Haile Gebrselassie: rivals must improve to beat Mo Farah at Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Legendary Ethiopian long-distance runner also praises air quality in Rio but advises athletes to acclimatise to humidity
Gebrselassie gives the thumbs up with Ipanema beach in the background (Rio 2016/Alexandre Loureiro)
Text: Valeria Zukeran
Idolised by runners across the world, when Haile Gebrselassie speaks, the global athletics community listens. The two-time 10,000m Olympic champion from Ethiopia is retired from competition but will be in Rio this August for the Olympic Games, when he will work as a television commentator. In town this week for publicity activities, the man known as the ‘Emperor of Long Distance’ for having broken 27 world records was asked who would reign supreme in the distance events at the Rio Olympic Stadium. While he was reluctant to pick outright favourites, he was clear on thing: Mo Farah is the man to beat.
“He has a big chance,” said Gebrselassie about the reigning 10,000m and 5000m Olympic and world champion from Great Britain. “Let’s see what the Ethiopians and also the Kenyans are capable of,” added the 42-year-old, who said his compatriots are in with a chance, “but they need to work to improve,” pointing out that Ethiopians are used to running in different conditions at altitude.
‘I’m putting my body through hell every day to make sure I do myself proud in Rio,’ says Mo Farah
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Gebrselassie visited by car part of the Rio 2016 marathon course, which includes the Aterro do Flamengo and Botafogo bay. He highlighted the fact that Rio is blessed with good air quality – in 2008, he declined to compete in the Beijing Olympic marathon due to air pollution, which he said could have triggered an asthma attack. “It’s going to be a very good marathon here in Rio,” he said. “In terms of comparison, Rio could be similar to the conditions we had in Athens, in 2004.”
Check out Gebrselassie’s incredible win at the Sydney 2000 Games:
However, Gebrselassie warned that the carioca climate has its challenges. “The Games will be in winter, but the temperatures will not be so low as to be cold,” he said. The difference for those who want to be on the podium, according to Gebrselassie, could come from acclimatisation work.
“Humidity should be high and, when this happens, running a marathon is not easy. The athlete needs to train in a climate similar to that here in Rio”
Gebrselassie starred in memorable duels with Kenya’s Paul Tergat, who he beat to 10,000m Olympic gold in 1996 and 2000 (see video above), but says that the rivalry between Ethiopians and Kenyans is only on the track. “It’s a sporting battle for gold, like Brazil and Argentina in football. It’s interesting because, of all the countries that border or are near Ethiopia, there has only never been a conflict with Kenya.”
The runner sees similarities between Brazil and Ethiopia, and believes that his compatriots will feel comfortable here.
