References | When consuming beer, do with moderation.
Located in the heart of Africa, Bekoji is a tiny Ethiopian village located at 7°35′N 39°10′E latitude and longitude.
Bekoji has produced 26 world champions and holds 10 world records in running. What is the secret of this little town? As their world champion coach used to say: "They work hard, listen well and have barley everyday".
Runners training in high
temperatures:
Local time:
The power of barley meets the endurance of Ethiopian DNA
and the dedication of hard work.This is how a small town
brought up 26 world champions and holds 10 world records.
They know that to become a champion they should listen to his advice. Years ago, while working at Bekoji’s Elementary School, coach Sentayehu Eshetu noticed the potential of his students. Soon, one of them won the first African gold medal at the world championships in Barcelona.
A Bekoji’s athlete will
run over 136 miles (220 km)
in a week time.
Coach Sentayehu Eshetu
trains up to 200
athletes seeking for
glory and championship medals.
The Bekoji’s athletes run for about
30 miles (48 km) a day at an
average speed of 12.4 mph (20 km/h)
- that's more than a full marathon everyday.
The unusual training takes place more than
1.6 mile (2,600 m) above sea level
and aims to strengthen athletes by running
uphill on rough ground.
"I don’t do any magic.
Do you know barley?
They eat barley."
Sentayehu Eshetu.
In 1960, the world stopped to watch an Ethiopian athlete run barefoot at the same pace as the other shoe-wearing runners on the streets of Rome. Since then, the world has witnessed records broken, gold medals claimed and championships won by Ethiopian runners.
However, what no one sees behind the scenes is that there may be some kind of magicinvolved: barley. Besso, a barley-brewed drink, is a powerful and natural beverage to aid the training of Ethiopian runners.
It’s so easy to mix up Besso that you can turn it into a power shake. This is one of the secrets for Bekoji’s athletes to have so much energy. Check out how to make it.
Raw barley
Berbere (Ethiopian spice blend)
Slightly roast the barley and remove the hulls.
Use a food processor to make a thin flour.
Add some berbere spice to your taste.
How to serve besso?
To eat: Boil the water and mix the besso. Add either sugar or salt. Serve it as porridge.
To drink: add besso and water in a lidded jar and shake them until besso is totally dissolved. Add honey to taste.
Powered by barley, Bekoji’s athletes are
ranked as some of the most elite runners in the world.
Athens 2004
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Athens 2004
5,000 m
Silver Medal
Athens 2004
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Athens 2004
5,000 m
Silver Medal
Beijing 2008
5,000 m
Gold Medal
Beijing 2008
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Beijing 2008
5,000 m
Gold Medal
Beijing 2008
10,000 m
Gold Medal Medal
Paris 2003
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Paris 2003
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Helsinki 2005
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Helsinki 2005
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Osaka 2007
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Berlin 2009
5,000 m
Gold Medal
Sydney 2014
5,000 m
12h37m35s
Womens achievements
Sydney 2000
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Athens 2004
10,000 m
Bronze Medal
Athens 2004
10,000 m
Silver Medal
Athens 2004
5,000 m
Bronze Medal
Beijing 2008
5,000 m
Gold Medal
Beijing 2008
10,000 m
Gold Medal
London 2001
Marathon
Winner
London 2012
5,000 m
Bronze Medal
London 2012
10,000 m
Gold Medal
London 2012
Marathon
Gold Medal
Barcelon 1992
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Tokyo 2001
Marathon
Winner
Osaka 2007
10,000 m
Gold Medal
New York City 2009
Marathon
Winner
Helsinki 2005
5,000 m
Bronze Medal
Helsinki 2005
10,000 m
Bronze Medal
Helsinki 2005
5,000 m
Gold Medal
Helsinki 2005
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Moscow 2013
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Paris 2003
5,000 m
Gold Medal
Edmonton 2001
10,000 m
Gold Medal
Gothenburg 1995
10,000 m
Silver Medal
5,000 m
World Record Holder
14h1m15s
Marathon
World Record Holder
2h18m58s
"There is no magic. They
work hard, listen well and
have barley in their diet every day."
Coach Sentayehu Eshetu