World indoor record bound - Tirunesh Dibaba in Boston (© Victah Sailer)
The hours after a World record performance can be sufficiently trying that they make the athlete wish to be back out on the track.
After her 14:27.42 World indoor 5000m record**, Tirunesh Dibaba was faced with a series of chores: the photo in front of the finish line clock, frozen at World record time. The walk from the track to the athletes' recovery area, which involved working her way down a row of children gathered at the rail of the seating area with meet programmes and other items awaiting the signature of the record- setter. With muscles aching for a warm-down jog, she could then dress again, but before that jog, Dibaba had to speak to the media. Through translator Elias Kebede, Dibaba answered our questions about her race, her preparation, and her plans for the coming season.
A planned assault
The record, she explained, had been planned for weeks. "I was so prepared for this race. I didn't run any cross-country or anything, I was focusing on this race. I was preparing for indoors."
Dibaba coughed--hopefully the "track hack" athletes often complain about after running hard in a dry indoor arena, and not the cold many of her countrywomen, including Meseret Defar and Dibaba's sister Ejegayehu, seemed to be suffering from. Ejegayehu was supposed to play a larger role in setting the race up, but was only able to keep up with Tirunesh for three laps after the 2,000m mark.
"Today she was really under the weather," explained Tirunesh. Normally, she went on, "I am happy to run with my sister; she helps me a lot."
"I am very happy about what I accomplished today. I think that with God's help I did it. I didn't think I would break the record by this much." Dibaba's pace for much of the race was 2:55 per kilometre, even splits to miss the record by a few seconds, but her 29-second closing lap combined with a few seconds "in the bank" early in the race pushed her under. "With two rounds left," she knew she could break it, and that was when she really picked up the pace.
Talent and training
"I always want to better my performance," explained Dibaba of her pursuit of a record she already owned. "That was my aim, my motivation today."
Asked what made her capable of setting such records, Dibaba answered, "I believe it is a God-given talent," but expanded, "I do the hard training, there is also that."
Defending championships, chasing records
Dibaba will run the Millrose Games 3000m on Friday (2 Feb) on the undersized track at Madison Square Garden. Beyond that, she intends to defend her World Cross Country championship in Mombasa, and then face the outdoor season. "I am hoping to run both the 5000m and the 10,000m in Osaka," to defend her double World titles from Helsinki, she adds.
Beyond the World titles, though, with another record on her resumé, and this one so close (just under three seconds) to the outdoor record of 14:24.53, there are obvious questions. Dibaba's indoor record would stand third on the all-time outdoor list. Will she chase the outdoor mark as well?
"God willing, I will try," she answers, opening the door. We step through it immediately. How fast could she go? Could a woman run 14:15, perhaps? "I'm not really sure," she answers cautiously, "but I will try to run that time."
How fast could she run indoors? Was there anything, perhaps pacing, or having to lap other runners on the outside, that made her think she could have run faster just an hour ago in Boston? Now Dibaba is on firmer ground and more certain with her answer. "No. I have run a very, very good race."
Parker Morse for the IAAF
Click here for the original World record meeting report
**World indoor record, subject to ratification