(ADDIS ABABA, July 2 (Reuters)--Ethiopia won a clean sweep
of golds in the men and women's 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the
2008 Olympics, but that was not enough for Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi and the country is after middle distance glory in London.
Meles, an ardent sports fan, asked the governing body why his country failed to repeat its long distance exploits in the short and middle distance categories following a post-Olympic inquiry. "I said we lacked resources. He immediately ordered an expansion at all costs," national team coach Yilma Berta told Reuters.
The London Games will provide Ethiopia's first stern test since embarking on its quest for glory in the 800 and 1,500 metres. The Horn of Africa country's strong showing over long distance events dates back to Miruts Yifter's gold in Moscow in 1980.
After quietly trailing in his rivals' slipstream for the last few laps of the 10,000 final, the scruffy Ethiopian with a balding mop turned on the turbo with just 300 metres left and breezed to Olympic glory. Miruts, subsequently dubbed "Yifter the Shifter", has been cited as an inspiration by the likes of Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, his feat proving to be a catalyst behind Ethiopia's hegemony that continues to this day.
But though Ethiopia will bank its hopes for gold this summer on the injury-blighted Bekele, a young pretender with an identical stride is waiting on the wings to emulate his illustrious compatriots, albeit in the unfamiliar 800 metres. Read more from Reuters »
Meles, an ardent sports fan, asked the governing body why his country failed to repeat its long distance exploits in the short and middle distance categories following a post-Olympic inquiry. "I said we lacked resources. He immediately ordered an expansion at all costs," national team coach Yilma Berta told Reuters.
The London Games will provide Ethiopia's first stern test since embarking on its quest for glory in the 800 and 1,500 metres. The Horn of Africa country's strong showing over long distance events dates back to Miruts Yifter's gold in Moscow in 1980.
After quietly trailing in his rivals' slipstream for the last few laps of the 10,000 final, the scruffy Ethiopian with a balding mop turned on the turbo with just 300 metres left and breezed to Olympic glory. Miruts, subsequently dubbed "Yifter the Shifter", has been cited as an inspiration by the likes of Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, his feat proving to be a catalyst behind Ethiopia's hegemony that continues to this day.
But though Ethiopia will bank its hopes for gold this summer on the injury-blighted Bekele, a young pretender with an identical stride is waiting on the wings to emulate his illustrious compatriots, albeit in the unfamiliar 800 metres. Read more from Reuters »
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