Guardian

By Nick Mulvenney

Friday August 22 2008

BEIJING, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba surprised herself by winning the Olympic long distance double she sealed with a stunning final-lap sprint in the 5,000 metres on Friday.
The three-times world champion had already won the 10,000m on the opening night of competition at the Bird’s Nest and became the first woman to win both in the relatively short history of women’s long distance running at the Olympics.

“It’s a big achievement for me,” said the 23-year-old.

“When I came from my country I didn’t think I’d win both. I just thought I’d be a good competitor in both events. Now that I have it I’m quite satisfied.” Read More.

Tirunesh Dibaba: The First Woman to Sweep the 5000 and 10000 Olympic Titles

From The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba won her second gold medal at the Beijing Olympics as she took the Women’s 5,000 Meters gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Friday.

Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse took the silver in 15:42.74 and another Ethiopian Meseret Defar, the defending champion, won the bronze in 15:44.12.

Ethiopia’s Dibaba Outkicks Rival to Complete a Distance Double (NYT)

Photo Highlight From Our Golden Girl’s victory

Tirunesh Dibaba (Front,L) competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Tirunesh Dibaba celebrates. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Tirunesh Dibaba celebrates. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Ethiopia’s Golden Girl: Dibaba Wins Women’s 10000m

From the Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

(BEIJING, August 15) — Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia has won gold and set a new Olympic record in the Women’s 10000m at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 15.

Dibaba’s time of 29:54.66 was enough to break the old record of 30:17.49 set by fellow Ethiopian Derartu Tulu and hold off silver medalist Elvan Abeylegess of Turkey (also born in Ethiopia) who ran a time of 29:56.34. Bronze went to Shalane Flanagan of the United States in a time of 30:22:22.

The world record of 29:31.78 seconds in this event is held by China’s Wang Junxia China, set in 1993. Read More.

The Golden Girl

Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene celebrates after crossing the line.
(Photo credit: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey (born in Ethiopia) and Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene.
(Photo credit: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene celebrates. (Photo credit: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Dibaba planning long-distance double
Reuters

By Sabrina Yohannes

Thursday, August 14, 2008

BEIJING (Reuters) – World 10,000-metre champion Tirunesh Dibaba says she expects to run both the 10,000 and 5,000m events in Beijing, hoping to become the first woman to scoop the Olympic distance double.

In 2005 Dibaba became the first woman to win both races at a world championships when she led an Ethiopian podium sweep in both events in Helsinki.

She retained the 10,000 title in Osaka last year after suffering from abdominal pain mid-race but skipped the 5,000 days later.

“My expectation is that I will run both,” she told Reuters after arriving in Beijing. “It’s being said that it’s a little hot here, so the final decision will be made after the 10,000.” Read more at Guardian.