# Ejegayehu Dibaba

Ejegayehu Dibaba Keneni (Oromo: Ijigaayoo Dibaabaa; Amharic: እጅጋዬሁ ዲባባ, born 21 March 1982) 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.

## Early Life

She was born in Chefe, Ethiopia.

## Career

Ejegayehu Dibaba is an Ethiopian long-distance runner from the high-altitude 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 Fukushi 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 competitions

Representing  Ethiopia :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
| 2002 | African Championships | Radès, Tunisia | 3rd | 5000 m | 15:56.02 |
| 2003 | World Cross Country Championships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 9th | Short race | 12:59 |
| 2003 | World Cross Country Championships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 2nd | Team competition | 24 pts |
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 9th | 10,000 m | 31:01.07 |
| 2003 | All-Africa Games | Abuja, Nigeria | 1st | 10,000 m | 32:34.54 |
| 2003 | Afro-Asian Games | Hyderabad, India | 1st | 10,000 m | 33:01.12 |
| 2004 | World Cross Country Championships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 10th | Short race | 13:23 |
| 2004 | World Cross Country Championships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1st | Team competition | 19 pts |
| 2004 | World Cross Country Championships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 2nd | Long race | 27:29 |
| 2004 | World Cross Country Championships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1st | Team competition | 26 pts |
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 2nd | 10,000 m | 30:24.98 |
| 2004 | World Athletics Final | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 3rd | 5000 m | 14:59.52 |
| 2005 | World Cross Country Championships | Saint-Étienne, France | 14th | Short race | 13:51 |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 3rd | 5000 m | 14:42.47 |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 3rd | 10,000 m | 30:26.00 |
| 2006 | World Cross Country Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | 14th | Long race | 26:37 |
| 2006 | African Championships | Bambous, Mauritius | – | 10,000 m | DNF |
| 2006 | World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 4th | 5000 m | 16:07.87 |
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 6th | 10,000 m | 32:30.44 |
| 2008 | African Championships | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 2nd | 10,000 m | 32:50.36 |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 12th | 10,000 m | 31:22.18 |
| 2008 | World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | – | 5000 m | DNS |

## 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)