Getu Feleke
Encyclopedia
Getu Feleke is an Ethiopia
n long-distance runner who runs mainly in half marathon
and marathon
races. He won the 2010 Amsterdam Marathon
with a course record time of 2:05:44.
He began competing at the top level at the end of 2008, with his first major run coming at the Montferland Run
15K race. He was among the leaders at 10 km (6 mi) but fell back and eventually ended up in sixth place. He stepped up a distance for the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in March the following year and set a personal best of 1:00:36 for the event, taking fourth place behind fellow Ethiopian Dereje Tesfaye. His debut over the marathon distance came as part of a "débutantes only" theme at the Vienna City Marathon that year. He clocked a time of 2:11:42 which was enough for seventh place.
He returned to the Netherlands
in September to run his first major 10-mile race – the Dam tot Damloop
– and this time he reached the podium. By finishing in third place with a time of 45:29, he was only beaten by the experienced Kenyan runners Moses Masai and Charles Kamathi
. The competition served as preparation for the Amsterdam Marathon
the following month. In a quick-paced race, it was Kenyan Gilbert Yegon
who won, beating Haile Gebrselassie
's course record. Although he was three minutes behind, Feleke's run of 2:09:32 for eighth was still a large improvement to his personal best. A return to the Montferland Run, his last race of the year, saw no progress upon his 2008 performance, as he finished sixth for a second time.
Getu was one of four men to complete the RAK Half Marathon in under an hour in February 2010, his personal best run of 59:56 minutes bringing him fourth place. The Prague Marathon in May was his third race over the classic distance and he bettered his best yet again by recording a time of 2:08:04, although Nicholas Kipruto Koech beat him out of the top three. He did not compete again until October when he returned to the Amsterdam Marathon, entering the race as the fourth fastest on paper. He left the competition as the fastest man, slicing over half a minute off Yegon's year-old course record with a run of 2:05:44. He paid thanks to his trainer, former athlete Getaneh Tessema, for his first victory over the distance with a time establishing him as the fifth fastest Ethiopian ever over the marathon.
He returned to the RAK Half Marathon at the start of the following year but was a minute and a half off his best time, finishing in sixth.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n long-distance runner who runs mainly in half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
and marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
races. He won the 2010 Amsterdam Marathon
Amsterdam Marathon
The Amsterdam Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195km held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since 1975. It is one of the top ten marathons in the world.-History:...
with a course record time of 2:05:44.
He began competing at the top level at the end of 2008, with his first major run coming at the Montferland Run
Montferland Run
Montferland Run is a 15-kilometres road running competition held every December in 's-Heerenberg, Montferland municipality, the Netherlands.-Winners:Key:- External links :**...
15K race. He was among the leaders at 10 km (6 mi) but fell back and eventually ended up in sixth place. He stepped up a distance for the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in March the following year and set a personal best of 1:00:36 for the event, taking fourth place behind fellow Ethiopian Dereje Tesfaye. His debut over the marathon distance came as part of a "débutantes only" theme at the Vienna City Marathon that year. He clocked a time of 2:11:42 which was enough for seventh place.
He returned to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in September to run his first major 10-mile race – the Dam tot Damloop
Dam tot Damloop
Dam tot Damloop is an annual road running competition held in the Netherlands. It is a 10-mile race from Amsterdam to Zaandam. The event was first held in 1985.-Winners:- External links :**...
– and this time he reached the podium. By finishing in third place with a time of 45:29, he was only beaten by the experienced Kenyan runners Moses Masai and Charles Kamathi
Charles Kamathi
Charles Waweru Kamathi is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is best known for winning the 10,000 metres distance at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton.-Early life and career:...
. The competition served as preparation for the Amsterdam Marathon
Amsterdam Marathon
The Amsterdam Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195km held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since 1975. It is one of the top ten marathons in the world.-History:...
the following month. In a quick-paced race, it was Kenyan Gilbert Yegon
Gilbert Yegon
Gilbert Yegon is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathon races.He began taking part in road races in 2008, and he ran a time of 1:02:43 at the Nairobi Half Marathon for third place. He entered the Berlin Half Marathon the following year and improved his time to 1:01:26, finishing in...
who won, beating Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
's course record. Although he was three minutes behind, Feleke's run of 2:09:32 for eighth was still a large improvement to his personal best. A return to the Montferland Run, his last race of the year, saw no progress upon his 2008 performance, as he finished sixth for a second time.
Getu was one of four men to complete the RAK Half Marathon in under an hour in February 2010, his personal best run of 59:56 minutes bringing him fourth place. The Prague Marathon in May was his third race over the classic distance and he bettered his best yet again by recording a time of 2:08:04, although Nicholas Kipruto Koech beat him out of the top three. He did not compete again until October when he returned to the Amsterdam Marathon, entering the race as the fourth fastest on paper. He left the competition as the fastest man, slicing over half a minute off Yegon's year-old course record with a run of 2:05:44. He paid thanks to his trainer, former athlete Getaneh Tessema, for his first victory over the distance with a time establishing him as the fifth fastest Ethiopian ever over the marathon.
He returned to the RAK Half Marathon at the start of the following year but was a minute and a half off his best time, finishing in sixth.