{{short description|Ethiopian long-distance runner and coach}} '''Tolossa Kotu Terfe''' (born 25 December 1952<ref name="sr"/>{{#tag:ref|Tilastopaja gives his birth date as 15 March 1950.<ref>{{tilastopaja|id=43995}}</ref>|group="note"}} also transliterated as '''Tolosa Kotu''') is an Ethiopian long-distance runner and coach. He placed fourth in men's 10,000 metres at the 1980 Summer Olympics and has coached the national teams of both Ethiopia and Bahrain.
==Running career==
Tolossa Kotu represented Ethiopia at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich in the 5000 metres, but failed to qualify for the final.<ref name="sr">{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ko/tolossa-kotu-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418072232/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ko/tolossa-kotu-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Tolossa Kotu Bio, Stats and Results |accessdate=14 December 2014 |publisher=Sports Reference LLC}}</ref> At the 1980 Olympics in Moscow Kotu ran the 10,000 metres, winning his heat.<ref name="sr"/><ref name="Siukonen">{{cite book |title= Urheilutieto 5 |last= Siukonen |first= Markku |year= 1980 |publisher= Oy Scandia Kirjat Ab |isbn= 951-9466-20-7 |language=Finnish|display-authors=etal}}</ref> In the final he stayed with the leaders until the last lap, placing fourth behind Miruts Yifter, Kaarlo Maaninka and Mohammed Kedir.<ref name="Siukonen"/> ''Track & Field News'' ranked him the seventh-best 10,000 m runner of 1980, behind the three runners he lost to at the Olympics and three whose countries boycotted the Olympics (Craig Virgin, Henry Rono and Toshihiko Seko); this was the only time he was ranked in the world's top 10.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/images/stories/Rankings/08-m10000rank.pdf |title=World Rankings — Men's 10,000 |magazine=Track & Field News |accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref> In 1981 he represented Africa at 5,000 metres in the 1981 IAAF World Cup in Rome, placing fifth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/download/downloadresultinfo?filename=d2333268-ea20-4891-a94d-67b1f6d5bc3a.pdf&urlSlug=facts-and-figures-split-2010 |format=PDF |page=32 |title=1st IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup Split 2010: IAAF Statistics Handbook |editor=Butler, Mark |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref>
==Coaching career==
Kotu remained active in distance running as a coach. Kenenisa Bekele joined Kotu's Mugher Cement Factory team as a 16-year-old in 1998, and Kotu coached him to multiple Olympic and world titles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.diamondleague.com/en/Diamond-Race/Ambassador-Overview/Kenenisa-BEKELE/ |publisher=IAAF Diamond League |title=Our Ambassadors: Kenenisa Bekele |accessdate=14 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214192405/http://www.diamondleague.com/en/Diamond-Race/Ambassador-Overview/Kenenisa-BEKELE/ |archivedate=14 December 2014 }}</ref><ref name="apple">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/sports-news/athletics/bekele-the-apple-of-coach-kotu-s-eye/article1-1086725.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141214181804/http://www.hindustantimes.com/sports-news/athletics/bekele-the-apple-of-coach-kotu-s-eye/article1-1086725.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 December 2014 |title=Bekele the apple of coach Kotu's eye |accessdate=14 December 2014 |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=4 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VIOKAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT23 |title=Top 101 Athletes |publisher=Britannica Educational Publishing |author=Nagle, Jeanne |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-6227-5135-8 |accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref> Kotu also coached Ethiopian national teams<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/focus-on-africans-mens-10000m-final-biograp |title='Focus on Africans' - men's 10,000m Final biographies |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/ethiopias-final-squad-of-27-for-athens |title=Ethiopia's final squad of 27 for Athens |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |date=10 August 2004 |accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/ethiopia-seeks-to-top-best-medal-haul-in-fuku |title=Ethiopia seeks to top best medal haul in Fukuoka |date=27 March 2006 |accessdate=14 December 2014 |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations}}</ref> before moving to Bahrain to coach that country's team.<ref name="apple"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=244615 |title=Alemu on track for greater glory |newspaper=Gulf Daily News |date=2 March 2009 |accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist|group="note"}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotu, Tolossa}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Ethiopian men long-distance runners Category:Olympic athletes for Ethiopia Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics Category:Ethiopian athletics coaches Category:20th-century Ethiopian sportsmen Category:21st-century Ethiopian people
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