Ethiopian · Bekoji, Ethiopia · Born 1 June 1985First woman to win Olympic 5000m/10000m double at same Games.
Tirunesh Dibaba was born on 1 June 1985 in Bekoji, Arsi Province, Ethiopia, into one of the most decorated athletic families in the world; her cousin, Derartu Tulu, is a double Olympic champion, and her sisters Ejegayehu and Genzebe are also elite international long-distance runners. Dibaba won her first Olympic gold in the 10,000m at the 2008 Beijing Games, becoming the first woman to complete the 5000m/10,000m distance double at a single Olympics, and went on to win three Olympic track gold medals across her career. Dibaba won five World Championship gold medals and four individual World Cross Country titles, developing into one of the greatest distance runners in history, and her personal bests across the 5000m and 10,000m remain among the fastest ever recorded. Dibaba married fellow Ethiopian distance runner Sileshi Sihine in 2008, and later transitioned successfully to marathon running, continuing to compete at an elite level well into her thirties and remaining one of the most decorated and influential figures in the history of Ethiopian and world distance running.
Distance Runner (5000m, 10000m)
She was the first woman to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the same Olympics.
Did You Know?Lasting Impact
One of the greatest female distance runners in history
Career Honours
- 2008,2012 Olympic gold 10000m
- 2008 Olympic gold 5000m
- 2005 World champ 5000m/10000m double
- 2007,2013 World champ 10000m
Ethiopian Athletes