Uneasy Success of Athlete Meseret Defar

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Success does not come easy. Hard work alone is not enough. Perseverance and commitment are basic. Putting in incessant effort is essential.

Good luck makes a difference. That seems to be what happened to Meseret Defar, one of the great athletes of her time. She started from rags and travelled through the hurdles – the ups and downs of a long journey – before she made a name and fame for herself and for her country in the world of athletics.

The first time I saw her at a distance was a dozen years ago near the Yared Music School. The then national team coach Woldemaskal Kostire (PhD) and his colleagues were selecting potential contenders from among many young trainees. The rather diminutive, skinny Meseret and her compatriot had already undergone the minimum speed requirement test and were walking towards the bus stop in front of the Saint Markos Church, near Addis Ababa University’s (AAU) Main Campus.

Read more at: Addis Tribune