Mebrahtom Keflezighi
Encyclopedia
Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi (icon; Ge'ez
: መብራህቶም ክፍልእዝጊ mebrāhtōm kifl'igzī; born May 5, 1975 in Asmara
, Eritrea
) is an American
athlete, specializing in long distance running
. He and his family were refugee
s from Eritrea via Italy
to the United States
, when he was age 12. He began running while in an American Junior High School in San Diego, going on to win both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at the CIF California State Championships
in 1994 for San Diego High School
.
, whose change of domicile and citizenship had been for largely competitive reasons. Meb Keflezighi became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1998, the same year in which he graduated from UCLA
. While at UCLA Meb received numerous All-American awards and other accolades. He won four NCAA championships
during the 1996-97 season, including the cross-country title, the 10,000 meters
outdoors and the 5000 meters
indoors and outdoors titles in track.
Meb Keflezighi is a three-time national champion in cross country running
, having won the USA Cross Country Championships
in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
In the 2004 Summer Olympics
, Meb finished second in the men's marathon
, winning a silver medal
in a personal season's best time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 29 seconds. He finished 42 seconds ahead of Brazil
ian Vanderlei de Lima
, who was leading the marathon, until he was pushed off the course by protester Cornelius Horan. This was the first medal won by an American man in the Olympic marathon since Frank Shorter
won the gold
in the 1972 Summer Olympics
and took the silver medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal
.
His fastest times for some standard distances are 3:42.29 for 1500 meters
, set in 1998; 13:11.77 for 5000 meters, set in 2000; 27:13.98 for 10,000 meters, set in 2001 (an American record which stood until 2010); and 2:09:15 for the marathon
, set in 2009 at the New York City Marathon
.
In 2007, Meb Keflezighi suffered from dehydration and broke his hip during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in Central Park
. He finished in eighth place and did not qualify for the team. During the race, his friend and training partner Ryan Shay
died of a heart attack.
He won the 2009 New York City Marathon
, setting a personal best of 2:09:15. Meb was the first American to win the marathon since 1982.
On April 19, 2010 Meb Keflezighi ran his third fastest time of 2:09:26 while finishing 5th in the 114th Boston Marathon
, despite training at half his usual mileage with a knee injury. He ran with the leaders for much of the race before slowing at the finish. He ran the San Jose Half Marathon as part of his preparation towards a New York title defense and he comfortably won by a margin of three minutes, finishing in 1:01:45.
Meb Keflezighi lives and trains in Mammoth Lakes, California
, and is a member of the New York Athletic Club (Announced November 4, 2011) .
On Oct. 11, 2010, he released his autobiography, "Run To Overcome," which was published by Tyndale House Publishers. The book, co-authored with noted sports writer Dick Patrick, included recollections about major milestones in his life, such as his Olympic competitions and other running highlights, as well as his early years, leading up to the present day. He is also the driving force behind the MEB Foundation, the "MEB" standing for "Maintaining Excellent Balance," which principally promotes healthy living, and other positive lifestyle choices and motivation for school-age youth.
Ge'ez alphabet
Ge'ez , also called Ethiopic, is a script used as an abugida for several languages of Ethiopia and Eritrea but originated in an abjad used to write Ge'ez, now the liturgical language of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Church...
: መብራህቶም ክፍልእዝጊ mebrāhtōm kifl'igzī; born May 5, 1975 in Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
, Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete, specializing in long distance running
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
. He and his family were refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from Eritrea via Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, when he was age 12. He began running while in an American Junior High School in San Diego, going on to win both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at the CIF California State Championships
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
in 1994 for San Diego High School
San Diego High School
San Diego High School is an urban public educational complex comprising six small schools located on the southern edge of Balboa Park, in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. It is the oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District and one of the...
.
Career
The distinction of Meb's homegrown American running history differentiated him from other African-born elite athletes, such as Bernard LagatBernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
, whose change of domicile and citizenship had been for largely competitive reasons. Meb Keflezighi became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1998, the same year in which he graduated from UCLA
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
. While at UCLA Meb received numerous All-American awards and other accolades. He won four NCAA championships
NCAA Track and Field Championship
The NCAA Track and Field Championship may refer to one of four competitions:*the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*the NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship...
during the 1996-97 season, including the cross-country title, the 10,000 meters
10000 metres
The 10,000 metres or 10K is a common long distance running event. As "10,000 metres" it is a track event, and appears in athletics events such as the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics; as "10K" it is a roadrace or cross country running event...
outdoors and the 5000 meters
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
indoors and outdoors titles in track.
Meb Keflezighi is a three-time national champion in cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, having won the USA Cross Country Championships
USA Cross Country Championships
The USA Cross Country Championships is the annual national championships for cross country running in the United States. The championships is generally held in mid-February and it serves as a way of designating the country's national champion, as well as acting as the selection race for the IAAF...
in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
In the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Meb finished second in the men's marathon
Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon
The Men's Marathon event at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place on August 29, 2004 in the streets of Athens, Greece. The streets were recently painted for the event, which provided an excellent road surface for the athletes. Drawing upon the ancient origins of the race, the marathon began in...
, winning a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in a personal season's best time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 29 seconds. He finished 42 seconds ahead of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Vanderlei de Lima
Vanderlei de Lima
Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima is a former long-distance runner who specialised in marathons. He received international renown after a spectator, a laicized Irish priest, attacked him at the 2004 Summer Olympics marathon while he was leading the race at 35 km...
, who was leading the marathon, until he was pushed off the course by protester Cornelius Horan. This was the first medal won by an American man in the Olympic marathon since Frank Shorter
Frank Shorter
Frank Charles Shorter is a former American long-distance runner who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics. His victory is credited with igniting the running boom in the United States of the 1970s....
won the gold
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
and took the silver medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
His fastest times for some standard distances are 3:42.29 for 1500 meters
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
, set in 1998; 13:11.77 for 5000 meters, set in 2000; 27:13.98 for 10,000 meters, set in 2001 (an American record which stood until 2010); and 2:09:15 for the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
, set in 2009 at the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
.
In 2007, Meb Keflezighi suffered from dehydration and broke his hip during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. He finished in eighth place and did not qualify for the team. During the race, his friend and training partner Ryan Shay
Ryan Shay
Ryan Shay was an American professional long-distance runner. He was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and attended the University of Notre Dame. He was married to Alicia Craig, also an American distance runner...
died of a heart attack.
He won the 2009 New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
, setting a personal best of 2:09:15. Meb was the first American to win the marathon since 1982.
On April 19, 2010 Meb Keflezighi ran his third fastest time of 2:09:26 while finishing 5th in the 114th Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, despite training at half his usual mileage with a knee injury. He ran with the leaders for much of the race before slowing at the finish. He ran the San Jose Half Marathon as part of his preparation towards a New York title defense and he comfortably won by a margin of three minutes, finishing in 1:01:45.
Meb Keflezighi lives and trains in Mammoth Lakes, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and is a member of the New York Athletic Club (Announced November 4, 2011) .
On Oct. 11, 2010, he released his autobiography, "Run To Overcome," which was published by Tyndale House Publishers. The book, co-authored with noted sports writer Dick Patrick, included recollections about major milestones in his life, such as his Olympic competitions and other running highlights, as well as his early years, leading up to the present day. He is also the driving force behind the MEB Foundation, the "MEB" standing for "Maintaining Excellent Balance," which principally promotes healthy living, and other positive lifestyle choices and motivation for school-age youth.