Haile Gebrselassie to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Gebrselassie fans. Speculation had been rife that two-time Olympic champion in the 10,000 metres is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 53, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 06/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouHaile

For a little while on Tuesday evening, #ThankYouHaile was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Haile Gebrselassie was unlike any other athlete we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouHaile”
— @universalObserver, 5 May 2026

“I thought Haile Gebrselassie retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 5 May 2026

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