Almaz Ayana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Almaz Ayana

Almaz at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing
Personal information
Born	(1991-11-21) 21 November 1991 (age 33) Wenbera, Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Ethiopia
Height	1.66 m
Weight	47 kg
Sport
Country	Ethiopia
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Long-distance running
Team	NN Running Team (2022–)
Achievements and titles
World finals	2013 Moscow 5000 m, 3 Bronze 2015 Beijing 5000 m, 1 Gold 2017 London 5000 m, 2 Silver 10,000 m, 1 Gold
Olympic finals	2016 Rio 5000 m, 3 Bronze 10,000 m, 1 Gold
Personal best(s)	5000 m: 14:12.59 (Rome 2016) 10,000 m: 29:17.45 (Rio de Janeiro 2016) Road Half marathon: 65:30 (Lisbon 2023) Marathon: 2:17:20 (Amsterdam 2022)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Ethiopia Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 10,000 m Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro 5000 m World Championships Gold 2015 Beijing 5000 m Gold 2017 London 10,000 m Silver 2017 London 5000 m Bronze 2013 Moscow 5000 m Diamond League 2016 5000 m African Championships Gold 2014 Marrakech 5000 m Representing Africa Continental Cup Gold 2014 Marrakech 5000 m

Almaz Ayana Eba is an amazing long-distance runner from Ethiopia. She was born on November 21, 1991. Almaz is famous for winning gold and bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She also has four medals from the World Athletics Championships. These include a bronze in 2013, a gold in 2015, and a gold and silver in 2017.

Almaz broke the world record for the 10,000 metres race at the Rio Olympics. She held this record from 2016 to 2021. In 2017, she won the 10,000m world title by a huge lead. She was even named the Female World Athlete of the Year in 2016. In 2022, Almaz ran her first marathon, setting a super fast time.

About Almaz Ayana

Almaz Ayana was born in Wenbera, a place in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. She is the seventh of nine children. Almaz started running at her local school when she was about 13 or 14 years old.

Like other famous Ethiopian runners, Almaz is from the Oromo people. She speaks both her native Oromo language and Amharic. Her name, Almaz, means 'diamond' in Amharic. Almaz is married to her childhood friend, Soressa Fida, and she is a Christian.

Almaz's Running Journey

Early Success (2013–2014)

When Almaz was 21, she won her first big medal. It was a bronze in the 5000 metres at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Russia.

In 2014, at the 2014 African Championships in Athletics in Marrakech, she won the 5000m race. She even beat another famous runner, Genzebe Dibaba. A month later, she won the 5000m again at the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup, also in Marrakech. She finished more than 24 seconds ahead of the next runner!

Becoming a World Champion (2015)

Almaz won her first world title in the 5000m at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing.

In May 2015, Almaz ran her fastest 5000m race yet in Shanghai, China. Her time of 14:14.32 made her the third fastest woman ever at that distance. Only Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar were faster.

At the World Championships in Beijing that August, Almaz showed amazing skill. She led the 5000m final from the start and won with a time of 14:26.83. This was a new championship record! She beat the silver medalist by over 17 seconds.

Olympic Glory and World Record (2016)

On June 2, 2016, Almaz ran an even faster 5000m race in Rome, Italy. Her time of 14:12.59 made her the second fastest woman ever in that event. Only Tirunesh Dibaba had a faster time. Later that month, she ran her first 10,000 metres race. She set the fastest debut time ever for that distance.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Almaz made history. She set a new world record of 29:17.45 in the 10,000 metres. She broke a 23-year-old record by 14 seconds! The race was incredibly fast. The second-place runner, Vivian Cheruiyot, also ran very close to the old world record. Many runners set their personal best times in this race. Almaz also won a bronze medal in the 5000 metres at these Olympics.

More World Championship Medals (2017)

Almaz celebrates her 10,000m win at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.

On August 5, 2017, Almaz won the 10,000 metres at the World Championships in London. Her time was 30:16.32, the best in the world that year. Eight days later, she also won a silver medal in the 5000 metres.

Return to Running (2018–2022)

Almaz took almost three years off from running. She had some injuries and also became a mother. She started competing again in April 2022.

On October 16, 2022, Almaz ran her first marathon at the Amsterdam Marathon. She won the race with a time of 2:17:20. This was the fastest ever marathon debut for a woman! She beat her old rival, Genzebe Dibaba, by 45 seconds. Almaz also broke the course record and set a new record for the fastest time run in the Netherlands.

Achievements and Awards

Almaz (second from the right) races in the 5000m heat at the 2017 London World Championships. She won silver in the final and gold for the 10,000m.

• 2016 – Named IAAF Female World Athlete of the Year.

Almaz has won many medals and titles throughout her career.

International Competitions

Representing  Ethiopia

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
2010	World Junior Championships	Moncton, Canada	5th	3000 m st.	9:48.08
2013	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	3rd	5000 m	14:51.33
2014	African Championships	Marrakech, Morocco	1st	5000 m	15:32.72 CR
	Continental Cup	Marrakech, Morocco	1st	5000 m	15:33.32
2015	World Championships	Beijing, China	1st	5000 m	14:26.83 CR
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	3rd	5000 m	14:33.59
			1st	10,000 m	29:17.45 OR WR
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	2nd	5000 m	14:40.35
			1st	10,000 m	30:16.32

Personal Best Times

Other Wins and Titles

• Diamond League Overall 5000 m winner: 2016
  • 2015 (2 wins): Shanghai Golden Grand Prix (5000m), Zürich Weltklasse (3000m)
  • 2016 (4 wins): Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix (3000m), Rabat Meeting (5000m), Rome Golden Gala (5000m), Brussels Memorial Van Damme (5000m)
• Ethiopian Athletics Championships
  • 5000 metres: 2014
  • 3000 metres steeplechase: 2013

See also

In Spanish: Almaz Ayana para niños