Haile Gebrselassie Continues Winning Streak

Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie, the former world-record holder in the marathon, isn’t done competing–not by a long shot. At Sunday’s Zevenheuvelenloop (Seven Hills Run) in the Netherlands, the 38-year-old broke the tape. His time for the 15K race was 42:44. Second place went to Kenya’s Vincent Kipruto (43:15), while Samsom Gezaihai of Eritrea was third in 43:56.

Gebrselassie’s victory on Sunday was his third in the Seven Hills Run. He previously won the race in 1994 and 2005.

“The beginning was too slow,” he remarked afterwards, referring to the opening 5K that was run in 14:38.

Gebrselassie, who had dropped out of the Berlin Marathon in September, is now focusing on the Tokyo Marathon in February. There, he hopes to qualify for the Ethiopian Olympic team at next year’s 2012 Olympic games in London.

In the women’s race, Waganesh Mekasha was the women’s winner in 48:33. She finished far ahead of the second and third-place finishers–both from Japan, Aki Odagiri (49:42) and Ayame Takagiri (49:44).
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