From left: Ethiopia's athletics legend Haile Gebrselassie, former 3000m world record holder, former world marathon record holder Moroccan-born American Khalid Khannouchi and two-time Boston Marathon champion ahead of the Great Ethiopian Run 10km Road Race in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on November 21, 2025.
In Addis Ababa
Haile Gebrselassie has had many battles with Kenyan greats, but former world record holder in men’s 3000 metres, Daniel Komen of Kenya’s victory against the Ethiopian athletics legend, delivered on Zurich track in 1997 in front of Gebrselassie’s newlywed wife Alem Gebrselassie, stands out.
The race, which was part of the prestigious Weltklasse meet in Zurich, came just days after Gebrselassie’s wedding in Addis Ababa. He was not at his best.
He was yet to regain form, having competed in 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and he reportedly suffered blisters from running on the hard track in Atlanta. In contrast, Komen was younger and fitter.
Confident but still carrying fatigue from a long season, Gebrselassie lined up against a hungry and fearless Komen. What unfolded was a brutal display of searing pace.
Unbeknownst to the Ethiopian, Komen was still smarting from failing to make Team Kenya for the 1996 Olympics, and was out to prove to the world that he was the best runner in middle and long distance at the time, and what better way to do it than to beat an Olympic champion?
Middle distance legend Daniel Komen during the interview with Nation Sport at Eldoret’s Potters House Academy in Uasin Gishu County where he is a director on February 16, 2023.
With five laps to go, it was evident that Gebrselassie could not keep up with Komen’s breathtaking pace. Komen won the race in 12 minutes and 45.09 seconds, missing Gebrselassie’s world record (12:44:39) by a whisker. Komen surged early, maintained a relentless tempo, and crossed the finish ahead of the Ethiopian superstar.
Speaking to Nation Sport at his office in Addis Ababa on Saturday on the eve of the 2025 Great Ethiopian Run, Gebrselassie admitted that it was one of the most painful losses of his career, not just because he finished in second, but because his wife witnessed it all.
Komen and Gebrselassie shared the platform as the Great Ethiopian Run 10km road race turned 25. They were also joined by former world half-marathon record holder Moses Tanui of Kenya, and former world marathon record holder, Moroccan-born American Khalid Khannouchi.
Home runner Yismaw Dillu won men’s 10km race in 28:25.2 ahead of Eyob Simegn (28:28.6) and Dinkalem Ayele (28:29.2). Melknat Wudu won women’s race in 32:10.2 ahead of Ftaw Zeray (32:11.5) and Meselech Alemayehu (32:21.7).
“I’m happy that as we celebrate 25 years since we started the race, many guests managed to grace the event and one of them is Komen who beat me in front of my newly-wed wife in 1997 Weltklasse meet in Zurich. That year, I was confident that I was going to win that race and I wanted her (Alem) to see me running live from the terraces but Komen did the unthinkable. He surged forward, forcing me to finish second and disappointed,” Gebrselassie recounted.
Gebrselassie later said that Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes need each other to spice up athletics competitions in the world.
“Of course, earlier we had other Kenyan athletes whom we competed with and I managed to beat them, but not Komen. I didn’t expect him to humiliate me...but that’s competition, and we have to accept the outcome,” Gebrselassie added.
Former 10,000m world champion Moses Tanui also took on Gebrselassie at the 1993 Stuttgart IAAF World Athletics Championships. Tanui was seeking to defend his 10,000m title, and Gebrselassie had just graduated to the senior ranks and was seeking to register his presence. As the race picked up Tanui and Gebrselassie were in the leading pack and a few meters to the bell, the Ethiopian made contact with Tanui's shoes, causing the Kenyan to lose balance.
Tanui, who is now race director of Eldoret Marathon, ran with one shoe for the rest of the race, and Gebrselassie went on to win his first senior gold medal, beating an angry Tanui. A visibly angry Tanui refused to shake Gebrselassie’s hand after the race. The two have since buried the hatchet and are great friends.
Josphat Machuka.
“Whenever we meet, I always tell him ‘Moses, you have to tie your shoes well next time we are running’ because we have become good friends. We have a partnership with the race he started in Eldoret, and we are looking forward to making it big and better each year,” added Gebrselassie.
In men’s 10,000m race of the 1992 World Athletics Junior Championships, Kenya’s Josphat Machuka punched Gebrselassie in the last few meters of the race, propelling the Ethiopian to win the race at Machuka’s expense. Second-placed Machuka was disqualified due to the incident.
Haile was young, but he already had tactical running where he surged forward in the final part of the race, which did not amuse Machuka, hence punching him in his back.
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