Ejegayehu Dibaba Biography

Ethiopian long-distance runnerThis article is about a person whose name includes a patronymic. The article properly refers to the person by her given name, Ejegayehu, and not as Dibaba.

Ejegayehu Dibaba Keneni (Oromo: Ijigaayoo Dibaabaa; Amharic: እጅጋዬሁ ዲባባ); born 21 March 1982, in Bekoji) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She won the silver medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Ejegayehu earned bronze medals in the 5,000 metres and 10,000:metres events at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. She took gold medals in the 10,000:m at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games and All-Africa Games.

Ejegayehu comes from a sporting family of several Olympic medalists, including her sisters Tirunesh and Genzebe, and her cousin Derartu Tulu.

Career

Ejegayehu Dibaba is an Ethiopian long-distance runner from the high-al*ude Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region. She is the third child of six. Her younger sisters Tirunesh and Genzebe are also international long-distance athletes, and brother Dejene is marked as a future star. Like her sister Tirunesh, her cousin Derartu Tulu is a double Olympic gold medallist (1992 and 2000).

Ejegayehu beat her cousin to take the silver medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics, her two bronze medals at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics were behind her sister winning the gold in the final sprint.

She took part in a 7:km race at the Memorial Peppe Greco in September 2010 and took second place behind Sylvia Kibet.

Ejegayehu made her debut over the marathon distance at the 2011 Chicago Marathon and defeated Kayoko *ushi by 2 minutes, 29 seconds in making her marathon debut at 2:22:09, the third fastest debut time and easy win.Ejegayehu Dibaba is 1.60 m tall and weighs 46:kg.

International compe*ions

Personal bests

  • 3000 metres - 8:35.94 (London 2006)
  • 5000 metres - 14:32.74 (Bergen 2004)
  • 10,000 metres - 30:18.39 (Sollentuna 2005)
  • Half marathon - 1:16:40 (Tequila 2001)
  • Marathon - 2:22:09 (Chicago, IL 2011)

References

    External links

    • Ejegayehu Dibaba at World Athletics