Gebrselassie sets sights on Athens

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Sydney: After winning one of the most thrilling 10,000-metre races in history, Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie on Tuesday set his sights on gold in Athens.

Gebrselassie, the greatest long-distance runner of all time, landed his second 10,000-metre Olympic gold by the thickness of his vest on Monday night from Kenyan Paul Tergat after a battle royal down the home straight.

"That was something very special," said the diminutive Ethiopian.

"That was my favourite competition since I started racing," said the 27-year-old champion who last tasted defeat over 10,000m back in 1993.

Less than 24 hours after running his heart out in the closest 10,000-metre finish in Olympic history, Gebrselassie confirmed he would go for a third gold in Athens.

"I want to do something very different now," he told a news conference. "I have marathons in mind."

Asked if he would nevertheless defend his 10,000m title at the next Olympics, he replied, "That is right."

In Stadium Australia on Monday night, he looked even more relaxed than usual before the start of his greatest challenge, grinning from ear to ear, smiling and waving to the crowd.

How could he stay so calm? "Which is better, to be sad or to smile? I am always very happy when I run and especially when I win."

Gebrselassie, the master tactician, confessed that he was very surprised that Tergat, his long-time rival, kicked for home 150m out. The Ethiopian then had to sprint for the line as if his life depended on it.

"I didn't expect that. I thought he would attack in the last 100m. He attacked at 150m. He was smart," Gebrselassie said of the five-times world cross-country champion.

Gebrselassie, weakened by a foot injury that cost him an entire indoor season and several months of training, had to draw on every ounce of courage and determination to snatch gold by nine tenths of a second.

Back home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopians took to the streets to celebrate his victory. Scores of children danced in the capital, waving tri-coloured Ethiopian flags and holding their hero's picture aloft. Drivers flashed their lights and blew their horns.

His wife Alem Tilahun immediately went to church to give thanks.Gebrselassie, called Neftanga (The Boss) by his peers, has set 15 world records since 1994.

As a child, he would run 10km to school every day and run home again at night. In 1980 he stole his father's radio to follow his boyhood idol Miruts Yifter as he won gold in the Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m in faraway Moscow.

For Gebrselassie, getting to Sydney was a real mountain to climb and he was still battling to reach peak fitness.

The four-times world champion had to wear specially made running spikes designed to relieve pressure on his damaged right Achilles tendon.

"The Olympics are something special. But this year when I came here, I was not good like before," he confessed.



(c) Reuters Limited.