Meb Keflezighi

Meb Keflezighi

Meb Keflezighi at the 2009 London Marathon
Personal information
Born	5 May 1975 (1975-05-05) (age 36) Asmara, Eritrea
Residence	Mammoth Lakes, California
Height	5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m)
Weight	127 pounds (58 kg)
Website	http://www.runmeb.com
Sport
Country	United States
Event(s)	Marathon, 10000 m
College/university team	UCLA Bruins
Club	New York Athletic Club
Coached by	Bob Larsen
Achievements and titles
World finals	2001, 10000 m 23rd 2003, 10000 m, 16th
National finals	NCAA cross-country NCAA 10,000 m (outdoors) NCAA 5,000 m (indoors) NCAA 5,000 m (outdoors)
Olympic finals	2000 10000 m, 12th, 2004 Marathon2 Silver
Personal best(s)	Marathon: 2:09:13, 10000 m: 27:13.98
Medal record Men's Athletics Competitor for  United States Olympic Games Silver 2004 Athens Marathon

Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi ( /ˈmɛb kəˈflɛzɡi/; 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 refugees from Eritrea via Italy to the United States, when he was age 12.^[1] 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.^[2][3]

Career

The distinction of Meb's homegrown American running history differentiated him from other African-born elite athletes, such as Bernard Lagat, whose change of domicile and citizenship had been for largely competitive reasons.^[4] 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.^[1] 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.^[5]

Meb Keflezighi is a three-time national champion in cross country running, having won the USA Cross Country Championships in 2001, 2002 and 2009.^[6]

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 Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima, who was leading the marathon, until he was pushed off the course by protester Cornelius Horan.^[7] 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.^[1][7]

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);^[8] 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.^[9]

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.^[10]

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.^[11] 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.^[12]

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.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "American Meb Keflezighi Wins NYC Marathon". Associated Press (CBS News.com). http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/01/ap/national/main5484455.shtml. Retrieved 2009-11-01. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Dyestatcal CIF State Meet results, 1994". http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1994/stateres.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-28. 
3. ^ See youtube highlights
4. ^ Layden, Tim (October 31, 2005). "I Am An American". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1105319/1/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-02. 
5. ^ UCLA's Meb Keflezighi Wins New York City Marathon, Associated Press, via UCLABruins.com, November 1, 2009
6. ^ Keflezighi, Brown take open titles at USA Cross Country Championships. USATF (2009-02-07). Retrieved 2010-02-19.
7. ^ ^{a b} Clarey, Christopher (August 30, 2004). "SUMMER 2004 GAMES: MARATHON; A Spectator Disrupts The Marathon With a Shove". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/30/sports/summer-2004-games-marathon-a-spectator-disrupts-the-marathon-with-a-shove.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2009-11-01. 
8. ^ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/01/SP7L1D8BMG.DTL SF Gate
9. ^ Patrick, Dick (October 27, 2009). "Marathoner Keflezighi carries somber memories of New York". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-10-27-keflezighi-new-york_N.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-01. 
10. ^ Zinser, Lynn (November 1, 2009). "Keflezighi’s ‘U.S.A.’ Breaks the Tape". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/sports/02men.html?_r=1&hp. Retrieved 2009-11-01. 
11. ^ http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?duid=USATF_2010_04_19_12_02_56 USATF press release
12. ^ Miyamae, Amana (2010-10-04). Keflezighi defends title at San Jose Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-10-04.

External links

• Official website
• IAAF profile for Meb Keflezighi
• USA Track & Field Bio

Persondata
Name	Keflezighi, Mebrahtom
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 5, 1975
Place of birth	Asmara, Eritrea
Date of death
Place of death