"Pollution May Keep Record Holder Out Of Olympics
Marathoner Haile Gebrselassie Suffers From Asthma"
[quote]VALENCIA, Spain -- World-record holder Haile Gebrselassie is almost certain to miss the marathon at the Beijing Olympics because of the city's poor air quality.
The Ethiopian long-distance star has asthma and he fears damage to his health running through the streets of the Chinese capital.
Gebrselassie would be a gold-medal favorite if he did take part.
His agent said the athlete will make a final decision after May 24, when he will know if he has qualified for the 10,000m at Beijing.
Gebrselassie won back-to-back gold medals in the 10,000m at the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2000 Sydney Games. The Ethiopian, who suffered from inflammation of the Achilles tendon leading up to the Athens Games, finished fifth in 2004.
He turned his focus to road racing and the marathon following the 2004 Olympics. Gebrselassie has won several marathons -- including in Berlin, where he set a world record -- leading up the Beijing Games.
Because of pollution, many countries have based their training camps outside China before the Olympics begin Aug. 8. [/quote]
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