Opinion The Last Emperor

On November 8 the curtain fell on the career of one of track and field’s best known superstars: the quiet and understated Ethiopian,Haile Gebrselassie. The Emperor may have been brought down to one knee by tendonitis,but in everyone’s collective memory his legend remains airborne. The writing had been on the wall for a few years now,despite his commitment and passion. Plagued by injuries,fatigue and,unfortunately,with time and age catching up on him,it was only a matter of time before the hard concrete tracks wore his body and resistance down. At the age of 37,thankfully,he decided to call it a career with his head held high and legacy intact. At 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 56 kg,he was hardly an imposing figure. All of that changed,however,the moment he hit his stride,either on the track or on concrete. He learnt both the discipline of running 10 km daily as well as his distinctive running style (with his left arm crooked as if he were holding his school books) from his rigours as a young school boy growing up on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.His records,of course,speak for themselves. With 27 world records across disciplines,ranging from 1500 m to the marathon,two Olympic golds in 10,000 m,and nearly a baker’s dozen of medals in the Worlds,there is quite simply no other athlete like him. Not merely because of the quantifiable records and plaudits. What strikes one when looking at Haile’s legacy is the longevity,the length and breadth of his accomplishments and,above all else,his ability to transition and excel. He was and is a diminutive giant. The man has set world records in 1500 m,2000 m,3000 m,5000 m,10 km (10,000 m),10 miles,20 km,30 km and,most recently,in 2008 at the Berlin marathon. One makes much ado of the accomplishments of the likes of Sergei Bubka in the pole vault,Michael Phelps in swimming,Manny Pacquiao in boxing,and Dan O’Brien in the decathlon. However,Haile’s accomplishments eclipse their combined efforts by virtue of diversity,versatility and sheer ability. Setting world records in 12 distinct disciplines,over a career that spanned nearly two decades,is incredible in and of itself,but what sticks out is that his last world record (at the Berlin marathon) came at the age of 35,in an event that was as different from his initial core disciplines (5000 m and 10,000 m) as chalk is from cheese. When you take into account that he has had an untainted legacy,with nary a whisper of drug use/abuse,or the slightest allegation of foul play,unsportsmanlike conduct or excuses,then you have a better idea of what this man has achieved. He has carried the weight and expectations of a strife-ridden nation on his narrow shoulders,occasionally even running against his better judgment at times. His legendary races against Paul Tergat of Kenya were pivotal in popularising distance running. He has single-handedly mentored his younger compatriots to the point where his heir-in-waiting also happens to be the man who has unseated him at the top of the world records and personal bests: countryman Kenenisa Bekele. Critics may point to his reluctance to run in the marathon at the Beijing Olympics (he did run in the 10,000 m event),but there was a valid reason for that. As an asthmatic who eventually had to call it quits on shorter distances due to the untenable pressure that running put on his breathing,his concerns regarding air quality levels were legitimate at the time. In hindsight,he felt he ought to have run the marathon as well,but for a man who put pride and his country above and before all else,it was time for his health to take precedence.

This is a time when athletics is once again on the comeback trail: globally with superstars such as Bolt,and in India with the stunning success of the Indian track team at the CWG. Therefore,the magnitude of the moment isn’t lost on any of us. Let’s say goodbye to the greatest of all distance runners the world has ever seen,and one of sport’s greatest statesmen. Thank you Geb,it’s been a privilege.

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The writer is a Delhi-based sports attorney express@expressindia.com