Bekele, Turkey’s golden girl
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 10, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Alemitu Degfa Bekele took the women's 3,000 meter title to become the first athlete to win a gold medal in the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Turin, Italy on Sunday.
The Turkish athlete of Ethiopian origins won the race in 8 minutes, 46.50 seconds, ahead of Portugal’s Sara Moreira, who finished in 8:48.18, and Mary Cullen of Ireland in 8:48.47 respectively.
Bekele also broke the Turkish indoor record in the 3,000 meter, bettering Ayşen Barak’s 8:48.60 in 2001.
"When I came here, I prayed to God and said, ’There’s nothing wrong with me here, so I should return to my country with a medal,’" she said. "Thankfully, we won."
Bekele first came to Turkey with Olympic silver medalist Elvan Abeylegesse in 1998, as part of Turkish Athletics Federation’s plan to integrate African athletes with some potential to Turkey. After being stripped of her silver medal at an indoor championship in Madrid in 2005 due to banned substance use, she decided to come back and represent Turkey in the Beijing Olympics.
Bekele also broke the Turkish indoor record in the 3,000 meter, bettering Ayşen Barak’s 8:48.60 in 2001.
"When I came here, I prayed to God and said, ’There’s nothing wrong with me here, so I should return to my country with a medal,’" she said. "Thankfully, we won."
Bekele first came to Turkey with Olympic silver medalist Elvan Abeylegesse in 1998, as part of Turkish Athletics Federation’s plan to integrate African athletes with some potential to Turkey. After being stripped of her silver medal at an indoor championship in Madrid in 2005 due to banned substance use, she decided to come back and represent Turkey in the Beijing Olympics.