Athens, Greece - Ethiopian distance superstar Haile Gebrselassie had some real tough critics to answer.
After his fifth-place finish last week in the 10 000 metres - a race he'd won at two previous Olympics - he phoned home to find two very disappointed girls.
"My problem was with my daughters, especially the older one. When I called back home, she already knew the result and asked what happened and why I ran even though I was injured," Gebrselassie said.
"I told her that I will win next time. Children cannot understand what happened. They like to see their father win, as always," he said.
His next victories won't be on the track. Gebrselassie, who competed with an injured Achilles' tendon in Athens, reiterated plans to begin marathon racing during a news conference on Thursday.
"I'm not stopping running. I'm just leaving track," he said.
The 31-year-old Gebrselassie hopes to compete in marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Had he not been injured in Athens, he was planning to run the closing-day 42.2km event.
"I had to planned to run the marathon here," Gebrselassie said. "In Athens it is impossible to run the marathon, especially because I am inexperienced."
He's also looking forward to activities away from running. Gebrselassie is working on projects to improve education in Ethiopia.
"I'm starting to think now what I can change for the country," he said. "When you travel a lot and then come back home, it makes you think. You cannot change the country with one person, but I'll do my part."
