Manager hopes for Emperor's return

Hermans is quoted in the Dutch newspaper ‘De Telegraaf’ as saying that he would be flying to Ethiopia to meet the 37-year-old runner, who announced Sunday after pulling out during the New York marathon with an injury that he was quitting running.

“If he spends some time with his family, I am sure that Haile will say that he really wants to run. He must first come to rest,” Hermans said.

The manager added that for Gebrselassie running the marathon at the Olympic Games in 2012 would provide a fitting farewell. Gebrselassie emerged on the scene with a first of four straight 10000 metres world titles 1993 in Stuttgart and won Olympic gold in 1996 in Atlanta and 2000 in Sydney. Gebrselassie was world record holder over 5000M and  10000M and officially ended his track career with a 10000M bronze at the 2003 worlds.

However, he returned to come sixth at the 2008 Olympics after not running the marathon due to pollution concerns. Moving on full-time to the classic 42.195km marathon he first contested in 2002, Gebrselassie claimed the world record 2007 in Berlin and bettered it there the following year to 2 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds.