Content deleted Content added
Sillyfolkboy (talk | contribs) IAAF profile --> IAAF name template |
m →Career: Typo fixing, typo(s) fixed: full time → full-time using AWB |
||
Line 4:
==Career==
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>[http://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
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>[http://www.arrs.net/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>
| |||