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Ethiopian press hail "national hero" Gebrselassie
ADDIS ABABA, Sept 26 (AFP) - Ethiopia's press Tuesday feted Olympic 10,000m gold medallist Haile Gebrselassie as a national hero after his dramatic win in Sydney. The Daily Monitor splashed a photo of the champion just after crossing the finishing line on its front page under the single word, "Victory." In one of the most thrilling contests of the Sydney games, the Ethiopian snatched gold from Kenya's Paul Tergat in the dying strides. "Our son has won," said the new Amharic language daily Eletawi Addis. "Haile replaces his smile with true grit," declared the government-owned Ethiopian Herald. Another government paper, Addis Zemen, said the "valiant Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney reiterated the victory of Atlanta," where he took his first Olympic gold for the 10,000m. The press also praised bronze medallists Gete Wami (for the women's 5,000m) and the "team spirit" of Assefa Mezgebu, who came in third in the men's 10,000m. Having long run in Gebrselassie's shadow, Assefa is a rising star of Ethiopian athletics who is likely to shine all the brighter if and when Gebrselessie goes back to the marathon distance.
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