Yacob Jarso
Encyclopedia
Yacob Jarso Kintra is an Ethiopia
n steeplechase
and long-distance runner. He has represented Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
and the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
. He became his country's first Olympic steeplechase finalist in 28 years and set an Ethiopian record
en-route to fourth place.
of Ethiopia, he began competing in distance events for the Prisons Police club and hoped to represent his country over 5000 metres
or 10,000 metres. He jokingly made a small wager with friends over whether he could manage the steeplechase but he efforts resulted in a recommendation from a coach, he said that he had a gift for the event and should specialise in it. His first international medal came at the 2007 African Junior Championships in Athletics, where he took the 3000 metres steeplechase silver medal
behind Abel Mutai
. Mutai noted that Jarso represented a challenge to Kenyan dominance of the event: "These Ethiopians are now challenging us in steeplechase. This is serious...I was never going to let an Ethiopian beat us in this event".
Jarso moved to Japan
around early 2008 and began competing on the circuit under the Honda corporate athletics stable, taking a win at the Hyogo Relays in April that year. He gained the third steeplechase berth on the Ethiopian team
for the 2008 Summer Olympics
, alongside the more experienced Nahom Mesfin Tariku
and Roba Gari. While his compatriots were eliminated in the heats, Jarso won his qualifying race in a personal best of 8:16.88 to reach the final. He became the first Ethiopian to make the Olympic steeplechase final since Eshetu Tura
, who won the bronze at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Jarso was among the leaders for much of the final but slowed at the last hurdle and came in fourth place. He was initially disappointed with the performance, but was satisfied upon learning that his run of 8:13.47 had broken Tura's Ethiopian record
for the event, a mark which had stood since the Olympic final in Moscow twenty-eight years earlier. He received the honour of "Warden" from the Police Prisons club for his achievements.
He returned to Japan and began to take on longer distances, recording the third best time on his leg of the New Year Ekiden and beat Josephat Ndambiri
to win the 10,000 m at the Hyogo Relays. A steeplechase win in 8:17.12 at a meet in Abashiri was enough to earn him a chance to represent his country at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
. Roba Gary had beaten his national record in the month before the event but Jarso finished ahead of him again on the global stage, pipping him to fifth place with a new personal best run of 8:12.13 minutes. Upon returning to his training camp in Japan, he ran a 10,000 m best of 27:30.08 – a mark which ranked him in the top twenty runners over the distance that season.
He moved away from the steeplechase in 2010 and won a 15K road race
in Le-Puy-en-Velay. He was selected to run the 10,000 m at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics
and he finished in fifth place – the only Ethiopian to finish the race. At the Delhi Half Marathon in November, he made his debut over the distance and managed a podium finish, taking third in a time of 1:00:07 behind compatriot Lelisa Desisa
. He was the runner-up at the 2011 Ethiopian 15K Championships in February, finishing behind Deriba Merga He stepped up to the 20K distance for the Marseille-Cassis Classic in October and came fourth overall.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n steeplechase
Steeplechase (athletics)
The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...
and long-distance runner. He has represented Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
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....
. He became his country's first Olympic steeplechase finalist in 28 years and set an Ethiopian record
Ethiopian records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Ethiopia maintained by Ethiopian Athletic Federation .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to longer distance# = not officially ratified by IAAF-External links:* *...
en-route to fourth place.
Career
Born in Assasa, in the Arsi ZoneArsi Zone
Arsi is one of the 12 zones of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Arsi is also the name of a former province. Both the Zone and the former province are named after a subgroup of the Oromo, who inhabit both...
of Ethiopia, he began competing in distance events for the Prisons Police club and hoped to represent his country over 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...
or 10,000 metres. He jokingly made a small wager with friends over whether he could manage the steeplechase but he efforts resulted in a recommendation from a coach, he said that he had a gift for the event and should specialise in it. His first international medal came at the 2007 African Junior Championships in Athletics, where he took the 3000 metres steeplechase 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....
behind Abel Mutai
Abel Mutai
Abel Kiprop Mutai is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.He was born in Nandi. He won the gold medal at the 2005 World Youth Championships and finished ninth at the 2009 World Athletics Final....
