From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Nov 03 2009 - 07:55:10 EST
Community shares victory and pride
By John Wilkens
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
When Meb Keflezighi won the New York City Marathon on Sunday, word spread
quickly among members of San Diego's tight-knit Eritrean community.
Yesterday, they were still reveling in what he had done and what it meant.
"He's one of us," said a beaming Elsa Tecleberhan, who helps run the City
Heights restaurant Asmara, named after Eritrea's capital. "We are so proud
of him."
Keflezighi came to the United States from the small East African country
(population 5.6 million) with his family when he was 12. He graduated in
1994 from San Diego High, where he first made headlines as a runner.
He went on to UCLA, where he won four NCAA titles, then captured the silver
medal in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Now he spends most of his time away from his home in Mira Mesa to do
high-altitude training in Mammoth Lakes.
But that doesn't mean people here have stopped listening for his footsteps.
"I still remember him when he was just a boy," said Yohannes Slassie cq as
he sipped a cup of tea at the Eritrean Community Center on Adams Avenue,
where there's a framed picture of Keflezighi on the wall. "Now he is a
grown-up and a great example for our young people."
The example that Slassie meant - and one that others cited yesterday -
wasn't just the glory of athletic achievement. The local Eritreans also were
referring to Keflezighi's perseverance.
His family - he's one of 11 siblings - endured separation and hardship to
arrive in America. Several of the children have gone on to earn advanced
degrees in medicine, law or business.
Keflezighi, 34, has been struggling for more than a year with a hip
fracture. Many in racing considered his career over. He, too, had wondered
about doing something else.
Then came victory in one of his sport's signature events. Keflezighi, a
naturalized citizen since 1998, became the first American to win in New York
in almost three decades. The payday: $200,000.
"His story, it's the American Dream come true," Slassie said.
The community center is where local Eritreans - there are roughly 2,000 in
San Diego, most living in or around City Heights - meet for special events
or just to hang out. About 30 were there Sunday to watch the marathon.
The center also stands across the street from the orthodox Eritrean church
that Keflezighi attends when he's in town. The minister there, Priest
Semere, said the congregation offered prayers for Keflezighi during Saturday
services.
"We all know him and were pulling for him," the priest said.
Even those in the community who weren't paying attention had a hard time
missing the news. Calls and text messages flew around on cell phones, some
with just a two-word message: "He's winning!"
Yesterday, Keflezighi was dealing with his own flood of cellular shout-outs.
He said he had received more than 100 texts from well-wishers. His voice
mail was full.
He heard from a woman he went to school with - in the fourth grade. On
Sunday, she was in Italy drinking tea when she heard his name announced on
television and dropped her cup in surprise.
Keflezighi also heard from Karen Lunt, his ninth-grade English teacher. She
remembers him as a bright and inquisitive student. They still stay in touch.
Both are runners.
Lunt had the same reaction Sunday, watching the televised coverage, as she
did when she saw Keflezighi win silver in Athens. She cried.
"He is just an amazing person," she said. "Nobody deserved this win more
than Meb."
Eduardo Ramos, his high school track coach, was almost in tears knowing how
hard his former student worked for this latest accomplishment.
Keflezighi still keeps in touch, Ramos said. He always calls to wish the
coach and his cross-country team well at the start of each season. He
sometimes donates shoes.
"He's so down-to-earth, so open-hearted," Ramos said. "The whole city should
be proud of him. He never forgets his roots."
Staff writer Don Norcross contributed to this report.
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