Whenever we talk about athletics in Eritrea, there is one name that immediately come mind, one that everyone, knows and admires; ZeresenayTadesse.

With his first debut into international athletics circuit in Dublin (Ireland) in 2002 iaaf world cross country championships, Zeresenay emerged as a force to reckoned with in athletics track. He achieved the pinnacle of success at the 2004 Athens summer Olympics, when he won Bronze medal in the 10,000 meters race making him the first Eritrean Olympic medallist. Zeresenay tadesse secured a position as one of the world’s most dominant Half Marathone runner by winning four consecutive titles from 2006 to 2009 in Debrecen (Hungary), Udine (Italy), Rio de Janairo(Brasil) and Birmingham (Uk) respectively. He also won a world record at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2010, where he broke the time previously held by a Kenyan athlete by a minute. Zeresenay also excelled in long distance races.

Zeresenay won his first gold medal in the 2007 World cross country championships held in Mombasa (Kenya),  overcoming fellow athletes (including the world class runner Ethiopian athlete kenenisa Bekele) and unfavourable hot and humid weather conditions. He has also articipated in four consecutive Olympic Games (2004-2016). Tadesse was nominated for the IAAF world Male athlete of the year Award in 2010 but narrowly lost to Kenyan 800 meters athlete David Rudisha. After the 2016 Rio Olympics Zeresenay has shifted from track races to Marathon races in which he has the potential to shine until his retirement.