Haile Gebrselassie ends illustrious career

NEW YORK - Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, one of the greatest ever distance runners, announced his retirement Sunday after quitting the New York Marathon injured.

“I am retiring … Let me do another job,” Gebrselassie, 37, told a news conference after pulling out with right knee problems after 25 km.

Known for his devastating kick in the final lap and his constant smile, Gebrselassie was one of the most popular and the most successful distance runner over almost two decades.

He burst onto the scene with a first of four straight 10,000 metres world titles 1993 in Stuttgart and won Olympic gold over the distance 1996 in Atlanta and 2000 in Sydney.

Gebrselassie was a world record holder over 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres and ended his track career with a 10,000 metres bronze at the 2003 worlds.

Moving on to the marathon, Gebrselassie claimed the world record 2007 in Berlin and bettered it there the following year to 2 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds.

Further world record attempts failed and Gebrselassie’s last success was in his first Great North Run in Britain two months ago, winning the race from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields in a time of 59 minutes 33 seconds.