Famous Ethiopian Sportspersons

Ethiopian Olympic legend and businessman, Haile Gebrselassie, a retired long-distance, road and track running athlete, is counted among the greatest distance runners in history. He set 27 world records in athletics and broke 61 Ethiopian national records. His achievements include winning two Olympic gold medals, four World Championship titles, four World Indoor Championship titles and one World Half Marathon Championship.  

Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba scripted history by becoming the youngest female World Champion, in 2003, when she was a little over 18 years. She is also the first female to win the Olympic 5,000m/10,000m double. The 5-time World Champion is also a 3-time Olympic gold medalist.

Ethiopian marathon runner, Abebe Bikil,a became the first black African Olympic gold medalist at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Four years later, he won his second gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He created world record both the times. A pioneer in long-distance running, he participated in a total of 16 marathons. 

Ethiopian long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele is not just a 3-time Olympic gold medalist but has also won the World Championship gold 5 times. He also has 11 World Cross Country Championship gold medals in his kitty. Initially a master of the 5,000m and 10,000m categories, he later focused on marathons.

Derartu Tulu is an Ethiopian retired long-distance runner who took part in several events like road running and marathon. She won a gold medal each at the 1992 and 2000 Olympics. She also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. Tulu is also known for winning a gold and silver medal at the World Championships.

Genzebe Dibaba is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in middle and long-distance running. She is best known for winning a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. Prior to 2016, she had success at the 2015 World Championships where she won gold and a bronze medal. Genzebe Dibaba has also won five gold medals at the World Indoor Championships.

Meseret Defar is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. She is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2004 and 2012 Olympic Games in Athens and London respectively. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, Defar won a silver medal for Ethiopia. She has also won medals at the World Championships, All-Africa Games, and World Indoor Championships.

Miruts Yifter was an Ethiopian athlete who specialized in long-distance running. He is best remembered for winning two gold medals at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. He also won four gold medals at the IAAF World Cup. Miruts Yifter also had success at the 1973 All-Africa Games where he won a gold medal and a silver medal.

Ethiopian Olympic legend Degaga "Mamo" Wolde, an international distance running star, was a cross-country, road and track running athlete. He won gold medal in men’s marathon event and silver medal in 10000 m event at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. Wolde bagged his third Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 1972 Olympic marathon in Munich, West Germany.

Feyisa Lilesa is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He achieved popularity in 2010 when he became the youngest man to complete the men's marathon at the NN Rotterdam Marathon under 2:06. He went on to win a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. Feyisa Lilesa also won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.

Tiki Gelana is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. She achieved popularity in 2012 when she won the gold medal and created a new Olympic record in the women's marathon event at the Olympic Games in London. From 2012 to 2017, Tiki Gelana held the Ethiopian national record for marathon with a personal best time of 2:18:58.

Gezahegne Abera is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in marathon races. He is best known for winning the gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. He won the medal at the age of 22, becoming the youngest marathon winner since 1932 when Juan Carlos Zabala won the race. Abera went on to win the gold medal at the 2001 World Championships.

Ethiopian long-distance runner Almaz Ayana is not just an Olympic gold medalist but has also won the World Championship twice. She broke the 10,000m world record at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which was also her first year at the Olympics. She is also a Continental Cup and African Championship winner.

Letesenbet Gidey is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. She is best known for winning a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. She is also known for winning a gold medal at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, USA. Letesenbet Gidey has also won five gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships.

Tsegaye Kebede is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He is best known for winning the bronze medal in the men's marathon event at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The following year, Tsegaye Kebede also won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany.

Two-time Boston Marathon-winning Ethiopian long-distance runner Lelisa Desisa has also been a World Champion, an All-Africa Games Champion, and an African Junior Champion. A road running expert, he had also won the 2018 New York Marathon. His personal best has been 10,000m in a little over 27 minutes.  

Belayneh Densamo is an Ethiopian retired athlete who specialized in long-distance running. He held the marathon world record for 10 years between 1988 and 1998. Belayneh Densamo also represented his country in important tournaments including the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.

Ethiopian long-distance runner Fatuma Roba won her very first marathon in 1993. She then won the Olympic gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, scripting history as the first African female runner to win an Olympic marathon gold. She also won 3 consecutive Boston Marathons, from 1997 to 1999.

Ethiopian long-distance runner Selemon Barega is not just an Olympic gold medalist but has also won a World Championship silver medal. Considered a rising star in the racing circle, he excels in 3,000m, 5,000m, and 10,000m. He has also been a Diamond League champion in 5,000m.

Yomif Kejelcha is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in middle and long-distance running. He is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2016 and 2018 World Indoor Championships in Portland and Birmingham respectively. Yomif Kejelcha also won a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Muktar Edris is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He is best known for winning a gold medal each at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Prior to his success at the world championships, Edris had success at the World Cross Country Championships, where he won gold and a bronze medal each at the 2013 and 2015 Championships.

Ethiopian long-distance runner Ejegayehu Dibaba beat her cousin and two-time Olympic gold medallist Derartu Tulu to clinch the silver medal in the 10,000 m event at 2004 Summer Olympics. Her personal bests also include winning two bronze medals at 2005 World Championships in Athletics over 5000 m and 10000 m respectively, and winning her marathon debut at 2011 Chicago Marathon.

