Kenenisa Bekele vs Haile Gebrselassie
Kenenisa Bekele vs Haile Gebrselassie: head-to-head — careers, honours, key numbers and why the rivalry matters.
Why compare Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie?
Bekele has faced Haile Gebrselassie multiple times, with notable victories in the 10,000 m at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, where he outperformed the legendary runner.
Kenenisa Bekele
Key numbers
- Olympic Games3 Gold, 1 Silver
- World Championships5 Gold, 1 Bronze
- World Cross Country Championships11 Gold
- Marathon Wins2
- World Marathon Majors2 Wins
Top honours
- Olympic Gold Medals3 (2004, 2008)
- World Championships Gold Medals5
- World Indoor Championships Gold Medals1
- World Cross Country Championships Gold Medals11
- African Championships Gold Medals2
VS
Haile Gebrselassie
Key numbers
- World Records27
- Olympic Medals2
- World Championships4
- Berlin Marathon Wins1
- Dubai Marathon Wins3
Top honours
- Olympic Gold Medals2 (1996, 2000)
- World Championships4 titles in 10,000 meters
- World Indoor Championships4 titles
- World Half Marathon Champion2001
- Berlin Marathon4-time winner