Haile Gebrselassie (High-lee Geb-ra-se-lass-ee), 23, seems to set a new record every time he laces up his shoes. The distance runner from Ethiopia set two indoor world records this winter. He plans to run in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
One of his biggest rivals is Paul Tergat, 26, from Kenya. Kenyans have dominated long-distance running for a decade. Last month Tergat beat Gebrselassie after the Ethiopian tripped at the World Cross Country Championships in South Africa. Still, Tergat says Gebrselassie is tough: "He is the man to beat in Atlanta."