Marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie retires from athletics

Marathon champion marathon runner, Haile Gebrselassie, has announced his retirement from athletics. After dropping out of this year’s ING New York Marathon after 16 miles with an injured knee, the 37-year-old Ethiopian declared that he had run his last race.



The twice Olympic champion said "I never thought about retirement. But for the first time, this is the day".



He had a medical check-up prior to Sunday's New York marathon showing that he had fluid and tendonitis in his knee. This is likely to have contributed to the Ethiopian being unable to finish the race.



Gebrselassie has had an outstanding running career. He accomplished 27 world records, including the current marathon record, achieved two years ago in the 2008 Berlin Marathon with a time of two hours three minutes and 59 seconds. He also won two Olympic gold medals, in Atlanta and Sydney, not forgetting a number of World Championship titles.



When asked about his decision Gebrselassie said "Let me do another job," he added. "Let me give a chance to the youngsters. I did very hard work to win this race, it didn't work."



Having developed a successful business in his home country, the Ethiopian will not be taking it easy. He has his own running club, set up a school in Addis Ababa and provides jobs for more than 1,000 people in his home town, where he is highly respected and often referred to as 'The Emperor'.



Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam, was surprised and apparently somewhat saddened by Gebrselassie the turn of events. Despite winning the race, he said that he was sad to have seen his fellow national exit the race.



Gebremariam went on to express his admiration of Gebrselassie indicating how much he will be missed, saying "Haile is a good guy, he is king. I have learned so many things from him."



But is this really the last we’ll see of Haile Gebrselassie? Only two days before the New York Marathon the legendary runner said that this race was to be the start of a build up to the next Olympic Marathon in London 2012.