From: yohannes debesai (ydebesai@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Jul 27 2008 - 08:03:49 EDT
Teklemariam: Great Eritrean runner sets the highest standards !
He participated in Japan as his first international competition. He is tall with a calm personality. He starts slow and finishes strong in his races.
He is new but a great distance runner and beat so many runners who represented Eritrea in international competition during the competition EAAA conducted in Asmara stadium, in 2005. In his first 5K race in Asmara stadium, he finished 6th place to win EAAA t-shirt and money. His performance was so moving and EAAA decided to support him in the last three year.
His name is Teklemariam Medhin.
In just three years, he made it to the Olympics. He will be lined up with Zerisenay Tadesse in the 10,000m.
His performances are amazing and his life story was even more touching.
Teklemariam is very poor. He has been taking care of his family after his father. He was senior in high school when EAAA met him in 2005 and works as laborer, minewale, to support him self and his family. The short window of time he gets is used for training. EAAA asked Teklemariam to stop working and focus in training; and has been supporting him financially since 2005.
Teklemariam Medhin, with such challenges, was able to qualify to represent Eritrea in the World Cross Country Championships standing 4th in the nation in his junior division. To see him qualify for the international competition is amazing with few months but challenging training.
Too see him finish in Japan at 14th place from the world and helping to place Eritrea 3rd for a bronze medal left many people that knew him speechless.
No Eritrean runner has finished as strong as Teklemariam on their first international race. Even Zerisenay Tadesse finished 30th on his first International World Cross Country Championships in 2002.
For many Teklemariam is a national hero who has set the highest standard for Eritrean runners! He is an inspiration for all of us to do what is unthinkable !
God bless his heart, he is young and has his future ahead of him. He might be the future great Eritrean runner and it is a blessing for us to have such a young and dedicated athlete.
Please watch for Teklemariam and feel pride for his unparalleled dedication and unbelievable performance.
God bless Eritrean Athletics,
Yohannes Debesai
The bible says, "What ever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."
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