Letesenbet Gidey

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This article is about a person whose name includes a patronymic. The article properly refers to the person by her given name, Letesenbet, and not as Gidey.

Letesenbet Gidey
Letesenbet Gidey 2016 FBK-Games.jpg
Letesenbet Gidey in 2016
Personal information
NationalityEthiopian
Born (1998-03-20) 20 March 1998 (age 23)
Endameskel, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Weight50 kg (110 lb)[1]
Sport
Country Ethiopia
SportAthletics
Event(s)Track, cross-country, and road running
Achievements and titles
World finals
  • 2017
  • 5000 m, 11th
  • 2019
  • 10,000 m,  Silver
Olympic finals
  • 2021 Tokyo
  • 10,000 m,  Bronze
Personal best(s)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Ethiopia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 10,000 m
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2019 Doha 10,000 m
World Cross Country Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Guiyang Junior race
Gold medal – first place 2015 Guiyang Junior team
Gold medal – first place 2017 Kampala Junior race
Gold medal – first place 2017 Kampala Junior team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Aarhus Senior team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Aarhus Senior race

Letesenbet Gidey (Tigrinya: ለተሰንበት ግደይ, born 20 March 1998)[2] is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. A 10,000 metres 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, she won a silver medal in the distance at the 2019 World Championships. Letesenbet holds the current world records for the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, which she set in October 2020 and June 2021 respectively. She is the first woman since Ingrid Kristiansen from 1986-1993 to hold them both simultaneously.[3][4] She also holds the world records in the half marathon[5][6] and the 15 km run.

At 17, Letesenbet won the junior race at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships, a feat which she repeated two years later, in 2017. She took a bronze medal in the senior race at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships.

Early life[]

Letesenbet Gidey was born in Endameskel in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. She is the youngest of four siblings, having two brothers and a sister, and grew up on the family's farm.[7]

She was expelled from school as a 13-year-old for refusing to run in physical education classes and was only allowed to return when she agreed to take part. She then won a 3000m/2000m steeplechase double for the Tigray region at the Ethiopian Schools Championships in Shashemane in late 2012.[7]

Career[]

World records[]

15K run[]

On 17 November 2019, Letesenbet set a new world record of 44:20 in the 15K run at the Zevenheuvelenloop road race in Nijmegen, Netherlands, breaking the previous world record held by Joyciline Jepkosgei (set in 2017) by more than a minute, and becoming the first woman to run 15K under 45 minutes.[8][9]

5000 metres[]

In October 2020 she broke the women's 5000m record by more than 4 seconds, setting a new record of 14:06.62.[10]

10,000 metres[]

On 6 June 2021, Sifan Hassan set a 10,000m world record of 29:06.82. Just two days later, on 8 June, Letensebet broke Hassan's record at the Ethiopian trials on the same track with a time of 29:01.03, running the last lap in 1 minute and 3 seconds.[11]

Junior career[]

2014[]

On 14 June, Letesenbet ran the 5000 metres at the Ethiopian Championships to finish 3rd with a time of 16:19.30. Almaz Ayana won in a time of 16:11.40, and Kidsan Alema was second in 16:13.48.[2][12]

2015[]

On 1 February, she won the junior 6 km race at the Jan Meda International Cross Country in Addis Ababa – Ethiopia’s trials for the World Cross Country Championships. Letesenbet ran 20:30 sec ahead of Dagmawit Kbru and Etagegn Weldu, who came 2nd and 3rd in 20:31 and 20:32 respectively.[13] On 28 March, she competed at the World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China, winning the U20 world title on the 6030m course in a time of 19:48; together with her Ethiopian teammates Letesenbet won also the team title. At the age of 17, she was the youngest junior women's winner in 15 years. Fellow Ethiopians Dera Dida finished second and Etagegne Woldu third, in 19:49 and 19:53, respectively.[14]

