Miruts yifter history in amharic pdf

Miruts yifter height
– 22 December 2016) was an Ethiopian long-distance runner and winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
Distance runner Miruts Yifter, a captain in the Ethiopian air force, became as famous for his quirks and setbacks as he did for his tenacity and victories.

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Miruts Yifter

Miruts Yifter, who won gold medals in the 5000m and 10,000m at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, died on 22 December 2016 in a Toronto hospital. He was thought to be 72 but his birthdate, most often cited as 15 May 1944, has also been given as 1 January 1938. He had been suffering from respiratory problems after having suffered a collapsed lung.

Yifter was one of the pioneers of Ethiopian success at distance running but it was not until late in his career that he enjoyed his greatest triumph at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Commentators nicknamed him “Yifter the Shifter” for the way he could change pace repeatedly during a race and demoralise the opposition. Like others after him he trained specifically to perfect a last-lap finishing kick. He described how he unleashed it at the Moscow Olympics in a 2004 interview:

“I listened to my opponents until there were five laps to go. Then I decided. The tension started at the bell but before they could go, I made my move. 300m is the ideal – not too late, not too early.”

In the 5000m he was boxed in as they entered the last lap b

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Captain Miruts Yifter was born in Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia in the district of Adigrat in 1938. Miruts spent early parts of his youth working in different factories and as a carriage driver. His talent as a long-distance runner was noticed when he performed exceptionally in the 1500, 5000 and 10000 meter events in Asmara of Northern Ethiopia. Once, it is said, Miruts saw athletes from the Air Force racing in the streets. Miruts begged Captain Gudina Kotu, leader of the team to let him run with these fine athletes. Captain Gudina finally agreed to let this young man run with the rest of the team where he went to unexpectedly win 3^rd place.

Miruts was so much encouraged by his results that he asked the Ethiopian athletics officials to let him practice with the national team that was making final preparations for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Coach Negussie Roba was impressed by this young athlete and asked the Airforce officers stationed in Asmara to help him join the armed forces where he had a better chance of excelling. With the help of Majors Gudina Kotu and Meku

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Miruts Yifter’s talent as a long-distance runner was only noticed when he joined the Ethiopian Air Force, after spending his youth working in factories and as a carriage driver. Yifter made his Olympic début at the 1972 München Olympics where he won a bronze medal in the 10,000 m. He also qualified for the 5K final, but missed the final when he arrived late to the stadium. He was unable to participate at the 1976 Montréal Olympics when Ethiopia boycotted, but four years later in Moskva, Yifter made up for his disappointments, winning the 5K/10K double by using his punishing sprint to outkick all his competitors.

Besides his Olympic medals, Yifter won the 10,000 m gold and 5,000 m silver at the 1973 All-African Games and won both the 5 and 10K at the inaugural African Championships in 1979. Yifter continued to compete into the early 1980s, running on Ethiopia’s gold medal winning team at the 1982 and 1983 IAAF International Cross-Country Championships. In the 1990s he emigrated to Canada, where he worked as an athletics coach until his death.

Personal Bests: 5000 – 13:13.82 (1977