Olympic bronze medallist Tsegaye Kebede is hoping to bring Ethiopia its second major marathon victory in the space of a week when he takes on one of the best marathon fields ever assembled in the Flora London Marathon this Sunday (26 April).
Kebede is still buzzing from his compatriot Deriba Merga’s triumph in the Boston Marathon on Monday (20), describing it as “wonderful to see” and “an inspiration” coming just seven days before he toes the London start line for the first time in his career.
But Kebede almost didn’t see the race at all thanks to a power cut at his home near Addis Ababa which had him running miles to find an internet café where he could follow his lifelong friend and training partner’s victory in the first World Marathon Majors race of 2009.
“We literally had to run to find an internet café to see the race,” says Kebede with a laugh. “I only got there in time to catch the end, and then I was very happy because I could see Deriba was going to win. “We grew up together in Ethiopia and we often train together so it was great to see him win. It has inspired me to do well here.”
It’s not the first time the pair have been thrown together by marathon drama, of course. The two provided one of the most dramatic moments of an altogether extraordinary Olympic marathon on the last day of the athletics programme in Beijing last summer.
Then, in 30-degree heat and under stifling humidity, Kebede came from sixth place and more than a minute down on the leaders over the last few kilometres to snatch the bronze medal from Merga’s grasp with just 200m to go in the Bird’s Nest stadium. It was devastating for Merga, of course, but for Kebede it was a triumph of will in the most trying of conditions.
“Beijing was a very hard race for me, very difficult,” he says. “But I came from behind and when I got to the stadium I could see Deriba ahead of me. He was very tired so it was possible to pass him and become number three.”
Kebede returned home to huge celebrations in a country where marathon running has been a matter national pride ever since the barefoot runner Abebe Bikila shocked the world to win the Olympic marathon title in 1960. Even for a runner as young as Kebede - born in January 1987, 23 years after Bikila’s second Olympic victory in 1964 - the grandfather of Ethiopian distance running is still regarded as an iconic figure.
“I love the marathon because of Bikila and the national pride he brought to our country,” says Kebede. “He showed a positive side to Ethiopia when we needed it.”
With his Olympic medal in Beijing, and big city victories in Paris and Fukuoka last year, Kebede has done a fair bit for national pride himself. More importantly, perhaps, he’s helped to raise his large family out of the stifling rural poverty he grew up with. The fifth born of five brothers and eight sisters, the young Kebede was often forced to miss school to collect wood with his mother and helped his father sell wood to make the family living, earning less than 20 Birr (about US$3) a day.
“When I think back to how we used to survive it brings a tear to my eye,” he says. “Now it’s like a dream to be able to help my family out of poverty.”
Now commanding the high earnings of an international marathon star, Kebede has been able to build a new house for the whole family and buy his parents some cattle so they can start to become self-sufficient.
If he wins on Sunday (26) it will complete quite a journey for the 22-year-old who won his first ever marathon in Addis Ababa in 2007 in 2:15:53. With the likes of reigning champion Martin Lel, Olympic gold and silver medallists Sammy Wanjiru and Jaouad Gharib, and perennial minor medallist Abderrahim Goumri in the line-up, it could be the toughest test yet of his short marathon career.
Coached by Gete Wami’s husband, Geteneh Tessema, Kebede certainly has the pedigree. His victory in Paris last year, in 2:06:40, made him the second quickest Ethiopian of all time behind Haile Gebrselassie, and his course record win in Fukuoka last December, in 2:06:10, was a new Japanese all-comers’ record, eclipsing Wanjiru’s time from the previous year.
As to his chances, Kebede is playing it cagey. “I don’t want to guess,” he says. “Everyone comes here wanting to win, but we will have to see what happens in the race.”
“This is my first time in London so I don’t know the course or what to expect from the weather. But I have done some good training in Ethiopia and will show on the day what I can do.”
“Actually, the most important thing for me is not my position but my time. I can’t guess what that will be but I want to get faster.”
There is every chance he will. With the weather set to be fair, organisers are planning to set a World record pace on Sunday and have asked the pacemakers to take the racers through 20 miles.
It’s always possible Kebede may not be with the leaders by then. Judging by the Olympic race, however, we can expect him to finish strongly and, who knows, when he gets back to Ethiopia he may even have reason to meet up with his friend Deriba Merga for a double celebration.
Thanks to Matthew Brown, writer for the IAAF!
Mzungo.org says: "If he is indeed not going out with the leaders, he won't even make top5. If he is, a win wouldn't come as a surprise. We go conservative though: podium with a mid 2:05."
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