News23 May 2007


Gebrselassie to return to the track in Hengelo

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Haile Gebrselassie in the 1998 Memorial Van Damme (© Getty Images)

  The Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebrselassie will pay tribute to his name as ‘Mr. Hengelo’ by returning to the track to contest the 10,000m at the 25th edition of the THALES FBK-Games on Saturday 26 May.

Gebrselassie, who after the 2005 World Championship said he would never again run on the track, had a change of heart for a simple reason. “I want to run a nice race,” he said.

Added the former Olympic champion and multi-World record holder:  “Of course I am not as good any longer as I was at the end of the 1990s when I broke World records. But  Hengelo is my favourite race. I am training well and I have done training sessions on the track again. So came the idea to start Saturday in Hengelo."

“People must not expect that I will attack the World record,” he added. “The first thing I want is to race again on the track to feel the public and the atmosphere. If there is a possibility to win, I will go for it.”

Gebrselassie, who set World records in the 10,000m twice in Hengelo – 26:43.53 in 1995 and 26:22.75 in 1998 – and once over 5000m, will face a strong field which includes compatriots Sileshi Sihine, Gebregziabher Gebremariam and Ali Abdosh; Kenyans Sammy Kipketer and Mark Bett; and Qatari Ahmed Hassan Abdullah.

Wim van Hemert for the IAAF

 

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