Chris Turner speaks to Million Wolde for the IAAF
13 February 2001 - "Mille" as Million Wolde is known by his team mates, is the only top Ethiopian runner to come from an urban background. Uniquely, Wolde was born and brought up in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Like all his urban friends he had a childhood passion for football. However, he also had a desire to be a runner and would rise early and go for a 20km jog to the open country side of the Shiro Meda outside the capital! -
"Yes it’s true that I started to run to the countryside just outside Addis Ababa. I started after the successes of Ethiopian runners in 1992 (Tulu, Barcelona Olympics) and in 1993 (Gebrselassie, Stuttgart World Champs). I wanted to be one of them. They inspired me and still do" confirmed Wolde.
It was at this time in 1993 that Wolde took his first serious steps as an athlete and joined the local athletics club Yabebal. Then in 1995 he joined the larger Bankock club (The Banks Club) which he represented in area and national competitions.
Wolde has one brother (Windsen) and three sisters ( Netanet, Tsdale and Rahel) and he is proud to confirm that similar to the victories that originally inspired him, so his own Olympic win has encouraged Rahel to start running - "Only Rachel is running, she started after my win in Sydney. I think that she can be good in the future. She has the same style and build as me. She needs some years to develop into a good athlete as she is only 15 years old now".
Training is second nature to Million Wolde and laziness his worst enemy. "I consider laziness as the gigantic obstacle that comes between winning a race or not. An athlete must think and believe that he is the best trained runner in the world. I believe in the cliché ‘practise makes man perfect’" confirmed Wolde.
Since 1996, Wolde has been a member of the training group of Ethiopia’s four times 10,000m world champion Haile Gebrselassie who memorably also struck Olympic gold in Sydney, retaining his 10,000 metres Olympic crown in a dramatic sprint finish with Kenya’s Paul Tergat.
"I first met Haile during the Ethiopian cross country trials in 1996. I then went with Haile to Stellenbosch to run the World cross country championships. I continued to speak a lot with Haile and he introduced me to his manager Jos Hermens. Jos is still my manager and he has really helped me with planning my career."
Wolde’s first senior World medal on the track came at the 1999 World indoor championships when he followed his mentor’s heels to take a bronze medal behind Gebrselassie at 3000 metres. Then just as now Wolde was quick to acknowledge the debt he owed to Gebrselassie stating -
"Previously all Ethiopian runners were inspired to be marathoners…however I and many of my generation follow the path of Haile. I hope one day to follow in Haile’s golden footsteps".
Wolde did not have to wait long, as on Saturday 30th September 2000 in the fastest last lap - 53.83secs - in Olympic 5000 metres history, he out kicked the pre race favourite Ali Saidi-Sief of Algeria to become Olympic champion albeit in the overall slowest winning time - 13:35.49mins - since the altitude affected Mexico Olympics of 1968.
No one, least of all Wolde had expected victory. "I did not think I could win gold before coming here but when there were two laps to go I decided it was possible and went for it", he said after the final.
The win was also a shock for Wolde’s manager Olympian Jos Hermens -
"Millie has always been a shy, quiet guy. What surprised me so much about the Olympics is that I always believed that you needed exceptional self confidence and belief to become an Olympic champion. Certainly he didn’t have that when he went to Sydney but as soon as he crossed the finish line as Olympic champion the confidence suddenly was born. Whereas before the Olympics he always questioned his abilities, now when he sets foot on the track his body language screams, ‘hey I’m the Olympic champion you will have to do your very best to beat me’ " said Hermens.
Wolde agreed "the title is very important for my future. It gave me a name and a lot of confidence. I am very proud of the achievement because it builds my name. The publicity and fame given by my Olympic title is not bothering me. I try to enjoy it and everything continues to go well. A lot of people are interested in me but I am staying focused on my running as that is the most important thing in my life right now".
After his surprise Olympic win Wolde has had to reset his running goals -
"I would like to add other medals. With my indoor medal in 1999 I have two international medals now. My new goal is winning again in Athens as the Olympics are the most important competition there is. Maybe I can also add some cross country medals to my career. If possible I would like to break Haile’s World 5000 metres record in the future" commented Wolde.
Wolde’s plans for the 2001 season are also clear. The World 5000 metres title in Edmonton is an obvious focus but the World indoor championships in Lisbon at 3000m is also a major aim. He must also run the Ethiopian World Cross country trials but at the moment wants to concentrate on track racing. Depending upon the dates of compulsory Ethiopian national training camps, Wolde’s outdoor season will commence at the beginning of June at Jos Hermens’ Hengelo meet.
Away from running Wolde has already begun investing in his future - "After my career I would like to be a business man. At the moment I have helped my father who was originally a taxi driver, to set up his own business with a friend selling cars. Maybe I will join him after my running career" concluded Wolde.
POSTSCRIPT - Million Wolde’s Olympic 5000 metres victory on Saturday 30th September was one of four Ethiopian track victories at last year’s Sydney Olympics, part of an eight medal haul which made her Africa’s most successful track and field nation at the Games. The only previous Ethiopian to have won the 5000 metres was Miruts Yifter ‘the shifter’ in 1980.
