My Sports World record-holder Tsegay leads Ethiopian 1500m medal sweep in Belgrade
By Simon Turnbull for World Athletics | https://worldathletics.org/
In the end, the long and winding road to global gold finished with Tsegay forged on, some way short of full throttle, crossing the line in a relative stroll for Gudaf Tsegay on day two of the World Athletics 3:57.19. Embaye took another silver, clocking 4:02.29, with MesheIndoor Championships Belgrade 22. sha claiming bronze in 4:03.39 – ahead of Ugandan Winnie Nanyondo (4:04.60) and Josette Norris of the US (4:04.71). The 25-year-old led an Ethiopian clean sweep of the medals in the women’s 1500m final, the first by any nation in any event in world For Tsegay, the 2014 world U20 silver medallist, it ended a run of indoor history, with a gun-to-tape victory that also eclipsed the three senior global bronze medal finishes, having placed third in championship record. the 2016 world indoor 1500m final, the 2019 world outdoor final in Doha and also in the 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics last year. That stood at 3:59.75 to Gelete Burka, whose 2008 victory in Valen- Unbeaten at all distances indoors since 2019, the new Ethiopian cia launched a run of what now stands at seven successive victories golden girl has not lost a 1500m race indoors or outdoors since the by Ethiopian-representing or Ethiopian-born women. 2019 outdoor world final in Doha, when she finished third behind Sifan Hassan and Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon. That Tsegay consigned it to history without showing the slightest hint of strain until the bell sounded underlined the unparalleled Her last indoor defeat at the distance dates back to 10 February 2018, class of the world indoor record-holder. when she placed third in the World Indoor Tour event in Boston. Tsegay was a woman apart from the off, shooting into the lead with With her latest victory she has extended the winning Ethiopian ina 30.60 first lap, passing 400m in 61.85 and some 10 metres ahead of fluence to a seventh championship, following in the footsteps of her the field as she breezed past 800m in 2:06.18. compatriots Burka (2008), Kalkadin Gezahenge (2010), Genzebe Dibaba (2018 and 2012) and the naturalised Swede Abebe Aregawi (2014) and naturalised Netherlander Hissan (2016). By then, 2014 silver medallist Axumawit Embaye and African Games champion Hirut Meshesha had clear daylight in second and third.
TT 145 | MAR 22nd - 28th | 2022 The Times Today is a publication of Elizabeth Omondi Consultancy. P.O. Box 833-00100 GPO Nairobi. Tel: 0722 927792. www.thetimestoday.wordpress.com
13
