2. Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele
Bekoji Town in Ethiopia has birthed some of the greatest long distance runners in the world, who have collectively produced 16 Olympic medals within a space of 20 years. They include the Dibaba sisters, their cousin Derartu Tulu (the first Ethiopian woman to win an Olympic GOLD medal) and Fatuma Roba; Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele also fall into this category.
Kenenisa is one of the greatest long distance athletes of ALL TIME and holds the World and Olympic records in both the 5,000m and 10,000m. The 33-year old is the most accomplished runner in IAAF World Cross Country Championships history, with 11 individual and 4 team titles to his name. He won the 5000m/10000m DOUBLE at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, setting Olympic Records in both events.
(Photo Credit: Lars Baron/Bongarts)
He repeated same at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, with a World Championship Record of 26:46.31 in the 10000m, making him the the first man to accomplish this outstanding feat. He was unable to replicate same at the London 2012 Olympics, following an injury plagued season, and finished 4th in the 5000m, just 1.01s outside the Bronze medallist, his brother Tariku. Kenenisa has a whopping 3 Olympic GOLDs/1 Silver and 5 World Championships titles to his credit and plans on making a return next year.
(Photo Credit: PacificCoastNews.com)
Tariku specializes in the 5000m and is the 4th fastest Ethiopian ever over 5000m/3000m. He was the 2006 World Junior Champion over 3000m and won GOLD in the 2008 World Indoor Championships in the same distance. The 28-year old failed to finish his race at the recent National Trials for the forthcoming World Championships, and is unlikely to make the Beijing team.
