Home > News > Gebrselassie set to headline the Great Birmingham Run

Gebrselassie set to headline the Great Birmingham Run

The greatest distance runner of all-time will rebound from his Berlin disappointment by running in Birmingham’s biggest half-marathon

Posted on October 12, 2011 by
Tagged with + +
Haile Gebrselassie

Related Articles

Just weeks after dropping out of the BMW Berlin Marathon with breathing difficulties, Ethiopian running legend and the world’s greatest ever distance runner, Haile Gebrselassie, will compete at the Bupa Great Birmingham Run on Sunday October 23.

Despite recently losing his marathon world record to Patrick Makau in Berlin, Gebrselassie remains determined to qualify for his national team over the distance and take part in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

During his illustrious career, the 38-year-old has won two Olympic 10,000m gold medals, four World Championship titles over the distance and set 26 world records in competitions ranging from 2000m to the marathon.

The African star is also no stranger to Birmingham, where in the past his electrifying appearances at the National Indoor Arena have seen him break the world 2000m, two mile and 5000m records.

But this will be the first occasion in which Gebrselassie has taken to the roads of the UK’s second city, and he will have one eye on Zersenay Tadese’s course record of 59:35 – the fastest time ever seen in the UK on a legal course.

“To bring the greatest runner of all time, Haile Gebrselassie, to one of the biggest cities in the UK for the first staging of the Bupa Great Birmingham Run will be fantastic,” said Brendan Foster, chairman of race organisers Nova.

“It will offer everyone taking part the chance to run with him, and I know from his popularity there in the past, a big crowd will come out to support him and all of the contestants.

“Personally I just can’t wait to see Haile running in Birmingham, which is a venue very special to him. He is the No.1 guy in our sport and to have him running in a city where he’s set world records in the past is fantastic and it would be great to see him win the race.”

Gebrselassie is no stranger to the ‘Great Run’ series. He has won the Bupa Great Manchester Run on four occasions and last year won the Bupa Great North Run.

“Now he’ll be running over the half marathon distance where he is a past world record holder and I’m sure he will be looking to achieve something special,” added Foster.

Leave a Reply