2010 update: Placed 17th in the 3000 meters at the MPSF indoor championships (8:17.68).
Junior (2009): Established a school record in the 10,000 meters at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational, covering the distance in 28:32.27, smashing the old mark of 29:17.7 set by Girmay Guangul in 2003 ... also posted Cal's top times in the 1500 (3:42.14) and 5000 (13:44.75) last year, both of which were NCAA provisional marks ... fourth in the 5000 at the Pac-10 meet in 14:08.13 ... competed in the 10,000 at the NCAA outdoor meet, but did not finish.
Sophomore (2008): Posted a regional-qualifying time in the 5000 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Qualifier, crossing the finish line at 14:10.11 ... came in third in the 5000 at the Pac-10 championships (14:19.85) ... took ninth in the 5000 at the NCAA West Regional in 14:23.45 ... reached a PR in the 3000 at the MPSF indoor championships, crossing the finish line at 8:02.68, which was fourth best in school history at the time.
Freshman (2007): Earned a spot on the coaches' association All-Academic team ... ran a regional-qualifying and lifetime-best 14:03.86 in the 5000 at the Stanford Invitational ... clocked a season-best 8:08.11 in the 3000 at the Big Meet ... posted a Cal freshman-record and provisional-qualifying 8:05.25 in the 3000 to take ninth at the MPSF championships indoors.
Cross Country: Earned All-America honors in 2008 after placing 36th individually and leading Cal to a 22nd-place team finish ... named first-team All-Pac-10 in both 2007 and '08 ... key member of the Bear squad that captured 16th at NCAAs in 2007.
High School: An All-American at Logan HS ... placed 27th at 2004 Footlocker Cross Country Nationals and second at the Footlocker regional meet ... finished sixth in the 3200 at the 2005 California state meet ... as a junior, won the state cross country and 3200 titles ... helped his high school to the 2004 state championship.
Personal: Born May 18, 1987, in Fresno, Calif. ... .parents are Berhane Mehari and Genet Waldemariam ... his brother, Giliat, is a former Cal track & field star ... history major.
Career Best Marks
Event Mark Date
1500 3:42.14 April 18, 2009
3000 8:02.68i March 1, 2008
5000 13:44.75 April 24, 2009
10,000 28:32.27 March 27, 2009