On 21 June, Letesenbet won a 5000m run in Bottrop, Germany in a time of 15:39.83. The runner-up was Jana Groß-Hardt in 17:06.33. At first, Letesenbet was disqualified because she had stepped on a marking on the track, and Groß-Hardt stood at the top of the podium during the award ceremony. Letesenbet objected to this decision, reasoning that her misstep had not given her an unfair advantage, and as a result of her appeal she was reinstated as the winner.[15][16][17]

On 15 July, she ran the 3000m girls' race at the World U18 Championships in Cali, Colombia. Shuru Bulo of Ethiopia won in a time of 9:01.12, and Kenyans Emily Chebet Kipchumba and Sheila Chelangat placed second and third in 9:02.92 and 9:04.54, respectively. Letesenbet finished fourth in 9:04.64.[18]

2016[]

On 22 May, Letesenbet won the 5000 meters in Hengelo, Netherlands in a time of 14:58.44.[19] On 30 June, she won the event at the track meet in Barcelona with a time of 14:45.63, defeating Genzebe Dibaba who dropped out after 3600m.[20]

2017[]

She won the women's junior race at the Ethiopian Cross Country championships on 13 February in Addis Ababa.[21] On 26 March, she won the U20 World Cross Country Championship on a 6 km course in Kampala, Uganda. Hawi Feysa finished second and Celliphine Chespol was third.[22]

The 19-year-old competed in the 5000m event at the World Championships in London.[23] She advanced to the finals and finished 11th of 14 starters, stoping the clock at 15:04.99. The race was won by Hellen Obiri in a time of 14:34.86, the silver medal went to Almaz Ayana who ran 14:40.35, and the bronze went to Sifan Hassan in 14:42.74.[24]

Senior career[]

2018[]

In February, Letesenbet won the 6 km race at the sixth leg of the IAAF Cross Country Permit series taking place in San Vittore Olona, Italy. Her winning time was 18:14 while Daisy Jepkemei finished second in 18:18.[25] On 26 May, she ran the 5000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, US, and placed second in a time of 14:30.29.[19] Genzebe Dibaba won in 14:26.89 and Hellen Obiri was third in 14:35.03.[26]

2019[]

On 10 February 2019, Letesenbet competed in the 10 km run at the Jan Meda Cross Country Championships in Addis Ababa, and placed second with a time of 35:55. The winner of the event was Dera Dida in 35:50.[27]

At the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, she participated in the senior race. The 5000m world champion Hellen Obiri won on the extremely hilly 10.2 km course with a time of 36:14, Dera Dida was the runner-up in 36:16, and Letesenbet took a bronze medal clocking 36:24.

She raced the 10,000m at the Ethiopian National championships in Addis Ababa on 8 May, winning in a time of 32:10.2; Tsehay Gemechu was second in 32:17.2.[28][29][30] On 19 May, Letesenbet ran the 10k in Bengaluru, India. She placed second, with Agnes Tirop the winner and Senbere Teferi in third place. All three women finished with the same time of 33:55.[31][32] At the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic meet in Palo Alto, CA on 30 June, she took third place in a 3000m race with a time of 8:20.27. The winner was Sifan Hassan in 8:18.49, a European record, and Konstanze Klosterhalfen was second in 8:20.07.[33][34] Seven of the top 15 runners ran personal bests.[35][36] Letesenbet won the 10,000m Ethiopian trials on 17 July. Her winning time on the track in Hengelo, Netherlands was 30:37.89. World half-marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta was the runner-up in 30:40.85.[37]

At the Diamond League final in Brussels, Letesenbet finished second in the 5000m with a time of 14:29.54. The winner was Sifan Hassan in 14:26.26, Konstanze Klosterhalfen, the German record-holder, placed third in 14:29.89, and the Kenyan world champion Hellen Obiri was fourth in 14:33.90.[38][39]

On 28 September, Letesenbet took the silver medal in the 10,000m at the World Championships in Doha. The race was won by Sifan Hassan in a time of 30:17.33, a new Dutch national record. Letesenbet finished in 30:21.23, with Agnes Tirop from Kenya third in 30:25.50.[40]

