Belayneh Dinsamo


Belayneh Densamo is an Ethiopian former long-distance runner, and a long-period world record holder for the marathon discipline. He held the world record for 10 years.

Early life

Belayneh was born in Diramo Afarrara in Sidamo, the southernmost province, and began first competing professionally at national level.

Career

Densamo broke the world record by 22 seconds with a time of 2:06:50 at the 1988 Rotterdam Marathon, following three previous wins at major marathons 1986-1987. This record lasted the third-longest span ever recorded.
;Last victories
Densamo won two major international marathons in 1989 and in 1990. He was not among the three Ethiopian men who entered the marathon in the 1992 Summer Olympics. He represented Ethiopia at the marathon at the 1996 Summer Olympics, as the world record holder in the relatively humid summer Atlanta, Georgia conditions and was among 13 of a field of 130 who did not finish. Densamo's world record fell to Ronaldo da Costa at the Berlin Marathon in 1998.
As of 2009, Belayneh lives in the area of Cambridge, Massachusetts and has retired from international competition.

Achievements