18th December 2009 10:43
He has been on a whirlwind tour of receptions and interviews since arriving back in Spain, often in the company of his team mates who clinched the senior men's team title for the third year in succession.
Among the people he met was the Spain's Minister of Sport Jaime Lissavetzky, who paid effusive tribute on Wednesday to not only Bezabeh but also to Rosa Maria Morató, the silver medallist in the senior women's race.
However, despite all the honours and eulogies, Bezabeh has had time to set his next target.
'I now want to win the world title in Poland next March. I now think I can do it. If I train hard and arrive there in good shape I know I can beat the Ethiopians,' said Bezabeh, who shyly admitted to sleeping with his gold medal close by his side in recent days.
No European man has got on the podium at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships since Belgium's Mohammed Mourhit and the Ukraine's Serhiy Lebid took the gold and silver medals respectively in 2001.
'However this year's Europeans were very tough because there was a lot of mud by the end of the day and Mo Farah (the 2006 champion and last year's silver medallist) was also very tough but I felt strong throughout the race and especially at the end.'