Tirunesh Dibaba – simply the best

When her cousin, Derartu Tulu, told Tirunesh Dibaba that she would become a very strong runner, she surely had no idea just how strong. As good as her name, perhaps? As good as Tulu? Or maybe even better?

In Amharaic, Tirunesh means "you are good", but now she is simply the best. And also the youngest.

Unique double

Her 10,000 metres victory at the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Helsinki, Finland, means that the youngest World champion in Paris (where she took 5000m gold) is now not just the youngest to win at both distances, but the only one. The history books may soon need rewriting, before the ink is even dry, for Tirunesh is attempting what would be a unique women's double in Finland . . . shades of Zatopek and Viren.

She begins her defence of that 5000m title on Wednesday. No woman has achieved such a global championship double, though Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan has done it in Europe. "I did not know that before," she said, smiling and looking in wonder. "Can I do it? I can't say. As far as making history goes, only God knows."

There seems every possibility. Although beaten into third at last year's Olympics over 5000m, Tirunesh smashed the World indoor 5000m record by six seconds in January, when racing in Boston. She achieved the long and short race World Cross Country double in France in March (matching O'Sullivan’s 1998 feat), and equalled Paula Radcliffe's five kilometre world best on the road in California.

Tulu is in no doubt that the tiny Dibaba is the future of women's endurance running. "I train with her, so I know how good she can be," said Tulu. "She is going to be a bigger star than me."

That prediction came two winters ago, and surprised Tirunesh. "I never thought I would be strong enough to be like Derartu…though two years ago, in Paris, I knew I had a lot of talent."

Tulu, of course, is a well qualified judge: World champion at 10,000m, and Olympic champion twice, yet her waif-like cousin has opened doors which she never dreamed existed when she grew up on the family farm in the Arsi highlands.

"When we finished school, I would do a few chores, fetch water, make coffee," she said. "It was not far to get water - only a kilometre. That's not a long distance in our culture. Sometimes I'd look after the animals."

The land is fertile at her home village of Bekoji (some 150 kilometres from Addis Ababa) where she grew up with her brother and five sisters. It yields three harvests a year. "We had about 40 animals: cows, bulls, horses, a few sheep. There is plenty water - no drought, so we were quite comfortable."

They are even more comfortable now. She and her elder sister, Ejagayehu, have already bought a house for their parents in Bekoji, and also one for themselves, in the Ethiopian capital. "We have just moved in," confides Tirunesh.

Another historic first

History came in two chapters on the night. The Ethiopian medal sweep was not a first. China did likewise at 3000m in 1993, in Stuttgart, but two sisters on the world podium in an endurance race certainly was a first. Ejagayehu, Athens Olympic silver medallist at the same distance, finished third.

The pair have no special thoughts about what they will buy with their Finnish haul (a total of $80,000 in prize money from the IAAF), "but I will use some to help my family," said Tirunesh.

Family affection

"My sister and I are very close. We live together and train together. There is a lot of love between us. We are never separated."

Tirunesh moved from the country to be with her sister in Addis when she was 14. "It is a very good feeling to come first and third," she said. "I am am very happy about that, and three medals for Ethiopia."

She said there would have been a huge party in Addis. "The family gathered at our house. Some of them live at Bekoji, and have TV there, but they all came into Addis, so that they could all watch together."

They could be viewing further glorious chapters for many years. The last possibility of a World Cross Country double comes in Japan next year, before the short race is removed from the programme.

"If God wills, I will try," she said.

And World records?

"I have not thought about that, but it is possible. I will think about it in future."

She says she will move to the Marathon some day, but not until she has explored her full potential at her two track distances. That could be a long, interesting, and profitable journey.

Birthday confirmed

"I know it will not happen in the next 10 years, because I want to win everything on the track first, but just like Derartu, I want to turn to the Marathon . . . I want to become Ethiopia's most successful Olympian. I feel I have five more Olympics in me."

It is scary to think how young she is, though she is not as young as we thought. Tirunesh confirmed her birth date as 1 June, which makes her 20. It also means she was 18 years and 90 days (not still 17) when she won in Paris. But she is still the youngest ever World champion.

Doug Gillon - The Herald - for the IAAF