Shura Kitata is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2020 World Marathon Majors. Shura Kitata also won two silver medals in 2018 at the World Marathon Majors. Apart from competing in marathon races around the world, Kitata also competes in half-marathons.

Ethiopian professional long-distance-runner Tariku Bekele specializes in 5000 m event however has moved up to 10000 m. Bekele ranks as the fourth fastest Ethiopian over 5000 m and 3000 m. His feats include becoming 2006 World Junior Champion over 3000 m; winning 3000 m gold at 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships; and bronze over 10,000 m at 2012 Summer Olympics. 

Abeba Aregawi is an Ethiopian-Swedish former athlete who specialized in middle-distance running. She won all her major medals in the 1500 metres event; bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games, silver medal at the 2014 European Championship, and a gold medal each at the 2013 World Championship, 2013 European Indoor Championship, and 2014 World Indoor Championship.

World Champion Ethiopian long-distance runner Tamirat Tola specializes in cross-country and road running. He is also an Olympic bronze medalist and an IAAF World Cross Country Championship gold medalist. He clocked his personal best in the 10,000m at a little above 26:57 minutes and has also scored several half-marathon wins.

Sileshi Sihine is an Ethiopian former athlete who specialized in long-distance running. He is best known for winning a silver medal each at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing respectively. Sileshi Sihine is also known for his performances in World Championships, where he won three silver medals and a bronze medal between 2003 and 2007.  

Guye Adola is an Ethiopian track and field athlete who specializes in the half marathon. He achieved popularity in 2014 when he won two bronze medals at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. Adola made his marathon debut in 2017 when he competed in the Berlin Marathon; he finished at 2:03:46 and set the record for the fastest marathon-debut ever.

Birhanu Legese is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. Currently, he is part of the famous NN Running Team, which is being managed by Global Sports Communication. In 2016, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon. Birhanu Legese won the Tokyo Marathon in 2019 despite cold and rainy conditions. He won again in Tokyo the following year.

Tsgabu Grmay is an Ethiopian road cyclist who has won medals at the CAC Road African Championships for his country. In 2012, he joined the UCI WorldTeam, Team MTN–Qhubeka, becoming the first professional cyclist from Ethiopia. In 2013, Tsgabu Grmay won one of the stages of Tour de Taiwan, becoming the first Ethiopian to win an international event in cycling. 

Mosinet Geremew is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in middle and long-distance running. He is best known for winning a silver medal each at the 2019 and 2022 World Championships in Doha and Eugene respectively. Mosinet Geremew has won many marathons around the world, including the Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon and the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon.

Ethiopian World Cross Country Champion long-distance runner and 3-time Olympian Hagos Gebrhiwet is a World Championship silver medalist and an Olympic bronze medalist. He also won the 3,000m World Indoor Tour in 2018. He has been associated with the club Mesfin Industrial Engineering.

Ethiopian runner Abadi Hadis was a teenager when he finished third at the 2017 World Cross Country Championships. He later became one of 5 men to score better than 13 minutes for 5000m and 27 minutes for 10,000m. Unfortunately, he died of an undisclosed illness at age 22.

Luciano Vassallo is a former football player who represented the Ethiopia national football team from 1960 to 1971, during which he scored 47 goals in 104 appearances. Best known for his free kicks, volleys, and penalties, Luciano Vassallo also played for teams like Cotton Factory Club, Asmara Calcio, and GS Gejeret.

Ethiopian runner Sisay Lemma was 17 when he started running and initially ran barefoot, as he was unable to afford running shoes. He won the 2021 London Marathon by finishing at a little over 2 minutes. He also participated in the men’s marathon event in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Ibrahim Jeilan is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2011 World Championships. He then won a silver medal at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow. Ibrahim Jeilan is also known for winning medals in important tournaments like All-Africa Games, African Championships, and IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Italo Vassallo was an Italian-Eritrean professional football player who represented the Ethiopia national football team from 1962 to 1971. In 1962, he helped Ethiopia win the Africa Cup of Nations by scoring in the finals against Egypt. Italo Vassallo also played for popular clubs like Cotton Factory Club and Hamasien.

Ethiopian footballer Loza Abera is best known as a forward for the club Nigd Bank. While she began playing football at age 6, she initially had to play as part of teams mostly composed of boys. She made it to the BBC's list of 100 Women in 2020.

Alia Saeed Mohammed is an Ethiopian-born Emirati athlete who specializes in long-distance running. She represents the United Arab Emirates in important tournaments and won gold medals at the 2011 Pan Arab Games and the 2014 Asian Games. Alia Saeed Mohammed also participated at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017 where she won the silver medal.

Amedework Walelegn is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in long-distance running. He achieved popularity in 2018 when he broke the Istanbul Half record in the process of winning the Istanbul Half Marathon. Amedework Walelegn then went on to win the New Delhi Half Marathon in 2020.

Ethiopian distance runner Ababel Yeshaneh started her international marathon career by winning the 2011 Vadodara Half Marathon. An Olympian, she has also won a silver medal at the 2014 African Cross-Country Championships held in Kampala. Apart from marathons and half-marathons, she specializes in cross-country and 10,000m.