He has been called the world's greatest-ever distance runner, and while that may be over-stepping the mark, Haile Gebrselassie is certainly one of the greatest of all time.

The diminutive Ethiopian - he stands just 5ft 3in and weighs 8st 5lb wet through - has been on a different plane to his rivals over the last decade.

Indeed, he is as close as you will get to a racing certainty in the 10,000metres in Sydney - it is more than seven years since he was beaten over that distance.

But it is not just his speed and stamina which set him apart, but the sheer range over which he can compete.

Be it 1,500m or the marathon, the chances are that Gebrselassie would win both.

He bears comparison with both `Flying Finn' Paavo Nurmi, who dominated during the 1920s, and `Czech Express' Emil Zatopek, who did the same in the 1950s.

It is over 5,000m and 10,000m that Gebrselassie has dominated the world, with the latter distance becoming his particular speciality.

Few in athletics have any doubt that he would win both events at Sydney, but he has elected just to compete in the 10,000m.

Gebrselassie was born in Assela, Ethiopia, in 1973, the son of a poor farmer.

As a child he used to run six miles each way to and from school, and aged 16, never having been coached, entered the Addis Ababa marathon.

His time of 2hr 42min was nothing sensational, but it was fast enough for the teenager to decide to pursue running seriously. Honours followed swiftly and in 1992 was world junior champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

In 1994 he beat Said Aouita's seven-year-old world record for the 5,000m and in 1998 set his still-standing world record for the 10,000m - a time of 26min 22.75sec.

He has also held world indoor records at 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m.

Gebrselassie has explained his reasons for not doubling up at this year's Games because he believes it is his duty to try to share the Olympic spoils with his fellow countrymen by allowing them the opportunity to dominate the 5,000m event in Sydney.

He also plans to concentrate on marathon running after the Olympics - he is only 27 so perhaps he can add another Olympic gold in Athens in 2004.

Gebrselassie said: ``I will run over 10,000m in Sydney - that is definite.

"We have some very good, qualified young Ethiopian runners who are already strong enough for the 5,000m.

``I have to give them a chance. You never know one day I will stop running and they need to compete at the Olympics. If they can win this year it would be fantastic.

"If not it will still be a good experience for the next one.''

The Ethiopian's sense of national responsibility may rob him of the chance to add to his haul of honours in Sydney - the 10,000m apart that is - but perhaps he knows that his place in the history books is already secure.