On 17 November, she set a new world record of 44:20 in the 15K run at the Zevenheuvelenloop road race in Nijmegen, breaking the previous world record held by Joyciline Jepkosgei (set in 2017) by more than one minute, and becoming the first woman to run 15K under 45 minutes.[8][9] Letesenbet lowered by more than 2 minutes Tirunesh Dibaba's 2009 world record set also at the Zevenheuvelenloop in 46:28, which was in turn a 27-second improvement on the former mark at the time.[8][41] Letesenbet received a prize of 50,000 euros for her world record.[42]

2020[]

At the Diamond League Monaco meet on 14 August, Letesenbet finished the 5000m second in a time of 14:26.57. Hellen Obiri won in 14:22.12, a meeting record. Laura Weightman placed third with 14:35.44.[43]

On 7 October, at the NN Valencia World Record Day meet, she broke Tirunesh Dibaba's 2008 record in the 5000m taking more than 4 seconds off to stop the clock at 14:06.62.[10]

2021[]

On 6 June, Dutch runner Sifan Hassan set a 10,000m world record of 29:06.82 in Hengelo, breaking the previous 29:17.45 record set by Almaz Ayana at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Just two days later, on 8 June, Letensebet broke Hassan's record at the Ethiopian trials on the same track with a time of 29:01.03, running the last lap in 1 minute and 3 seconds.[11]

On 24 October, Letensebet ran a 62:52 half marathon at the Valencia Half Marathon, becoming the first woman to run under 63 minutes, and improving upon the world record by 54 seconds.[44]

Achievements[]

All information from World Athletics profile.[2]

Personal bests[]

Surface Event Time Venue Date Notes
Track 1500 metres 4:11.11 Hérouville-Saint-Clair, France 15 June 2017
3000 metres 8:20.27 Palo Alto, CA, United States 30 June 2019 NR[n 1] #7 all-time[45]
5000 metres 14:06.62 Valencia, Spain 7 October 2020 World record
10,000 metres 29:01.03 Hengelo, Netherlands 8 June 2021 World record
Road 10K run 33:55 Bengaluru, India 19 May 2019
15K run 44:20 Nijmegen, Netherlands 17 November 2019 World best
Half marathon 1:02:52 Valencia, Spain 24 October 2021 World record

International competitions[]

Representing  Ethiopia
Year Competition Venue Position Event Result Notes
2015 World Cross Country Championships Guiyang, China 1st Junior race 19:48
1st Junior team 11 pts
World Youth Championships Cali, Colombia 4th 3000m 9:04.64 PB
2017 World Cross Country Championships Kampala, Uganda 1st Junior race 18:34
1st Junior team 19 pts
World Championships London, United Kingdom 11th 5,000m 15:04.99
2019 World Cross Country Championships Aarhus, Denmark 3rd Senior race 36:24
1st Senior team 21 pts
World Championships Doha, Qatar 2nd 10,000 metres 30:21.23 PB
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 3rd 10,000 metres 30:01.72

Notes[]

