Tadese Worku said he was delighted to follow the footstep of his idols Selemon Barega after he finished first in the 3000m at the ongoing World Athletics U20 Championships Nairobi.

Worku crossed to Kasarani Stadium finish line clocking 7:42.09 to claim gold in the opening day of the junior world athletics championship.

While speaking through an interpreter, Worku said he was happy he got the gold.

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“I’m feeling good, I’m feeling very happy because I got the gold.

“Congratulations to my country.”

“I have been training with Teodros twice a day to get myself into better condition,” said Worku. 

“I was training in the centre of Addis Ababa and around Addis, in places like Sululta and others. 

“Sometimes when we want to train in the city we train on the track at the academy.

“My role model is Barega,” Worku explained.

“In the Olympics I saw him, I felt proud, and I followed his footsteps (to win in Nairobi). 

“My training partners are legends of the Olympics and World Championships,” he added.

“Muktar Edris, Selemon Barega. 

“They are my friends and I have been training with them.”

“I prepared myself to be like him.”

His hope had been to also compete at the Tokyo Games but he was pleased to see his compatriot, role model and training partner Selemon Barega take the 10,000m title there.

Barega claimed his own world U20 title in 2016, when he won the 5000m in Bydgoszcz.

The event’s roll of honour also includes the likes of multiple global gold medallist Haile Gebrselassie (1992), two-time world 5000m champion Muktar Edris (2012) and two-time world indoor 3000m champion Yomif Kejelcha (2014).