Nigeria Content Online

Marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has reversed his decision to retire and will continue to run competitively.

The Ethiopian great
dropped out of his first New York City Marathon on November 7 because
of a knee injury and immediately announced he was quitting athletics.

“On Saturday he
travelled to Wollega (in Ethiopia), where there was a race being held,
and he said that as long as he is healthy he will continue to run,” his
coach Woldemeskel Kostre told Reuters by telephone.

“Local reporters asked him and he told them he will continue running.”

Gebrselassie, 37,
regarded as the best male distance runner of all time after setting 27
world records, was in Wollega as a celebrity starter for Sunday’s Great
Nekemte 10-km run.

“As long as he has
the desire and the willingness he can keep running until he’s 45,” said
Kostre. “People here have been urging him to continue running.”
Ethiopian television reported that Gebrselassie said he would continue
to prepare for the 2012 London Olympics.

Not the first time

The veteran also
performed a retirement U-turn after calling time on his track career
following the 2004 Athens Olympics when he finished out of the medals
in the 10,000 meters.

Dubbed ‘The
Emperor’ in Addis Ababa where he is revered, Gebrselassie won 10,000
gold at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics and claimed four consecutive world
titles at the distance.

He has been equally impressive on the roads and set the world marathon record in Berlin in 2008.

In a statement on
Monday, Gebrselassie’s manager Jos Hermens said he had had a chance to
think things over since his sudden decision to quit.

“Many people, also
close to Haile, asked him to come back on his decision. When he made
his emotional decision, he did not foresee the impact that it would
have for his people and the youth in Ethiopia,” Hermens said.

“Haile agreed it was not the time and not the way to stop.”

Reuters