  1. ^ African outdoor best; indoor mark ratified as absolute record

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Doha 2019 – Team Ethiopa Magazine – Special Edition" (PDF). athleticsethiopa.org. Ethiopian Athletics Federation. p. 12. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Letesenbet GIDEY – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Gidey breaks 10,000m world record in Hengelo". World Athletics. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  4. ^ Ingle, Sean (8 June 2021). "Letesenbet Gidey breaks two-day-old 10,000m world record in super spikes". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Letesenbet Gidey: Ethiopian breaks half marathon world record in Valencia". Sky Sports. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Letesenbet Gidey Shatters the Half Marathon World Record in Valencia". Runners World. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b Negash, Elshadai (12 June 2015). "Letesenbet Gidey – from reluctant runner to global champion". IAAF. World Athletics. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  8. ^ a b c race-news -service.com (18 November 2019). "Äthiopierin Gidey rennt 15-km-Weltbestzeit". runnersworld.de (in German). Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Weergaloos Wereldrecord Voor Letesenbet Gidey Bij Nn Zevenheuvelenloop" (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Joshua Cheptegei smashes 10,000m world record as Letesenbet Gidey sets new women's 5,000m best". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Letesenbet Gidey breaks 2-day-old world record in 10,000m | Olympic Talk". NBC Sports. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Shocks, comebacks and close finishes highlight Ethiopian Championships| News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Yalew and Tola triumph at the Jan Meda International Cross Country| News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Letesenbet Gidey junior women Guiyang | iaaf.org". www.iaaf.org. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  15. ^ Goldmann, Björn (21 June 2015). "Die zweite Auflage der Bottroper NRW-Gala ist ein Erfolg". www.waz.de (in German). Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Offene NRW Meisterschaften Bottrop 21. Juni 2015".
  17. ^ "Offene NRW-Meisterschaften der Frauen und Männer 2015 in Bottrop am 21. Juni und NRW-Hammerwurf-Cup am 19. Juni in Olfen". LAZ Rhede (in German). 22 June 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  18. ^ "3000 Metres Result | 9th IAAF World Youth Championships 2015". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Letesenbet Gidey | Profile | iaaf.org". www.iaaf.org.
  20. ^ "Genzebe Dibaba fails to finsh 5k race in Barcelona | Watch Athletics". www.watchathletics.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Gidey, Molla and Dida among the winners at Ethiopian Cross Country Championships | News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Gidey cruises to second straight U20 women's title – IAAF World Cross Country Championships Kampala 2017| News | iaaf.org". www.iaaf.org. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  23. ^ "5000 Metres Women". IAAF. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  24. ^ "IAAF 2015 WC 5000 m womens final" (PDF).
  25. ^ "Teenage talents Kiplimo and Gidey triumph at Cinque Mulini | News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  26. ^ "5000 Metres Result | Prefontaine Classic". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  27. ^ "Tuemay and Dida take Jan Meda Cross Country victories in Addis| News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  28. ^ "Letesenbet Gidey | Profile". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  29. ^ admin. "Ethiopian championships, Addis-Ababa 7-12/05/2019 | Africathle". Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  30. ^ "48ኛዉ የኢትዮጵያ አትሌቲክስ ሻምፒዮና 1ኛ ቀን ውሎ |" (in Amharic). 8 May 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  31. ^ "Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  32. ^ "World 10k Bengaluru 2019 results" (PDF).
  33. ^ "Results: Prefontaine Classic (Stanford Diamond League) 2019 | Watch Athletics". www.watchathletics.com. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  34. ^ "Konstanze Klosterhalfen und der Lauf in die absolute Weltspitze". www.leichtathletik.de | Das Leichtathletik-Portal. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  35. ^ Dalek, Brian (30 June 2019). "Highlights From Prefontaine Classic: Caster Semenya Triumphs in Return to 800 Meters". Runner's World. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  36. ^ "3000 Metres Result | Prefontaine Classic". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  37. ^ "Gebrhiwet and Gidey take 10,000m titles at Ethiopian trials in Hengelo| News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  38. ^ "Hassan completes Diamond distance double in Brussels – IAAF Diamond League| News". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  39. ^ "Diamond League 2019 Brussels 5000 m women" (PDF).
  40. ^ "Report: women's 10,000m - IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019| News | iaaf.org". www.iaaf.org. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  41. ^ IAAF.org. "iaaf.org - Dibaba shatters 15Km World record in Nijmegen". Archived from the original on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  42. ^ "Letesenbet Gidey breaks 15K world record". Canadian Running Magazine. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  43. ^ "Diamond League Monaco 5000 m women" (PDF). 14 August 2020.
  44. ^ "Letesenbet Gidey takes world half-marathon record apart in Valencia". AW. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  45. ^ "All time Top lists – 3000 m Women – Senior Outdoor | until 5 August 2021". World Athletics. Retrieved 5 August 2021. Change filters for other age / territorial / time range

External links[]

Records
Preceded by Women's 5000 m World Record Holder
7 October 2020 – 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Women's 10,000 m World record holder
8 June 2021 – present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Retrieved from ""