Gebrselassie renegs on retirement
One week after making an emotional and stunning announcement that he was retiring from the sport, marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has apparently had a change of heart according to several reports out of Ethiopia.
By Joe Battaglia, Universal Sports | Posted: Nov 14, 5:17p ET | Updated: Nov 14, 5:30p ET
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Marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has changed his mind one week after announcing his retirement according to reports out of Ethiopia.
The website EthiopiaFirst.com, Gebrselassie announced that he will return to running while giving a speech at the “Great Run in Nekemete,” a fundraiser for the Wollega Stadium. Ethiopian Television Sports confirmed the report (video in Amharic), as did the website EthioSports.com.
An e-mail to Gebrselassie’s Netherlands-based manager Jos Hermens was not returned at the time of this article’s posting.
After pulling out of the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 7 due to a knee injury, Gebrselassie made a tearful proclamation during a press conference that his running career was over.
“I myself I don’t want to complain anymore after this, which means it’s better to stop here,” Gebrselassie said at the time. “I never think about to retire. But for the first time, this is the day. Let me stop and do other work after this. Let me give a chance for the youngsters.”
But that stance was already softening at the beginning of the week. Before boarding a plane to meet his client at home in Addis Ababa, Hermens told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the 37-year-old Gebrselassie, “was already a lot more neutral” about calling it a career after 20 years.
“If he takes his time, and he takes some time off with the family, I am sure that Haile will say, ‘From my heart, I want to run,’” Hermens told AP. “I already felt his first doubts.”
It is presumed that if Gebrselassie returns to running, his primary goal would be to run the marathon at the London Olympics in 2012.
“London will be very tough, but a medal is certainly not excluded,” Hermens said in the AP interview. “Even if you finish your career with a bronze, that is still fantastic.”