Who Is Kenenisa Bekele? Age, Biography and Wiki
Kenenisa Bekele, born on June 13, 1982, is a celebrated Ethiopian long-distance runner renowned for his outstanding achievements on the track. As of 2025, the Olympic gold medalist is 42 years old. Over the years, he has broken numerous records and is often cited as one of the greatest distance runners in history.
| Occupation | Athlete |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | June 13, 1982 |
| Age | 43 Years |
| Birth Place | near Bekoji, Arsi Province, Socialist Ethiopia |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Country | Ethiopia |
Popularity
Kenenisa Bekele's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Kenenisa Bekele stands tall at an impressive height of 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) and maintains a competitive weight of approximately 130 lbs (59 kg). His body measurements reflect an athlete's physique, characterized by strength, endurance, and agility, which have contributed significantly to his success in various distance events.
Kenenisa made a disappointing start to 2010, finishing fourth in the Edinburgh Cross Country in a race he was favored to win – a trio of Kenyan athletes ran him out of the contest over the final lap. He spent the entirety of the indoor and outdoor seasons out with a ruptured calf muscle.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
While Kenenisa Bekele has often kept his personal life private, as of 2025, he is known to be in a relationship, although details about his girlfriend are not widely publicized. Despite being a public figure, Bekele prefers to maintain a low profile concerning his romantic life. He often mentions the importance of family and has expressed his respect for his upbringing in Ethiopia.
On 17 February 2007, he broke the indoor world record over 2000 m in Birmingham, with a time of 4:49.99. His spectacular final 300 m aided this time which would be considered excellent even outdoors.
On 24 March 2007, however, his streak of 27 consecutive victories in cross country races (dating back to his last previous loss in December 2001) came to an end when after leading the race in the penultimate lap of the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa he succumbed to the very hot, humid conditions (which caused more than 1/6 o
f all competitors to drop out) and was passed by eventual winner Zersenay Tadese on the last lap before Kenenisa dropped out.
This was greeted with cheers by the Kenyan crowds, an occurrence which has been frowned upon by the wider athletics community.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Kenenisa Bekele’s net worth is estimated to be around $12 million, garnered through his extensive career in athletics, endorsements, and sponsorships. His income sources include competition prize winnings, brand deals, and coaching, making him one of the wealthiest athletes in Ethiopia.
Career, Business and Investments
Kenenisa Bekele's illustrious career includes multiple Olympic gold medals, World Championships, and setting world records in events such as the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters. Beyond his running career, he is actively involved in coaching programs aimed at nurturing young talent in Ethiopia. Bekele has also invested in several businesses in the country, focusing on sports development and community upliftment.
Kenenisa initially aspired to a career in medicine, education, or the civil service. He began to train seriously in running with the encouragement of a physical education teacher, while drawing inspiration from the success of Derartu Tulu and Haile Gebrselassie.
Kenenisa achieved his first medals at an international competition with second place finishes in both the 3000 metres of the 1999 World Youth Championships and the 5000 metres of the 2000 World Junior Championships. He won his first gold medal in the junior race of the 2001 World Cross Country Championships.
His success in running enabled him to purchase a house and to help fund his siblings' educations.
Social Network
Kenenisa Bekele is active on various social media platforms where he shares snippets of his life, training routines, and motivational content. His presence on platforms like Instagram and Twitter allows fans to connect with him and stay updated on his latest endeavors.
He recovered from that rare failure to take the 10,000-metre title at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, once again besting his compatriot Sileshi Sihine. During that race, he looked like he was going to be dropped several times over the last 800 metres, but recovered to overtake Sileshi with 150 metres to go and take his third straight world title.
Education
Kenenisa Bekele completed his education in Ethiopia, where he developed his athletic prowess. Although specific details about his education are less publicized, his commitment to personal development and sports has often been highlighted in interviews, showing that he values education as much as his athletic accomplishments.
He is the most successful runner in the history of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, with six long (12 km) course and five short (4 km) course titles. He won the 10,000 m title at the World Championships in Athletics in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 (matching Haile Gebrselassie's four in a row win streak).
Kenenisa was unbeaten over 10,000 m from his debut in 2003 until 2011, when he failed to finish at the World Championships final.
