Of Special Interest

Rose to the occasion by clocking 13:06.93 at Rome Golden Gala, where the 5000m was used as key selection race for Ethiopian team. Was sixth overall and third Ethiopian, behind only Olympic teammates Sileshi Sihine and Tariku Bekele.

Background

As a youngster, Ali was more interested in football (soccer), but in 2002 won at 800m and 1500m in a school sports festival, and was recruited to run in national school competitions and, from there, regional squads. In 2004 he won the regional championships at 5000m and was 4th at 10,000m, after which he joined the Defense club.

Ali burst onto the world stage in early 2006 at the extremely competitive Ethiopian Cross Country National Championships, where he scored an upset victory at 4K over 5000m World Championship silver medalist Sileshi Sihine, among others. He went on to finish 5th at World Cross. Later that year, in the 5000m race at the national track championships, Ali made his move too early and lost in a sprint finish, settling for second.

At the 2007 national championships, Ali amended his tactics. Running in the middle of the lead pack for much of the race and with eight runners side-by-side at the bell, Ali launched into his kick with 200m remaining to take his first track title. “With that finishing, you can defeat anyone in a major championship,” Haile Gebrselassie told him before awarding him the winner’s medal.