It appears Ethiopia has got more than her fair share of track exploits and experts. One may never be able to comprehensively sing of Africa’s first-rate accomplishments in the international athletic sphere without mentioning Ethiopia’s vast contribution.
So I guess you understand if it appears that we vaunt Ethiopia’s achievements especially in athletics more than others.
Derartu Tulu, Gezahegne Abera, Bezunesh Bekele, Almensh Belete, Meseret Defar, Haile Gebrselassie, Tirunesh Dibaba, Baruch Dego, Theodor Gebre Selassi, Abreham Cherkos Feleke. The list continues………..
Abreham Cherkos Feleke is not different from his brethren, in the sense that he has the same athletic blood running in his veins; but unlike some of them, he found courage to pursue his passion at a very young age.
Born in Asella, Oromia Region in Ethiopia, Abreham Cherkos is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary young athletes that have come out of Ethiopia. His international debut was at the World Youth Championships in 2005, where he won the world youth title ahead of Ibrahim Jalian, another promising Ethiopian track talent.
His swiftness remains a cause for worry to his fellow runners. In 2005, he set a World Youth best of 7:32.37 for the 3000 m in Lausanne and In 2006 Abreham started off his promising international year by beating veteran runner Abraham Chebii of Kenya at the Carlsbad 5000, at the completion of the 5 km road race in 13:14.
The young African’s unremitting passion for long distant running is highly inspiring. At sixteen, Abreham was running under the world record 12 years earlier. He completed the 2006 season with a silver medal in the 2006 World Junior Championships, a few steps behind fellow Ethiopian Tariku Bekele. Few months later, the tables where eventually turned at the IAAF World Athletics Final when Abreham outran Tariku, landing a beautiful finish.
In 2008, he finished third against revered athletes at the discipline at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships and later the same year, he finished fifth at the 2008 Beijing in the 5000 m later that year.
For Abreham, the years could only mean greater victories and more amazing records. In 2011, he began with a run at the Roma- Osita Half Marathon and finished fourth in 61:42 minutes. Next, was his appearance at the 2011 Boston Marathon where he ended in fifth place with a time of 2:06:13, which became his personal best.
2012 didn’t see much of him on the tracks, as he spent most of the time training and getting ready for the coming seasons. His only outing that year was at the London Marathon.
Armed with courage and fresh determination, he made his next appearance at the Seoul International Marathon where he ran a legal-course best of 2: 07:08 and finished fifth.
Abreham remains at the top of his game, doing what he knows best and reaping unbelievable benefits. He found his passion and now, he lives it.
