Addis Ababa, July 202, 2024 (FBC) – ESPN, the American international basic cable sports channel, has named the renowned Ethiopian long-distance runners Kenenisa Bekele among Africa’s 25 best athletes of the 21st century across all sporting codes.
ESPN’s star-studded top 25 list features Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, his compatriot Trunesh Dibaba, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, former Cameroon football star Samuel Eto’o, Ivory Coast national team all-time top goalscorer Didier Drogba, Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry, Kenya’s middle & long-distance sensation Faith Kipyegon, South African cricketer Jacques Kallis, Nigerian women football team star Asisat Oshoala, Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah, among others.
The list was made based on the stats and achievements of these sportspeople from the continent whose careers started since the 21st century only.
In his illustrious running career, Kenenisa is a 3 times Olympic gold medallist, 5 times World Championship gold medallist, 11 times World Cross Country Championship gold medallist, 2 time Berlin Marathon winner
He dominated the 5,000 and 10,000-metre track races throughout the 2000s and held the world record in both distances until 2020. Kenenisa set his 5,000-metre world record in 2004 and the 10,000-metre record the following year. In recent years, he has transitioned to the marathon and been one of the best at that distance too, winning the Berlin Marathon in 2016 and 2019, making him arguably the most versatile long-distance runner ever. He was named in Ethiopia’s marathon squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Meanwhile, Trunesh Dibaba has a long list of achievements in her name. She has won 3 Olympic gold medals, 5 Athletics World Championship gold medals, and 5 World Cross Country Championship gold medals.
Arguably the greatest female distance runner of all-time, the Ethiopian has dominated the 5,000m and 10,000m races for much of the millennium and also won gold at the 2017 Chicago Marathon. Dibaba had a rivalry with compatriot Meseret Defar in the 3,000 and 5,000 metre races, particularly in the mid-2000s. Ultimately, Dibaba proved to be the more versatile athlete, as evidenced by her success in the marathon.
After learning this story, Kenenisa thanked ESPN, stating via a social media statement that he is “truly humble” to be recognized as the best athlete in Africa since the dawn of 21st century. “I am deeply honored and grateful to ESPN for recognizing me as the best athlete of the 21st century! It is truly humbling to receive such a prestigious title, and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me throughout my athletic journey. Thank you to all my fans, friends, family, and supporters for believing in me and inspiring me to reach new heights.”