From African shepherd to Australia's marathon record holder
Australian long-distance runner, Haftu Strintzos, shares his "double life" from being a barefoot shepherd in Ethiopia to claiming the national marathon record on just his fourth attempt.
Haftu Strintzos, Australia's men's marathon record holder, was born in eastern Tigray, northern Ethiopia. As a child, he grew up barefoot in the fields, herding goats and sheep for his family. He had limited access to information, with the only source being a mobile phone until the age of 10. At eight years old, Haftu was adopted by Maria Strintzos, a Greek-Australian aid worker, and moved to Melbourne, Australia.
Today, Haftu speaks five languages, holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University, and has broken the national marathon record. Maria Strintzos grew up in a multicultural neighborhood in South Melbourne and was impacted by social injustice and inequality. She dedicated her life to aid work in various countries, helping with famine relief, water schemes, food security, women's empowerment, and communities affected by conflict.
Haftu's early experiences and determination helped him excel in athletics, eventually becoming the first Australian winner in marathon racing in 20 years.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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