Name: Ayele Abshero

Country: Ethiopia

Stats: Abshero finished first in his debut marathon, the 2012 Dubai Marathon, with a time of 2:04:23, a personal best. Though he was a favorite for the Olympics, he failed to finish the Games Marathon last August. He came in third in this year's Virgin London Marathon with 2:06:57

Details: The long-distance runner took career inspiration from his older brother, also an accomplished marathon participant. He made a name for himself starting in 2008 when he finished 36th in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.