MEBRAHTOM KEFLEZIGHI
Events: Distance
Height: 5-7
Weight: 127
PRs: 1500, 3:42.29 (1998); 5,000 13:11.77 (2000); 10,000 27:13.98 AR (2001) Marathon 2:09:53 (2004).
Born: May 5, 1975 at Asmara, Eritrea
Current Residence: Mammoth Lakes, Calif.
High School: San Diego (Calif.) '94
College: UCLA '98
Coach: Bob Larsen
Agent: Merhawi Keflezighi
Club: Nike

Career Highlights: 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist; 3-time U.S. 10,000m champ (2000, ’02, ’04); 2-time USA 12 km XC champ (’01, ’02); 4-time U.S. 15 km champ (’01, ’02, ’04); 4-time NCAA champion; American 10,000m record holder; 2006 USA Outdoor 10,000m runner-up

Keflezighi continued to excel in the marathon in 2006 with a third-place finish at the Boston Marathon in 2 hours 9 minutes 56 seconds, which is just three seconds shy of his personal record set in 2004. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Keflezighi became the first American man since 1976 to win an Olympic medal in the men’s marathon, taking the silver at Panathenaiko Stadium. Keflezighi crossed the finish line under a full moon, running 2:11:29 to place second behind Stefano Baldini of Italy (2:10:55).  Receiving his medal at Olympic Stadium during Closing Ceremonies, Keflezighi gave team USA its 25th medal of the Athens Olympics - the most successful Olympics for Team USA track & field since 1992. Meb proved Athens was no fluke when he followed up with a second-place finish November 6 at the 2004 New York City Marathon. His time of 2:09:53 gave the U.S. its best men’s finish in New York since Bob Kempainen placed second in 1993 and was a PR for Meb. After dropping out of the 10,000 meters at the 2005 World Outdoor Championships due to a sore right quadriceps muscle, Keflezighi was left with just seven weeks to train for the 2005 New York City Marathon. He placed an impressive third in New York, just missing his personal best by three seconds with his time of 2:09:56. Born in Eritrea, Keflezighi (pronounced Ka-FLEZ-gee) and his family moved to San Diego in 1987...one of a family of 11 children, he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1997 not knowing if his native country of Eritrea would participate in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney...he lived in a village in Eritrea with no electricity, where his brothers hid in the bushes so they would not be forced to join the military to fight against Ethiopia. In 2002, he returned to his homeland for the first time…became a U.S. citizen on July 2, 1998...won four individual NCAA titles...battled tendonitis early in 2000...just edged out Alan Culpepper in the Olympic Trials 10,000m to win in a then-PR of 28:03.32...Keflezighi’s 13:11.77 at Heusden was the fastest U.S. 5,000 meter time in 2000... a member of Team USA California… trains at altitude (7,000 feet) at Mammoth Lakes, Calif…was honorary team captain for the Houston Rockets at their home game on February 14, 2003, while in town for the USA Cross Country Championships. His wife Yordanis, whom he met at an Eritrean-American soccer tournament in 2004, gave birth to the couple’s first child, Sara, on March 8, 2006.

 

2008: 13th at Olympic Trials in 10,000m (28:39.02)
2007: USA 15 km champion (43:40)…8th at Olympic Trials – Men’s Marathon (2:15:09)…dnf London Marathon…ranked #9 in U.S. in marathon by T&FN…best of 2:15:09.
2006: USA Outdoor 10,000m runner-up (28:18.74)…3rd at Boston Marathon (2:09:56)…21st at NYC Marathon (2:22:02)…ranked #6 in 10,000m, #3 in marathon in U.S. by T&FN…bests of 28:18.74 & 2:09:56.
2005: 2nd in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:10.57)...third at New York City Marathon (2:09:56)...dropped out of World Outdoor Championships 10,000m due to a a sore right quadriceps muscle...ranked #1 in marathon, #2 at 10,000m in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 28:10.57 & 2:09:56.
2004: Olympic marathon silver medalist (2:11:29)...1st at Olympic Trials 10,000m (27:36.49); runner-up at Marathon Olympic Trials (2:11:47)...2nd at New York City Marathon (2:09:53PR)...1st at USA 15 km championships (43:18)...1st at USA 8 km championships (22:16)...ranked #4 in world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 2:11:53PR.
2003: Runner-up at USA Outdoor 10,000m (27:57.59)...16th at World Outdoors 10,000m (28:35.08)...U.S. 15 km champion...2nd at USA XC Champs 12 km (38:34)...11th at World XC Champs 12km (37:16)...12th in Stockholm 5000m (13:20.50, U.S. Leader)...ran 2:10:03PR at LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon...ranked #2 U.S. at 5,000m, #2 in 10,000m by T&FN...bests of 13:20.50 & 27:57.59.
2002: USA Outdoor 10,000m champ...ran 27:20.15 10km at Stanford on May 3...won U.S. 12km Cross Country Championship (35:45), edging Abdi Abdirahman in a photo finish1st at U.S. 15km Championships (42:49)...14th at World Cross Country Championships 12km (36:09)...9th at New York City Marathon (2:12:35)at 5km... he ran 13:21.87 in Rome and 13:30.05 at Prefontaine Classic...ranked #9 in the world at 10,000m & #1 in U.S. at 5,000m & 10,000m by T&FN...bests of 13:21.87AL & 27:20.15AL.
2001: Set new American record for 10,000m May 4 at Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., with a time of 27:13.98, a personal best by almost 40 seconds his performance broke Mark Nenows 1986 AR 2nd in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:39.64)...USA 12km XC Winter Nationals Champ...23rd at IAAF World Championships (28:44.48)...13th in 12km at World XC Champs (40:46)...won U.S. 15km Championship...ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 13:23.16 and 27:13.98.
2000: Won Olympic Trials 10,000m in a 28:03.32...made the 2000 Olympic final despite having the flu, where he placed 12th (27:53.63PR)...top U.S. finisher in mens long race at World Cross Country Championships, 26th in 36:45...ranked #1 U.S. at 10,000m, 3rd in 5,000m by T&FN...bests of 13:11.77 (at Heusden) and 27:53.63.
1999: 4th at USA Outdoors 10,000m...5th at Pan American Games 10 km)...bests of 13:40.86 for 5,000m and 28:29.27 for 10,000m.
1998: 4th at NCAA (5,000)...2nd at Pac-10, 4th at NCAA and 4th at USA Championships...bests of 3:42.29 (1500), 4:02.86 (mile), 13:26.85 (5,000), 28:16.79 (10,000).
1997: Won NCAA Outdoor 5,000m and 10,000m, Indoor 5,000m and mens Cross Country Championships...bests of 3:43.95, 13:33.97 and 28:26.55.
1996: 9th in NCAA 5,000m...bests of 13:37.0 and 29:55.75.
1995: 5th in NCAA 5,000m...best of 13:52.06.

 

1/20/08