Ethiopia won a clean sweep of golds in the men and women's 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the 2008 Olympics, but that was not enough for Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the country is after middle distance glory in London.

(Aaron Maasho, Reuters | Addis Ababa). Meles, an ardent sports fan, asked the governing body why his country failed to repeat its long distance exploits in the short and middle distance categories following a post-Olympic inquiry.

"I said we lacked resources. He immediately ordered an expansion at all costs," national team coach Yilma Berta told Reuters.

The London Games will provide Ethiopia's first stern test since embarking on its quest for glory in the 800 and 1,500 metres.

The Horn of Africa country's strong showing over long distance events dates back to Miruts Yifter's gold in Moscow in 1980.

After quietly trailing in his rivals' slipstream for the last few laps of the 10,000 final, the scruffy Ethiopian with a balding mop turned on the turbo with just 300 metres left and breezed to Olympic glory.

Miruts, subsequently dubbed "Yifter the Shifter", has been cited as an inspiration by the likes of Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, his feat proving to be a catalyst behind Ethiopia's hegemony that continues to this day.

But though Ethiopia will bank its hopes for gold this summer on the injury-blighted Bekele, a young pretender with an identical stride is waiting on the wings to emulate his illustrious compatriots, albeit in the unfamiliar 800 metres.

At the Notturna di Milano event in Italy last year, the unheralded Mohamed Aman - then 17 years old - pipped Kenyan David Rudisha to the finish line, ending his much-fancied rival's 34-race unbeaten run.

Mohamed's rapid rise, trainers say, is the result of hard work sparked by Beijing four years ago.

"We've always had the potential for those categories but there was never the confidence and focus," Yilma said.

"It's very diversified this time, and better quality too."

DISBELIEF AND RIDICULE

Ethiopia hopes to field eight athletes in the men and women's middle distance events in London. It also eyes having a crack at the 100 metres in two years time.

Sitting cross-legged under a flapping flag, Mohamed listens attentively to his coach as the noisy banter of onlookers nearby echoes across Addis Ababa's ramshackle stadium.

Far outfield, Bekele and his younger sibling Tariku outpace junior athletes past a large, gaping hole of broken seats in a dilapidated stand.

Born in the small town of Asella in central Ethiopia, Mohamed took up running while he was a fourth grade student, following in the footsteps of Gebrselassie who also hails from the town.

But despite showing early promise, his coaches expected him to swap his more pacy category for the long distance.

"They laughed and asked me what I was thinking. My insistence was met with disbelief and ridicule," Mohamed said.

"It was embarrassing to mention that distance."

Mohamed had other ideas though and quickly racked up good results.

His finest hour came in Istanbul during the world indoor championships in March when he won the 800.

"They say we can't compete in anything but long distance. That's a myth," Mohamed said. "It's all changing now."

With Gebrselassie failing to qualify and a string of calf and knee injuries denting Bekele's aura of invincibility over the past three years, some in Ethiopia are saying Mohamed could be the country's best hope for Olympic glory.

"We fear the qualifiers more than the final," his coach Nigussie Gichamo told Reuters.

"I think he will notch up a surprise in London once he's through to the final."