| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Ethiopian |
| Born | 8 April 2008 |
| Sport | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Long-distance running |
Medal record | |
Marta Alemayo (born 8 April 2008) is an Ethiopian long distance runner. In 2024, she became the world under-20 cross country champion. In January 2025, she set a new U18 world best time for the 3000m indoors. [1]
Alemayo finished fourth in the Ethiopian world championship cross country trials u20 race in 2024. [2] On 30 March 2024, she won the U20 individual event, as well as gold in the team U20 race, at the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Serbia. [3] [4] Winning at 15 years and 357 days old, Alemayo became the youngest women's under-20 world cross country champion of the 21st century, and the youngest since the Kenyan Rose Kosgei in 1997 who was 15 years and 213 days. [5] [2]
On 20 April 2024, she ran 15:14.54 to win the 5000 metres at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi. [6] In August 2024, she won the bronze medal over 3000 metres at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru. [7]
She ran 8:39.80 for the 3000m in Astana on the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Tour to set a new world under-18 best, on 25 January 2025 beating the previous mark of 8:46.01 set by Gotytom Gebreslase in 2012. [8]
Hellen Onsando Obiri is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won world titles in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country. Obiri is a two-time Olympic 5,000 metres silver medallist from the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she also placed fourth over the 10,000 metres. She is a two-time world champion after winning the 5,000 m in 2017 and again in 2019, when she set a new championship record. Obiri also took world bronze for the 1,500 metres in 2013 and silver in the 10,000 m in 2022. She won the 3,000 metres race at the 2012 World Indoor Championships, claimed silver in 2014, and placed fourth in 2018. She is the 2019 World Cross Country champion. Obiri triumphed in the 2023 Boston Marathon, her second marathon race. She places fifth in the half marathon on the world all-time list.
Gudaf Tsegay Desta is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner. She is the current women’s world record holder for 5,000 m (14:00.21), set at the 2023 final Diamond League event, the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Eugene is also where she won the World Athletics Championships on 5,000 m in 2022. At the World Athletics Championships, Gudaf also won the gold medal for 10,000 metres in 2023; a bronze for the 1,500 metres in 2019, and silver in 2022. She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist in the women's 5,000 metres. She is a two-time World Indoor Championship 1,500 m medallist, claiming bronze in 2016 and gold in 2022. She is also the world indoor record holder for the 1,500 m, setting previously in this event world under-18 (current) and U20 (former) records.
Agnes Jebet Tirop was a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She won bronze medals in the 10,000 metres at the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. At the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Tirop became the second-youngest ever gold medallist in the women's race, after Zola Budd. At the time of her death in 2021, she was the world-record holder in the 10 kilometres women's-only event.
Beatrice Chebet is a Kenyan long-distance runner who is the current world record holder in both the women's only and mixed 5 kilometre run, in addition to the 10,000 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 5000 m and 10,000 m races, becoming the third woman in history to win both events at the same Olympic games.
Lamecha Girma is an Ethiopian athlete who specialises in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the event and won silver medals at the 2019, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships. Lamecha also won a silver in the 3,000 metres at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. He is the world indoor record holder for the 3,000 metres, which was set in February 2023. In June 2023 at the Meeting de Paris of the Diamond League, he broke the world record for the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase.
Lemlem Hailu is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 3000 metres at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. Hailu earned bronze in the 1500 metres at the 2019 African Games.
Mizan Alem is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 5000 metres at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships.
Melknat Wudu Shaarew is an Ethiopian track and field and cross-country runner. In February 2024, she set a new world U20 3000 metres indoor record.
Innes FitzGerald is a British track and field athlete and cross country runner. She is the 2023 and 2024 European U20 Cross Country champion.
Pamela Kosgei is a Kenyan track and field and cross-country athlete. In 2023, she became the Africa Under-20 champion, and the Kenyan senior national champion, at the 3000m Steeplechase. She committed to compete for the University of New Mexico at the NCAA level, starting with the 2024 Cross Country season.
Samuel Firewu Fiche is an Ethiopian track and field athlete. He finished second at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships and won the 2022 Ethiopian Athletics Championships in the 3000m steeplechase.
Sofia Thøgersen is a Danish middle distance and long distance runner. A multiple-time national champion, and the Danish national record holder over 1500 metres, in 2023 she became the youngest Danish athlete to compete at the World Athletics Championships.
Bertukan Welde Sura is an Ethiopian track and field athlete who competes as a long-distance runner.
Nancy Cherop is a Kenyan middle distance and cross country runner.
Lemlem Nibret is an Ethiopian long distance runner.
Asayech Ayichew is an Ethiopian long distance runner.
Robe Dida is an Ethiopian long distance runner.
The U20 women's race at the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships was held in Belgrade, Serbia on 30 March 2024, at 11:00 AM local time. Marta Alemayo won the individual race, four seconds ahead of Asayech Ayichew. Two of the Kenyan U20 team members were denied immigration visas by the hosts, allowing Ethiopia to win the team title.
Abdisa Fayisa is an Ethiopian middle and long-distance runner.
Hellen Ekalale Lobun is a Kenyan long distance and cross-country runner.
