Ethiopian · Addis Ababa, Ethiopia · Born 20 January 2000Ethiopian distance runner and 2020 Olympic 10,000m champion, part of a golden generation of East African talent.
Selemon Barega Shirtaga was born on 20 January 2000 in Bitana village, in Ethiopia's Gurage zone, and grew up idolising fellow Ethiopian distance-running legends Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, watching their old race footage repeatedly for inspiration as a young runner. Barega won gold in the 5000m at the 2016 World Under-20 Championships and the 3000m at the 2017 World Under-18 Championships, before making his senior international breakthrough, finishing fifth in the 5000m at the 2017 World Championships in London. Barega won Olympic gold in the 10,000m at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games, becoming the fourth Ethiopian to claim the title after Bekele, Gebrselassie, and Miruts Yifter, describing the achievement afterward as fulfilling a lifelong dream shaped by watching his childhood idols compete. Barega has continued to develop across distances, moving into road racing and making his marathon debut in Tokyo in 2026, remaining one of the most promising distance runners to emerge from Ethiopia's storied long-distance running tradition.
Distance (10,000m)
How They Played
Powerful finishing kick and tactical racing
Lasting Impact
One of Ethiopia's greatest distance runners
Career Honours
- 2020 Olympic gold 10000m
Ethiopian Athletes