Two-Time Defending Champion Looks to Make History at Carlsbad 5000

CARLSBAD, Calif.  – A historic race legendary for fast runners and world-class performances, two-time champion Dejen Gebremeskel can make history at the Carlsbad 5000 on Sunday, April 7, 2013.

If the 23-year-old Ethiopian wins the “World’s Fastest 5K” for the third consecutive year, he would join an elite group of three-time champions in the race’s 28-year history: American Steve Scott (1986-88), Kenyan Sammy Kipketer (2000-02) and Ethiopian Dejene Berhanu(2003-05). Since Gebremeskel also finished second in 2010, the combination of three victories and a second would make him the most successful men’s runner ever at the event.

Gebremeskel also will be attempting to break Kipketer’s race and world road record of 13:00, set in 2000 and then matched a year later. Like Kipketer, Gebremeskel’s first two victories were in the exact same time, 13:11. Oddly, that also was the winning time in 2010, when Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge beat Gebremeskel by seven seconds. Read more