Tilahun Regassa: Difference between revisions

Born in the city of [[Nazret]], he endured a difficult childhood. His parent divorced when he was three and he was raised by his father until the age of fifteen, when his father died. Tilahun worked for a stone company and lived on the streets for three years afterwards, relying on food handouts.<ref name=Streets>[httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20101226075816/http://www.ethioplanet.com/news/2009/05/29/best-runners-in-world-now-hail-from-ethiopia/ From the streets of Nazret to the top of the World – Tilahun Regassa, an Ethiopian promise]. Ethioplanet (2009-05-29). Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> Tilahun's first road races came as a teenager in [[Addis Ababa]]. He ran at the [[Great Ethiopian Run]] in 2006 and came fourth with a time of 28:34.77 minutes.<ref>Negash, Elshadai (2006-11-26). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=36852.html Merga completes domestic road hat-trick, Fekadu surprises at Great Ethiopian Run]. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved on 2010-11-28.</ref> He returned a year later but managed only ninth.<ref>Negash, Elshadai (2007-11-25). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=42498.html Convincing victories for Kebede, Ayalew at Great Ethiopian Run]. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved on 2010-11-28.</ref> Having demonstrated promise as a runner, local coaches told Hussein Makke, an elite running manager, of his potential. Makke took him into his stable of runners and Tilahun began training full-time.<ref name=Streets/>

Tilahun began competing in Europe for the first time in 2008 and his calibre became obvious. He was runner-up at the [[20 kilomètres de Maroilles]] (timing 59:18 minutes),<ref>[http://www.20km-maroilles.com/index.php/palmares Palmarès]. 20km-maroilles. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> then ran [[5000 metres]] and [[10,000 metres]] bests of 13:12.40 and 27:32.60 minutes on the [[track running|track]].<ref name=IAAFBio>[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/ethiopia/tilahun-regassa Regassa, Tilahun]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> He showed his aptitude was for longer races, however, as at the [[Lille Half Marathon]] he won on his debut over the distance with a time of 59:36 minutes. It was one of the fastest times for a teenage athlete and set a new all-comers record for France.<ref>[httphttps://www.arrs.netrun/AC_HMar.htm All-Comers Records- Half Marathon]. [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref><ref>[http://www.letsrun.com/2009/weekthatwas0601.php The Week That Was May 25 - May 31, 2009]. Lets Run. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> He ran his second [[half marathon]] race two months later in [[Delhi Half Marathon|Delhi]] and his time of 1:00:28 was good enough for fourth in the high quality race.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/three-go-sub-60-as-ethiopia-sweep-titles-in-d Three go sub-60, as Ethiopia sweep titles in Delhi Half Marathon]. IAAF (2008-11-09). Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> He was runner-up to [[Tadesse Tola]] at the inaugural [[Bahir Dar Cross Country]] in December.<ref>Negash, Elshadai (2008-12-15). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/tola-and-urgessa-triumph-in-inaugural-bahir-d Tola and Urgessa triumph in inaugural Bahir Dar Cross Country ]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref>

He ran frequently in 2009 and began in the United States. He won the [[Monument Avenue 10K]], [[Cooper River Bridge Run]], and [[Bolder Boulder]] races, as well as taking second at the [[Bay To Breakers]].<ref name=Elite>[http://www.esmintl.com/athleteDetails.asp?id=79 Tilahun Regassa]. Elite Sports Management Ineternational. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> He was dominant at the [[Falmouth Road Race]] 7-miler in August, winning in a time of 31:41 minutes.<ref>Powers, John (2009-08-10). [http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/running/articles/2009/08/10/regassa_in_class_by_himself_at_falmouth/ Regassa was in a class all by himself]. ''[[The Boston Globe]]''. Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> In his first international selection he ran at the [[2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships]]: although he was only eleventh overall, he led the Ethiopian men to the bronze medal in the team competition.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/whm09/results/eventCode=4142/index.html 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007220849/http://www.iaaf.org/whm09/results/eventCode=4142/index.html |date=2009-10-07 }}. [[IAAF]] (2009-10-11). Retrieved on 2009-10-11.</ref> He returned to the Delhi Half Marathon in November and again took fourth place.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/keitany-sub-107-again-merga-defends-in-delhi Keitany sub-1:07 again, Merga defends in Delhi Half Marathon]. IAAF (2009-11-01). Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref> He took his first a career victory at the Great Ethiopian Run that month, edging [[Abera Kuma]] at the finish.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/jelila-and-regassa-win-10km-in-addis-ababa Jelila and Regassa win 10km in Addis Ababa]. IAAF (2009-11-23). Retrieved on 2013-02-03.</ref>

*{{IAAFWorld name|230791Athletics}}

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES ={{DEFAULTSORT:Regassa, Tilahun Regasa}}

[[Category:Ethiopian male long-distance runners]]

[[Category:MaleEthiopian long-distancemale marathon runners]]

[[Category:EthiopianSportspeople marathonfrom runnersOromia]]