New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS): Haile Gebrselassie, one of the greatest distance runners in history, will be the International Event Ambassador at next month's Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2022, the organisers announced on Thursday.
The Ethiopian won the 10,000 m gold in successive Olympics (1996 & 2000) and eight World Championships Indoor and Outdoor track titles from the 1,500 m to the 10,000 m in a storied career.
Gebrselassie also won the World Half Marathon Championships in 2001 and nine major marathons, including the Berlin Marathon four times in succession. In 2008, he took the Berlin Marathon in a then world record time of 2:03.59 at age 35.
"There are few things more inspiring and joyful than seeing a city run together. When we run together, we stay together, we win together," said Gebrselassie.
"Running and the community are the two things that are most important to me, and an event like the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon brings them together in a unique way. The enthusiasm of the host city inspires something special in everyone involved in making this beautiful event possible. I'm going to be cheering all the runners as we celebrate the different hues of Delhi. See you at the start line," he added.
His incredible career achievements include an astonishing 27 world records across distances, making him arguably the greatest distance runner of all time.
"We are thrilled to have Gebrselassie as the International Event Ambassador, and who better than a legend to inspire the runners! Gebrselassie was a trailblazer who made the impossible possible," said Vivek Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International.
"Transformation and aspiration are at the heart of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, which has motivated thousands across Delhi and India to take up a healthy lifestyle," he added.
The world's prestigious Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race, will be held on Sunday, October 16. Uganda's Half Marathon World Record holder Jacob Kiplimo will headline a top-class field for the 17th edition.
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2022 will have both physical and virtual races. The physical race categories are the half marathon, Open 10K, Great Delhi Run (5 km), Senior Citizens' Run (3 km), and the Champions with Disability Run (3 km).