in 59min 33sec. With such wonderful performance, it was expected that he may break the world record again. However, because of the tough course of the New York City Marathon route, it was predicted that Haile may break the course record instead. Nevertheless, it was known that a world record could be broken it one is at the right time, place and venue.

In the ING New York City Marathon, giving an interview to the Runners World, Haile shared that he will never use the word quit unless he is really quitting. He also mentioned that if he goes for a race, he always run if there is an opportunity to win, not lose.

Running the race yesterday, at the 16mile mark, Haile had to pull over and stop because of the knee pain. Fluid was drained from his right knee a day before the race. Hence, there was the probability that the state of his knee condition may affect his performance the next day. True enough, while running in front of the pack at the 16mile mark, leading and coming downhill, Haile had to make a tough decision to stop the race. The decision also made Haile make a very painful and emotional decision to retire from competitive running totally. Gebrselassie, after giving the comments, (see below) filled with tears in his face, limped out of the press conference.

Haile's comments on retirement.

A depressed Haile told, "Of course, I’m a little bit disappointed, disappointed with myself,”. “I knew about this problem when I arrived in New York. I thought that it was not serious, but things happen which I can’t change."

“I don’t want to complain anymore after this, which means it’s better to stop here."

“I did really very hard training to win this race. It didn’t work. Each time I have a problem like this it’s hard, and to complain again and again is bad."

“You know how many times I complain? Before I came here I trained so hard. It’s better to stop here."

“I have no complaints. It’s better not to complain anymore.”

The astonishing international career of Haile Gebrselassie

 Picture 4 - Meeting Gebrselassie just before the London Marathon 2007

Back in 1992, he won the 5000m and 10,000m at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Seoul. He has four IAAF world 10,000m titles, two Olympic victories in 1986 and 2000, and 27 World records or World bests on the track and road at different distances ranging from 2000m to the Marathon.

This is only the second time he has failed to finish a Marathon (the first was in London Marathon in 2007 which was due to suspected stomach upset), and only the fourth time out of 13 races since he started running a marathon from 2002 that he has failed to win. Such was his impressive record.

In actual fact, recently because of his Bupa Great North run success, Haile was setting his goal to win the London Olympic Marathon, which was to fall in the year 2012, although he is aware that younger and more promising elite Ethiopian marathoners were getting much faster nowadays.

Note:

By Narayanan

Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’  by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).

He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.