Samuel Tsegay
Encyclopedia
Samuel Tsegay is an Eritrea
n long-distance runner
who specializes in the 5000 metres
and 10,000 metres. He was born in Kudofelasi. As a junior he competed in the junior races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, finishing seventeenth in 2005
, eighth in 2006
and eighth in 2007
. He finished fourth in the 10,000 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships
.
At the 2009 World Cross Country Championships
he finished sixteenth in the senior race. The Eritrean team took bronze medals in the team competition. He finished fifth at the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships
, and competed in the 5000 metres
at the 2009 World Championships
. A fifth place at the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
gained him a team silver medal
alongside Zersenay Tadese. He took third at the Cross Valle de Llodio in November behind compatriot Teklemariam Medhin
.
He ran at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
but was ultimately disqualified as he and Ethiopia's Abera Kuma
began fighting on the final stretch. Reflecting the history of antipathy between the nations, Tsegay accused the Ethiopian of deliberately elbowing him and standing on his heels from behind, thus he reacted by grabbing Abera's leg and threw a punch before dashing to the finish. The IAAF disqualified both athletes for their conduct. He ran a personal best of 2:07:28 hours at the Amsterdam Marathon
in October that year. Although this time brought him the national record
for the marathon
, previously held by Yonas Kifle
, he only finished eighth in the high calibre race.
His personal best times are 13:16.59 minutes in the 5000 metres, achieved in July 2009 in Barcelona
; 28:20.96 minutes in the 10,000 metres, achieved in June 2009 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq; and 1:00:17 hours in the half marathon, achieved in October 2009 in Birmingham.
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 10,000 metres. He was born in Kudofelasi. 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 seventeenth 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 :...
, eighth 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...
and eighth 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...
. He finished fourth in the 10,000 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships
2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China....
.
At the 2009 World Cross Country Championships
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...
he finished sixteenth in the senior race. The Eritrean team took bronze medals in the team competition. He finished fifth at the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships
2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Birmingham, United Kingdom on 11 October 2009. It was the final event of the International Association of Athletics Federations' 2009 World Athletics Series.-Organisation:...
, and competed in the 5000 metres
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres
The men's 5000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics will be held at the Olympic Stadium on 20 and 23 August-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Heats:...
at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. A fifth place at the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Nanning, China on 16 October 2010. The competition took place on the city streets, beginning and ending at Wuxiang Square, with a total prize purse of US$245,000 at stake....
gained him a team 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....
alongside Zersenay Tadese. He took third at the Cross Valle de Llodio in November behind compatriot Teklemariam Medhin
Teklemariam Medhin
Teklemariam Medhin Weldeslassie is an Eritrean long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres....
.
He ran at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Punta Umbría, Spain on 20 March 2011.-Preparation:The United States had expressed an interest in hosting the competition, but Punta Umbria was chosen as the host at the IAAF Council Meeting in November 2009...
but was ultimately disqualified as he and Ethiopia's Abera Kuma
Abera Kuma
Abera Kuma Lema is an Ethiopian long distance runner who competes in track, cross country and road running events. An African junior champion over 5000 metres, he won his first senior international medal at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.He was disqualified at the 2011 event for...
began fighting on the final stretch. Reflecting the history of antipathy between the nations, Tsegay accused the Ethiopian of deliberately elbowing him and standing on his heels from behind, thus he reacted by grabbing Abera's leg and threw a punch before dashing to the finish. The IAAF disqualified both athletes for their conduct. He ran a personal best of 2:07:28 hours at the Amsterdam Marathon
Amsterdam Marathon
The Amsterdam Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195km held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since 1975. It is one of the top ten marathons in the world.-History:...
in October that year. Although this time brought him the national record
Eritrean records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Eritrea maintained by the Eritrean National Athletics Federation.-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:-External links:...
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...
, previously held by Yonas Kifle
Yonas Kifle
Yonas Kifle is an Eritrean runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres, the half marathon and cross-country running. He was born in Adi Billai. He has represented Eritrea at the Olympics on three occasions; in 2000, 2004 and 2008...
, he only finished eighth in the high calibre race.
His personal best times are 13:16.59 minutes in the 5000 metres, achieved in July 2009 in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
; 28:20.96 minutes in the 10,000 metres, achieved in June 2009 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq; and 1:00:17 hours in the half marathon, achieved in October 2009 in Birmingham.