Miruts Yifter
Encyclopedia
Miruts Yifter (Amharic: ምሩፅ ይፍጠር) (b. on May 15, 1944)[1
n athlete, winner of two gold medal
s at the 1980 Summer Olympics
. His name is also sometimes spelled as Muruse Yefter.
Born in Adigrat
, in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia, Miruts Yifter spent early parts of his youth working in different factories and as a carriage driver. His talent as a long-distance runner was noticed when he joined the Ethiopian Air Force
.
Yifter was called to the Ethiopian national team for the 1968 Summer Olympics
in Mexico City
, but he made his Olympic debut four years later in Munich Olympics
where he won a bronze medal
in 10,000 metres. However, he arrived too late for the 5000 metres
final.
In the 1973 All-Africa Games
he won one gold medal (10,000 m) and one silver
(5000 m). At the 1st African Championships
in 1979 he won two gold medals (5000 and 10,000 metres).
Yifter was unable to participate in the 1976 Summer Olympics
, because his nation boycotted the event. Four years later in Moscow
, Yifter made up for his disappointments. In the final of the 10,000 m he sprinted into the lead 300 m from the finish and won by ten metres. Five days later, in the 5000 m final, Yifter was boxed in during the last lap. But with 300 m to go, his Ethiopian teammate, Mohamed Kedir, stepped aside and Yifter again sprinted to victory. Due to his abrupt change in speed when executing his kick to the finish, Yifter is commonly referred to as "Yifter the Shifter."
At Coamo, Puerto Rico on February 6, 1977, Yifter ran a World Best for the half-marathon of 1:02:57.
At the Moscow Olympics, part of the mystery surrounding Miruts Yifter was the question of his age, which was reported to be between 33 and 42. Yifter refused to give a definitive answer, telling reporters:
The most common versions about his date of birth are January 1, 1938 or May 15, 1944 (see IAAF Profile).
Yifter continued to compete into the early 1980s, running on Ethiopia's gold medal winning team at the 1982 and 1983 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
.
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 athlete, winner of two gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. His name is also sometimes spelled as Muruse Yefter.
Born in Adigrat
Adigrat
Adigrat is a city in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Misraqawi Zone at longitude and latitude with an elevation of 2457 meters above sea level, below a high ridge to the west, Adigrat is the last important Ethiopian city south of the border with Eritrea, and is considered to be a...
, in the Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
of Ethiopia, Miruts Yifter spent early parts of his youth working in different factories and as a carriage driver. His talent as a long-distance runner was noticed when he joined the Ethiopian Air Force
Ethiopian Air Force
The Ethiopian Air Force is the air arm of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and is tasked with protecting the air space, providing support to the ground forces as well as assisting during national emergencies.- Early years :...
.
Yifter was called to the Ethiopian national team for the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, but he made his Olympic debut four years later in Munich Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
where he won a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in 10,000 metres. However, he arrived too late for the 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
final.
In the 1973 All-Africa Games
Athletics at the 1973 All-Africa Games
The second All-Africa Games were held in Lagos, Nigeria in January 1973.Ten new events were added, three for the men, 10,000 metres, marathon and hammer throw and seven for the women, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres, shot put, discus throw and 4 x 400 metres relay...
he won one gold medal (10,000 m) and one silver
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
(5000 m). At the 1st African Championships
1979 African Championships in Athletics
The 1979 African Championships in Athletics were held in the Stade Demba Diop in Dakar, Senegal. There were a total number of 251 competitors from 24 countries, with 23 men's and 16 women's events.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:...
in 1979 he won two gold medals (5000 and 10,000 metres).
Yifter was unable to participate in the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, because his nation boycotted the event. Four years later in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Yifter made up for his disappointments. In the final of the 10,000 m he sprinted into the lead 300 m from the finish and won by ten metres. Five days later, in the 5000 m final, Yifter was boxed in during the last lap. But with 300 m to go, his Ethiopian teammate, Mohamed Kedir, stepped aside and Yifter again sprinted to victory. Due to his abrupt change in speed when executing his kick to the finish, Yifter is commonly referred to as "Yifter the Shifter."
At Coamo, Puerto Rico on February 6, 1977, Yifter ran a World Best for the half-marathon of 1:02:57.
At the Moscow Olympics, part of the mystery surrounding Miruts Yifter was the question of his age, which was reported to be between 33 and 42. Yifter refused to give a definitive answer, telling reporters:
The most common versions about his date of birth are January 1, 1938 or May 15, 1944 (see IAAF Profile).
Yifter continued to compete into the early 1980s, running on Ethiopia's gold medal winning team at the 1982 and 1983 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | African Championships 1979 African Championships in Athletics The 1979 African Championships in Athletics were held in the Stade Demba Diop in Dakar, Senegal. There were a total number of 251 competitors from 24 countries, with 23 men's and 16 women's events.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:... |
Dakar, Senegal | 1st | 5000 m | 14:14.0 |
| 1st | 10,000 m | 29:08.0 | |||