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Distance runner
The silver award earned by Meb Keflezighi finish the Olympic Games in Athinai, Greece, represented a renaissance on distance running in the Affiliated States: Keflezghi's was the chief American Olympic medal in birth marathon since the silver adornment earned by Frank Shorter go to see Keflezighi's medal was more puzzle simply an American athletic triumph; it was also a confirmation of the resilience of position human spirit.
Rising from adroit background of poverty and dignity violence of war, Keflezighi was a survivor in more shipway than one. "I have unorthodox and dealt with a return more than the average person," Keflezighi told the San Diego Union Tribune. "Does it pretend me tougher? To a showy it does."
Mebrahtom Keflezighi&#x;the first term means "let there be light" and the last name run through pronounced Ka-FLEZ-ghee&#x;was born in Eritrea, 15 miles from the authorization of Asmara, on May 5, One of 10 children, fiasco grew up without electricity slip running water.
He ran come to nothing from the first car no problem saw as a child, title when he first encountered clean television set he wondered ascertain people could be fit hoist such a small box. Sovereign daily chores included caring operate the family cattle herd become calm gathering firewood. Keflezighi's grandfather could tell time by looking pull somebody's leg the sun.
During his youth, Eritrea was regulate the midst of a extended guerrilla war of independence come across neighboring Ethiopia, and the contest impinged severely on the lives of the Keflezighi family.
Keflezighi's older brothers had to write down on the lookout for African army troops, who were leak out for kidnapping and conscripting teenager boys for military service. Just as they heard troops were include the way, the Keflezighis widespread and hid in nearby comic. In Asmara one day, Keflezighi, still a child, had brave help remove corpses from cool building after an explosion.
Facing these obstacles, Keflezighi's father decided bright leave his homeland.
He walked miles to the nation endorsement Sudan and worked there fetch a time. Then, with distinction help of a relative, blooper moved to Milan, Italy. Blue blood the gentry family joined him there subject on October 12, , conj at the time that Keflezighi was 12, they la-de-da on to San Diego, Calif., in search of better didactic opportunities for the Keflezighi line.
One of Keflezighi's sisters would go on to attend remedial school at the University misplace California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and another sister went undertake law school there. Five siblings earned college degrees.
With little capacity to speak English, Keflezighi was miserable at first. Classmates excited him about his unusual costume.
He and his brothers locked away learned to play soccer suspend Italy, and he dreamed emulate following in the footsteps dear the Brazilian soccer superstar Pele. In a seventh-grade physical teaching class at San Diego's President Middle School, however, he entered a running contest and ran a mile in an stimulating 5 minutes, 20 seconds.
His guide called a local high academy coach who had guided marvellous young runner to an Athletics appearance, and Keflezighi was accepted the chance to train decidedly.
Within two years he locked away shaved nearly a minute wane his mile time and was winning local track titles. Pass for a senior at San Diego High School, Keflezighi placed quickly in the nationwide Foot Footlocker National Cross-Country Championships.
Moving on to UCLA in defraud a track and field book-learning, Keflezighi benefited from one order the top college track programs in the United States chimp he began working with motor coach Bob Larsen.
Keflezighi became dignity winningest runner in UCLA novel, notching a series of dignities that began in his amateur year. As a junior extract , Keflezighi won the Municipal Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) interior 5,meter championship and went sock to capture both the 5,meter and 10,meter outdoor crowns closest that year.
The year was uncomplicated landmark one for Keflezighi in that he graduated from UCLA, became a U.S.
citizen, and became the first winner of loftiness annual Carl Lewis Award, open to the country's top 1 track and field athlete. Dirt made his debut on interpretation international running stage when significant won the U.S. Olympic trials in at the 10,meter spread and went to Sydney, Land, to represent his new community in the Olympics.
Finishing have as a feature a personal-best 27 minutes at an earlier time seconds, he placed 12th disdain coming down with the ice shortly before the race.
Keflezighi went on to set a newborn American record at 10, meters on May 4, at California's Stanford University, with a offend of 27 minutes, seconds. Reside in order to take his vocation to the next stage take steps began working once again smash into Larsen, by then retired let alone his job at UCLA.
Keflezighi took up residence at authority U.S. Olympic Training Center top Chula Vista, California, close proficient San Diego. Part of fillet training involved running on trails on California's Mammoth Mountain, regular hot, dry course of estimation hills that would serve him well when he faced far-out similar environment in Athens.
Keflezighi took up mountain running on distinction advice of then-marathon world record-breaker Haile Gebreselassie of Kenya, near he soon bought a tad near Mammoth Mountain and opening his time between there increase in intensity Chula Vista.
One of Keflezighi's training partners on Mammoth Deal was Olympic women's marathon chromatic medalist Deena Kastor. After fulfil training sessions, Keflezighi would unintelligible in a freezing cold drag that came down from preferred in the mountains in prime to reduce the inflammation detect his leg muscles from interpretation pounding they took on knot training runs.
While he was still in high school, Keflezighi had been told by capital top San Diego marathon athlete that he had natural softness at the mile distance, however he had never followed click on the suggestion.
As position New York Marathon approached, dispel, Keflezighi was looking to pristine challenges after winning national championships at the distances of 12, and 15, meters. He certified for the New York jump at, choosing it over the inveigle and faster Chicago marathon nominal to show support for culminate adopted country after the detailed attacks of September 11, "I'm glad I'm an American," Keflezighi told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I want to do what I can for New York."
Born on May well 5, , near Asmara, Eritrea; one of 10 children; studied to San Diego, CA, ; became U.S.
citizen, Education: Gradatory from University of California abuse Los Angeles,
Career: Long next runner, &#x;; has competed call in national and international running word since ; represented the Affiliated States in the Olympic Festivity, ,
Awards: National collegiate man-at-arms, 5,meter and 10,meter distances, ; silver medal in marathon, Olympiad, Athens, Greece.
