Samson Kiflemariam is an 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...

n long-distance runner

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...

 who specializes in the 5000 metres

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...

 and cross-country running.

He was born in Quazien. As a junior he competed in the junior races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships

IAAF World Cross Country Championships

IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...

, finishing 19th in 2002

2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 30th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 23-24 March 2002 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...

 and 24th in 2003

2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 31st IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 29-30 March 2003 in Lausanne and Avenches , Switzerland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...

. He finished tenth in the 10,000 metres at the 2002 World Junior Championships

2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics

The 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2002 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16 to July 21, 2002.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...

 and twelfth in the same event at the 2002 African Championships

2002 African Championships in Athletics

The 13th African Championships in Athletics were held in Tunis and Radès, Tunisia in August, 2002.- Men's Results :-Field:-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...

.

On the track he competed in the 5000 metres at the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2005 World Championships without reaching the final. He concentrated more on road running and cross-country. He finished fifteenth at the 2004 World Half Marathon Championships

2004 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

The 13th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on October 3, 2004 in New Delhi, India. A total of 152 athletes, 91 men and 61 women, from 55 countries took part.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:-External links:*...

 and sixteenth at the 2007 World Road Running Championships

2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships

The 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Udine, Italy on 14 October 2007.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:...

. At the World Cross Country Championships he finished 29th in 2004

2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 32nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2004 in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...

, 17th in 2005

2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2005 in Saint-Étienne and Saint-Galmier , France.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...

, 19th in 2006

2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 1-2 April 2006 in Fukuoka, Japan.The event was once again dominated by Ethiopian and Kenyan runners and also Eritrean runners...

, 32nd in 2007

2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa, Kenya on 24 March, 2007. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...

 and 22nd in 2009

2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

The 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the Al Bisharat Golf Course at Amman, Jordan on 28 March 2009. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...

. The Eritrean team took bronze medals in the team competition in 2004 and 2009.

His personal best times are 13:21.43 minutes in the 5000 metres, achieved in June 2004 in Seville

Seville

Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...

; 28:08.97 minutes in the 10,000 metres, achieved in June 2005 in Prague

Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

; and 1:0:52 hours in the half marathon, achieved in October 2007 in Udine

Udine

Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...

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