AIMS/ASICS WORLD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD – Haile Gebrselassie commented – I feel greatly honoured

Haile Gebrselassie was presented with the AIMS/ASICS Golden Shoe at the Hotel "Le Meridien" in Lisbon on 14 March in recognition of his performances throughout 2007. He received the top award in world road racing from AIMS Vice President Carlos Moya prior to the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday 16 March.

He has now won two years in a row, something that no other male runner has achieved since this award was first presented in 1992. Twice Olympic champion at 10,000m Gebrselassie ran his first serious marathon in 2002, recording a time of 2:06:35. He improved to 2:05:56 in Berlin in 2006 and last year, on the same course, set a new World Record for the distance of 2:04:26. If his time for 2008 (2:04:53), the second fastest ever run, remains unbeaten this year he will have led the Marathon standings for the last four years – longer than anyone else since the distance was standardised in 1924.

Haile Gebrselassie commented "It means a lot that so many people at the top of world running voted for me. To win this prestigious award two years in a row is very special and I feel greatly honoured."

AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Awards Information Page
The AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Awards were founded in 1992 and are decided each year by way of nominations made by the members of the world body The Association of International Marathons & Distance Races (AIMS) member races. The membership totals some 248 races in over 81 countries covering every continent of the world.
A male and female winner are recognised each year for their outstanding athletic achievement and as ambassadors for their sport and country.

The award is sponsored by sports company ASICS and each winner is awarded a golden ASICS shoe.

Winners To Date