Miruts Yifter

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Miruts Yifter

Miruts Yifter (born January 1, 1938 or May 15, 1944) is a former Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast....
n athlete

Athletics (track and field)

Track and field athletics, commonly known as athletics or track and field, is a collection of sports events that involve running, throwing and jumping....
, winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics

1980 Summer Olympics

The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Moscow in the Soviet Union....
. His name is also sometimes spelled as Muruse Yefter.

Born in Adigrat

Adigrat

Adigrat is a city in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Misraqawi Zone at longitude and latitude with an elevation of 2457 meters above sea level, below a high ridge to the west, Adigrat is the last important Ethiopian city south of the border with Eritrea, and is considered to be a strategically important gateway to Eritrea and...
, in the Tigray Region

Tigray Region

For other uses please see TigreTigray Region is the northernmost of the nine Regions of Ethiopia of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray-Tigrinya people....
of Ethiopia, Miruts Yifter spent early parts of his youth working in different factories and as a carriage driver. His talent as a long-distance runner was noticed when he joined the Ethiopian Air Force

Ethiopian Air Force

The Ethiopian Air Force is the air arm of the Military of Ethiopia and is tasked with protecting the air space, providing support to the ground forces as well as assisting during national emergencies....
.

Yefter was called to the Ethiopian national team for the 1968 Summer Olympics

1968 Summer Olympics

The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City in October 1968....
in Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the most important economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country; the most populous city with over 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008....
, but he made his Olympic debut four years later in Munich Olympics

1972 Summer Olympics

The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, in what was then West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
where he won a bronze medal in 10000 m.

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Miruts Yifter (born January 1, 1938 or May 15, 1944) is a former Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Athletics (track and field)

1980 Summer Olympics

Adigrat

Tigray Region

Ethiopian Air Force

1968 Summer Olympics

The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City in October 1968....
in Mexico City

Mexico City

1972 Summer Olympics

Athletics at the 1973 All-Africa Games

The second 1973 All-Africa Games were held in Lagos, Nigeria in January 1973.Ten new events were added, three for the men, 10,000 metres, marathon and hammer throw and seven for the women, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres, shot put, discus throw and 4 x 400 metres relay....
he won one gold medal (10000 m) and one silver (5000 m). At the 1st African Championships

1979 African Championships in Athletics

The 1979 African Championships in Athletics were held in Dakar, Senegal....
in 1979 he won two gold medals (5000 and 10000 metres).

He was unable to participate in the 1976 Summer Olympics

1976 Summer Olympics

The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976....
because his nation boycotted the event. Four years later in Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital and the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia of the Russian Federation. It is also the largest European cities and metropolitan areas, with the Moscow metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world....
, Yifter made up for his disappointments. In the final of the 10000 m he sprinted into the lead 300 m from the finish and won by ten meters. Five days later, in the 5000 m final, Yifter was boxed in during the last lap. But with 300 m to go, his Ethiopian teammate, Mohamed Kedir, stepped aside and Yifter again sprinted to victory. Due to his abrupt change in speed when executing his kick to the finish, Yifter is commonly referred to as "Yifter the Shifter."

At the Moscow Olympics, part of the mystery surrounding Miruts Yifter was the question of his age, which was reported to be between 33 and 42. Yifter refused to give a definitive answer, telling reporters:

Men may steal my chickens; men may steal my sheep. But no man can steal my age.

The most common versions about his date of birth are January 1, 1938 or May 15, 1944.

Miruts Yifter

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