# Luiza Gega

Luiza Gega (born 5 November 1988) is an Albanian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase since 2016.

## Career

Gega won the silver medal in the event at the 2016 European Championships, and a gold in 2022 setting the championship record in the process. Her silver was the first ever Albania’s European medal, while her gold was the first ever title for the country at the European Athletics Championships.
Gega represented Albania at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, competing in the women's 3000 m steeplechase.
She competed at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, finishing ninth, and at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, finishing fifth, both in the 3000 metres steeplechase. In 2022 she became European Champion in that discipline, where previously, in 2016, she had been runner-up.
Gega is the Albanian record holder in the 800, 1500, 3000 (those three out and indoor), 5000, 10,000 metres, half-marathon and marathon distances as well as the 2000 and 3000 metres steeplechase.

## Competition record

Representing  Albania :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2011 | European Indoor Championships | Paris, France | 17th (h) | 800 m | 2:08.75 |
| 2011 | Universiade | Shenzhen, China | 7th (sf) | 800 m | 2:04.13 |
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 28th (h) | 800 m | 2:03.21 |
| 2012 | World Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 13th (h) | 1500 m | 4:13.45 |
| 2012 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 13th (h) | 1500 m | 4:12.54 |
| 2013 | European Indoor Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | – | 800 m | DQ |
| 2013 | Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 4th | 800 m | 2:01.96 NR |
| 2013 | Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 2nd | 1500 m | 4:05.63 |
| 2013 | Universiade | Kazan, Russia | 2nd | 1500 m | 4:08.71 |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 19th (sf) | 1500 m | 4:08.79 |
| 2014 | World Indoor Championships | Sopot, Poland | 6th | 1500 m | 4:08.24 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 11th (h) | 1500 m | 4:12.25 |
| 2015 | European Games | Baku, Azerbaijan | 2nd | 800 m | 2:02.36 |
| 2015 | European Games | Baku, Azerbaijan | 1st | 1500 m | 4:11.58 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 21st (h) | 1500 m | 4:09.36 |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, OR, United States | 16th (h) | 1500 m | 4:16.12 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 2nd | 3000 m s'chase | 9:28.52 NR |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 48th (h) | 3000 m s'chase | 9:58.49 |
| 2017 | European Indoor Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | 5th | 1500 m | 4:11.64 |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 17th (h) | 1500 m | 4:10.65 |
| 2018 | Mediterranean Games | Tarragona, Spain | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 9:27.73 |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 4th | 3000 m s'chase | 9:24.78 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 9th | 3000 m s'chase | 9:19.93 NR |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 13th | 3000 m s'chase | 9:34.10 (SB h) |
| 2022 | World Indoor Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | 13th | 3000 m | 8:53.14 |
| 2022 | Balkan Championships | Craiova, Romania | 1st | 5000 m | 15:16.47 CR NR |
| 2022 | Balkan Championships | Craiova, Romania | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 9:17.89 CR |
| 2022 | Mediterranean Games | Oran, Algeria | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 9:14.29 GR NR |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 5th | 3000 m s'chase | 9:10.04 NR |
| 2022 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 9:11.31 CR |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 8th | 3000 m s'chase | 9:10.27 |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 5th | 3000 m s'chase | 9:22.92 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 27th (h) | 3000 m s'chase | 9:27.41 |

## Personal bests

* 800 metres – 2:01.31 (Tbilisi 2014) NR
** 800 metres indoor – 2:02.27 (Piraeus 2013) NR
* 1500 metres – 4:02.63 (Doha 2015) NR
** 1500 metres indoor – 4:06.66 (Istanbul 2017) NR
* 3000 metres – 8:46.61 (Elbasan 2022) NR
** 3000 metres indoor – 8:44.46 (Karlsruhe 2020) NR
* 5000 metres – 15:16.47 (Craiova 2022) NR
* 10,000 metres – 32:16.25 (Birmingham 2021) NR
* 2000 metres steeplechase – 5:56.79 (Zagreb 2023) NBP
* 3000 metres steeplechase – 9:09.64 (Zurich 2023) NR

### Road

* 10 km – 33:43 (Tirana 2019)
* Half marathon – 1:11:17 (Luzern 2023)
* Marathon – 2:35:34 (Skopje 2020) NR