. Mutai noted that Jarso represented a challenge to Kenyan dominance of the event: "These Ethiopians are now challenging us in steeplechase. This is serious...I was never going to let an Ethiopian beat us in this event".
Jarso moved to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
around early 2008 and began competing on the circuit under the Honda corporate athletics stable, taking a win at the Hyogo Relays in April that year. He gained the third steeplechase berth on the Ethiopian team
Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Ethiopia competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008.10,000 m runner Tirunesh Dibaba ran the second fastest 10,000 metres of all time, setting an Olympic record of 29 minutes, 54.66 seconds.-Medalists:- Athletics:The Athletics...
for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, alongside the more experienced Nahom Mesfin Tariku
Nahom Mesfin Tariku
Nahom Mesfin Tariku is an Ethiopian runner, who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was born in Dilla....
and Roba Gari. While his compatriots were eliminated in the heats, Jarso won his qualifying race in a personal best of 8:16.88 to reach the final. He became the first Ethiopian to make the Olympic steeplechase final since Eshetu Tura
Eshetu Tura
Eshetu Tura is a retired long-distance runner from Ethiopia. He won the bronze medal in 3,000 metres steeplechase at the 1980 Summer Olympics.-Career:...
, who won the bronze at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Jarso was among the leaders for much of the final but slowed at the last hurdle and came in fourth place. He was initially disappointed with the performance, but was satisfied upon learning that his run of 8:13.47 had broken Tura's Ethiopian record
Ethiopian records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Ethiopia maintained by Ethiopian Athletic Federation .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to longer distance# = not officially ratified by IAAF-External links:* *...
for the event, a mark which had stood since the Olympic final in Moscow twenty-eight years earlier. He received the honour of "Warden" from the Police Prisons club for his achievements.
He returned to Japan and began to take on longer distances, recording the third best time on his leg of the New Year Ekiden and beat Josephat Ndambiri
Josephat Ndambiri
Josephat Muchiri Ndambiri is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He represented his country at the World Championships in Athletics in 2007....
to win the 10,000 m at the Hyogo Relays. A steeplechase win in 8:17.12 at a meet in Abashiri was enough to earn him a chance to represent his country at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
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....
. Roba Gary had beaten his national record in the month before the event but Jarso finished ahead of him again on the global stage, pipping him to fifth place with a new personal best run of 8:12.13 minutes. Upon returning to his training camp in Japan, he ran a 10,000 m best of 27:30.08 – a mark which ranked him in the top twenty runners over the distance that season.
He moved away from the steeplechase in 2010 and won a 15K road race
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
in Le-Puy-en-Velay. He was selected to run the 10,000 m at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics
2010 African Championships in Athletics
The 2010 African Championships in Athletics was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 July to 1 August 2010.-Background:The African Championships in Athletics were held in Kenya for the first time...
and he finished in fifth place – the only Ethiopian to finish the race. At the Delhi Half Marathon in November, he made his debut over the distance and managed a podium finish, taking third in a time of 1:00:07 behind compatriot Lelisa Desisa
Lelisa Desisa
Lelisa Desisa Benti is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in road running competitions. He gained his first international medal at the 2009 African Junior Athletics Championships, where he took the 10,000 metres gold medal.Desisa made his breakthrough on to the senior international...
. He was the runner-up at the 2011 Ethiopian 15K Championships in February, finishing behind Deriba Merga He stepped up to the 20K distance for the Marseille-Cassis Classic in October and came fourth overall.
Competition record
| 2007 | African Junior Championships | Ouagadougou Ouagadougou Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais... , Burkina Faso |
2nd | 3000 m steeplechase |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
4th | 3000 m steeplechase |
| 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.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
5th | 3000 m steeplechase 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase The Men's 3.000 metres Steeplechase at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 16 and August 18... |