Almaz Ayana is the poster lady of the Ethiopian team going to Rio, with the 2015 World Champion named to compete in both the 5000m and 10000m events at the 2016 Olympic Games.
It goes to show the length the former steeplechase athlete has evolved after switching events, and has gone on to dominate the women’s long distance events since she won GOLD in the women’s 5000m at the 2014 African Championships in Marrakech.
Not only is Ayana becoming a mainstay, she is now looked upon as a sure bet to win the women’s 5000m especially with the manner she attacked the World Record (WR) at the Rome Diamond League this year, running the second fastest time in history to win at 14:12.59. She also has the fourth fastest time over that distance with a time of 14:14.32, which she won with at last year’s Shanghai Diamond League.
It used to be Tirunesh Dibaba who would have been the first pick for both events; however after just coming back from childbirth, the WR holder has been named only in the 10,000m and will be on reserve in the 5000m.
In fact Dibaba’s younger sister, Genzebe was only listed in the 1500m, a distance in which she holds the WR of 3:50.07, set at last year’s Paris Diamond League.
Genzebe Dibaba looks very comfortable in the 1500m, and when considered that she Did Not Finish (DNF) in her first 5000m race of the season, needing medical help to be wheeled out of the arena having dropped out in the last 1500m, it seemed obvious that she is not in the frame to run the longer distance.
However, such is not case for Ayana who in Hengelo stormed to the fastest time ever recorded in a debut for the 10,000m, clocking a World Lead (WL) of 30:07.00. It was astonishing as the older Dibaba was in that race and could only finish 3rd, almost 20s behind Ayana in 30:28.53.
At the moment, Ayana seems untouchable and in a class of her own. Against any unexpected turn of fortunes, she looks like she could emulate her compatriot Tirunesh who did the double at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, by also borrowing a leaf and doing same this summer in Rio.
Meanwhile, there were surprise exclusions from the Ethiopian team, with 3000m World Indoor champion, Yomif Kejelcha not making the team in the 5000m, while the trio of Muktar Edris, Dejen Gebremeskel, Hagos Gebrhiwet was listed. Also defending 5000m champion Meseret Defar didn’t make the team.
Do You Know: Ethiopia will only present athletes in these events: 800m, 5000m, 10,000m, Marathon, 3000m steeplechase & 20km race walk
