Diribe Welteji

Last updated
Diribe Welteji
Diribe Welteji 2023 (cropped).jpg
Diribe Welteji in 2023
Personal information
Birth nameDiribe Welteji Kejelcha
NationalityEthiopian
Born (2002-05-13) 13 May 2002 (age 23)
West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
Sport
Sport Track and Field
Event(s) 800 metres
1500 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Budapest 1500 m
World Indoor Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Nanjing 1500 m
World Road Running Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Riga 1 mile
World U20 Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Tampere 800 m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2021 Nairobi 1500 m
African U20 Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Abidjan 1500 m

Diribe Welteji Kejelcha (born 13 May 2002) [1] is an Ethiopian middle-distance runner. She won the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 2023 World Championships and placed fourth in the 800 metres at the 2022 World Championships.

Contents

At age 16, Welteji won the 800 m at the 2018 World U20 Championships, breaking the championship record in the process. She took silver for the 1500 metres at the 2021 World U20 Championships.

Career

A 16-year-old Diribe Welteji won the gold medal for the 800 m event at the 2018 World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, where she also competed in the women's 4 × 400 m relay without reaching the final, but achieving an Ethiopian junior record. [1]

In 2019, she won a gold in the 1500 metres at the African U20 Championships, finished sixth in the 800 m event at the African Games in Rabat, and was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 800 m event at the Doha World Championships. [1]

The 19-year-old competed without success in the women's 1500 m at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in August 2021, but the same month took silver in this event at the World U20 Championships held in Nairobi. [2] [1]

Welteji placed fourth in the 800 m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July with a time of 1:57.02. [3] In August, she won her first Diamond League meeting with a 1500 m victory, beating her esteemed compatriot Gudaf Tsegay at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzów, Poland. Welteji improved her personal best by more than two seconds and set a meet record with 3:56.91. [4]

On October 1, 2023, Welteji broke the 1 mile women's road record by running 4:20.98 in Riga at the World Athletics Road Running Championships. [5]

In December 2024, it was announced that she had signed up for the inaugural season of the Michael Johnson founded Grand Slam Track. [6]

Achievements

International competitions

Representing Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventTime
2018 World U20 Championships Tampere, Finland1st 800 m 1:59.74 WU20L CR
13th (h) 4x400 m relay 3:39.29 NU20R
2019 African U20 Championships Abidjan, Ivory Coast1st 1500 m 4:11.59
African Games Rabat, Morocco6th 800 m 2:04.20
World Championships Doha, Qatar18th (sf) 800 m 2:02.69
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan35th (h) 1500 m 4:10.25
World U20 Championships Nairobi, Kenya2nd 1500 m 4:16.39
2022 World Championships Eugene, OR, United States4th 800 m 1:57.02 PB
2023 World Championships Budapest, Hungary2nd 1500 m 3:55.69
World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga, Latvia1stRoad mile4:20.98 WR
2024 World Indoor Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom 5th 1500 m 4:03.82
Olympic Games Paris, France4th 1500 m 3:52.75
2025 World Indoor Championships Nanjing, China 2nd 1500 m 3:59.30

Circuit performances

Grand Slam Track results [7]
SlamRace groupEventPl.TimePrize money
2025 Kingston Slam Short distance800 m2nd1:58.29US$100,000
1500 m1st4:04.51
2025 Miami Slam Short distance1500 m3rd4:07.46US$25,000
800 m4th1:59.94
2025 Philadelphia Slam Short distance1500 m1st3:58.04US$100,000
800 m1st1:58.94

Wins and titles

Personal bests

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Diribe WELTEJI – Athlete profile". World Athletics . Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  2. "Athletics WELTEJI Diribe". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  3. Kelsall, Christopher (2022-07-29). "Did Athing Mu impede Keely Hodgkinson during the 800m final at World Athletics Championships?". Athletics Illustrated. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  4. Chris Broadbent (6 August 2022). "Fraser-Pryce flies to world-leading 10.66 in Silesia". World Athletics . Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  5. "Diribe Welteji Sets A New World Record In The Women's Road Mile In A Stunning Upset In Riga". 2023-10-01. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  6. "Grand Slam Track Announces Final Five Racers For 2025 Season". FloTrack. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  7. "Grand Slam Track Results". Grand Slam Track . Retrieved April 5, 2025.