Gezahegne Abera

About

Gezahegne Abera is an Ethiopian athlete renowned for his achievements in long-distance running. Born on April 23, 1978, in Etya, Arsi Province, he rose to prominence with his first international competition at the 1999 Los Angeles Marathon, where he finished fourth. This performance earned him a spot in the Ethiopian team for the 1999 World Championships, where he placed eleventh. Abera's career highlights include winning the 2000 Sydney Olympics marathon at just 22 years old, making him the youngest champion since 1932. Abera further solidified his status by becoming the first male runner to win both the Olympic and World Championships marathons, achieving the latter in 2001. He also won the London Marathon in 2003. Despite his impressive career, repeated injuries led to an early retirement. Abera is married to fellow athlete Elfenesh Alemu and has ventured into business, owning a hotel and property development company. He remains involved in athletics as a member of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation.