Place of residence: Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
Coach: Tolosa Kotu
He is the second of six children. His younger brother, Tariku Bekele, is also an accomplished distance runner. His father is a retired farmer.
Kenenisa Bekele is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, distance runners ever.
Besides his Olympic and World track titles and records he is the only athlete to ever win both the short and long course races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. And he did it five times in a row (2002-2006).
As a child he preferred football. In his first local running race he finished fourth; then in 1998 he was sixth in the Ethiopian junior cross country championships. It earned him an invitation to the Mugher Cement Factory team, coached by Tolosa Kotu.
After World youth and junior silver medals in 1999 and 2000 respectively, he set a new 3000 m World Junior Record (7:30.67) in 2001.
In 2004 he became UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
In 2005, Bekele's fiancee, 18-year-old Alem Techale, the 2003 World Youth 1500m Champion died of an apparent heart attack while on a training run with him.
After his victory in the 10,000 m at the Olympic Games in Athens, an artist named Teddy Afro wrote a song about him. The song's name is Anbessa, which means "The Lion".
He married Ethiopian film actress Danawit Gebregziabher in 2007 in Addis Ababa.
His sporting philosophy: "I have never been scared of the other runners, no matter how good their record."
His hero is Haile Gebrselassie, but he already considers himself better:
"Haile is no longer the best long-distance runner,” he was quoted in an interview with the Times of India in 2009. “I think I am the best. I have his world records now and I have won more titles than he did. Haile never achieved the double (5,000 and 10,000) at the World Championships or the Olympic Games. I have the double at both these events. Except for the marathon, I think I am better than Haile in everything else."