Nature Calls, but Telahun Haile Answers with a Blazing Comeback in Dramatic 10,000m Debut

California, March 29, 2025 – The TEN 2025, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet, was supposed to be Ethiopian runner Telahun Haile Bekele’s grand introduction to the 10,000m track. Instead, it turned into a high-stakes chase—one that began not with a starting gun, but with an urgent sprint from the restroom.

A Race before the Race

The men’s 10,000m field was stood tense at the start line, waiting for the signal to go. Officials held the athletes in position for nearly two minutes before suddenly telling them to step back. Thinking they had time, Telahun and French runner Simon Bédard dashed to nearby restroom facilities—only to return to chaos.

By the time they got back, the pack was already 80 to 100 meters ahead. The race had begun without them.

The Impossible Chase

What followed was a jaw-dropping display of resilience. While Kenya’s Ishmael Rokitto Kipkurui, Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel, and South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt battled for the podium, Telahun was in a race of his own—against time, distance, and sheer fatigue.

Most runners would have crumbled under the psychological blow of such a start. Not Telahun. With relentless determination, he clawed his way through the field, burning energy most athletes save for the final laps. By the finish line, he had not only caught up—he nearly stole the show, crossing in 26:52.79, good for fourth place and, crucially, the World Championships qualifying standard.

Bédard, too, mounted a valiant effort, finishing 21st after his own desperate chase. But it was Telahun’s performance that left spectators buzzing.

“I Thought Victory Was Mine”

In a post-race interview with BizuAthletics.com, the Ethiopian reflected on the bizarre turn of events.

“I was well-prepared. I expected to win,” he admitted. “But when we lined up, officials told us there’d be a two-minute delay. Some of us took the chance to go to the bathroom—I wasn’t gone for more than a minute! Then I came back, and… they were already running.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “If this had been an 800m race? No chance. But 10,000m? I knew I could fight back.”

And fight he did. His time not yet secured his ticket to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo but marked him as the eighth Ethiopian man to hit the qualifying standard.

A Self-Made Opportunity

Telahun’s journey to this moment was anything but handed to him. Just three months earlier, he set a 10K road personal best (27:13) in Valencia, proving his endurance. But to chase his World Championships dream, he had to fund his own trip to California.

“I covered everything—flights, hotel, entry,” he said. “Now, my goal is to represent Ethiopia in Tokyo, whether in the 10,000m or 5,000m.”

Next Stop: Jamaica

The California race was a stop by for the Ethiopian athlete, who was already en route to his next big challenge: the inaugural Grand Slam Track event in Kingston, Jamaica, set to begin this coming weekend. Now, with no time to rest, Telahun will shift gears at the Kingston Grand Slam (April 4-6, 2025), where he’ll test his speed in the 3,000m and 5,000m as a Challenger.

If his 10,000m debut was any indication, one thing is certain: never count Telahun Haile Bekele out—no matter how far behind he starts.