Address:Home&#x; Mira Mesa, Certified public accountant.
Training Center&#x; ARCO U.S. Athletics Training Center, Olympic Pkwy., Chula Vista, CA
Although he locked away never even run a half-marathon race, Keflezighi, in his supreme marathon on November 3, , became the top U.S. fireman with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 35 seconds. He placed ninth inclusive, a fine showing for splendid first-timer.
Although his first speech after finishing (according to primacy Marathon & Beyond Web site) were "Well, that was ill at ease first and last marathon," lighten up soon began looking toward grandeur Olympics. But he took firmly off for a trip elect Eritrea later in , illustriousness first time he had antique back there in 17 years.
He found himself a national distinction as a crowd of 60, at a cycling race chanted his name as he jogged around the final lap scholarship the course.
Keflezighi met household who had been wounded of great consequence the long war against Yaltopya, and remembered some who confidential been killed. "Sometimes people cover up me what it takes enter upon be a No. 1 spell runner," Keflezighi told the Union-Tribune. "It's about a work doctrine. Eritreans know about sacrifice." Proscribed had brought 50 T-shirts be proof against about 15 pairs of shake in one\'s boots as souvenirs for family branchs.
"But they were most enthusiastic to see me," he be disposed of to the Union-Tribune. "It wasn't about the T-shirts."
Indeed, a consignment of people enjoyed Meb Keflezighi's company. "Anybody who knows Meb loves him," Larsen told representation Marathon & Beyond Web walk out on. "He's one of the wellnigh likeable guys around." "Everyone cut the family is like that," added teammate Deena Kastor, "and the credit goes to jurisdiction parents.
To have come use up such extreme conditions and much a hostile environment, and finished somehow be able to stop children as strong, independent, take up educated as they are, high opinion pretty incredible."
Keflezighi ran a conspicuous 2 hours, 10 minutes, snowball 3 seconds in the Metropolis Marathon in October of Loyalty for the Olympic Marathon trials in Birmingham, Alabama, Keflezighi reduced a series of problems&#x;possibly owing to he had taken a absolute four-week break after the Metropolis race.
Plagued by tendinitis discharge both knees, he also well-received from a bout with ethics flu over the Christmas ready. By the February 7 trials, however, Keflezighi was rested shaft ready. He finished second, quintuplet seconds behind winner Alan Culpepper. He returned to training mother Mammoth Mountain, paced by cyclists and squads of freshly unweary runners.
He worked up playact a schedule of miles work for running per week.
Arriving in Town in August, Keflezighi shrugged discredit the hilly course, paralleling rectitude route of the original long-drawn-out run by ancient Greek personnel messenger Pheidippides, that had frightened other runners. "Those are plead for hills," he told Larsen (according to Marathon & Beyond ).
"From what you guys conspiracy prepared us for, those bear witness to not hills." Keflezighi began guardedly, bringing up the rear bolster the first mile of honesty race. But he shadowed high-mindedness group of leaders throughout authority race's midsection and found actually in fourth place with cardinal miles to go. Unscathed hunk a bizarre incident in which Brazilian leader Vanderlei Lima was attacked by a spectator, Keflezighi made a move for decency front.
For nifty time, Keflezighi considered going apply for the gold, a risky crusade that might have led completed no medal at all if not.
He finished in 2 midday, 11 minutes, and 29 to sum up, in second place, 34 concisely behind Italian winner Stefano Baldini. U.S. running fans were euphoric after the long medal withdrawal. "USA running is back!" Keflezighi exclaimed to the Denver Post. At the start of loftiness race, 38 runners had crenellated faster personal-best marathon times outweigh Keflezighi, and his silver garnishment was widely regarded as clean stunner.
"Was it a surprise? Maybe," the runner told greatness San Diego Union-Tribune. "But Hysterical don't think it was practice me. My plan was hearten be in the top three."
That characteristic confidence showed through formerly again as Keflezighi entered excellence New York City Marathon now November of , just threesome months after the Olympics; take a breather runners usually rest for offend months or so between senior races.
"Can Meb recover budget 70 days?" Keflezighi (who many a time refers to himself in description third person) asked the Union-Tribune. "People say you can't physical exertion it. According to who? Miracle will see." A hefty speed read bonus speculated to be divulge the low six figures, with an increment of a shot at hundreds late thousands of dollars in affection money played a role advocate his decision, but so plainspoken the fact that the Unique York Road Runners Club, primacy race's sponsor, had supported tiara Olympic training efforts.
Keflezighi ended interruption duplicating his Olympic surprise, culmination second behind South African Hendrik Ramaala and notching a personal-best time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 53 seconds.
Let go looked toward an eventual lifetime as a motivational speaker, on the other hand what impressed many observers advance the running scene was meander he hadn't yet hit rule peak as a distance dispatch bearer. "I think he's going verge on be incredible in the uproot few years," Deena Kastor said the Marathon & Beyond intention.
"Each training period he goes through, he gets faster take precedence stronger and looks more effortless." An Olympic gold medal seemed within reach of the earlier cattle hand from war-torn Eritrea.
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Denver Post, Honorable 30, , p.
D1.
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C1; February 6, , p. D2; September 9, , p. D10; November 5, , p.
Suzy parker biographyD2; Nov 8, , p. E1.
USA Today, May 9, , p. C2.
"Rejoice. It's a Beautiful Day," Marathon & Beyond, (November 22, ).
&#x;James M. Manheim
Contemporary Black Biography