Werknesh Kidane facts for kids
 Werknesh Kidane at the 2012 Summer Olympics |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's athletics | ||
Representing  Ethiopia |
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| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2003 Paris | 10,000 m |
| World Cross Country Championships | ||
| Gold | 2003 Lausanne | Long race |
| Silver | 2002 Dublin | Short race |
| Silver | 2003 Lausanne | Short race |
| Silver | 2005 St Etienne | Short race |
| Bronze | 2004 Brussels | Long race |
| Bronze | 2005 St Etienne | Long race |
Werknesh Kidane (born November 21, 1981) is a famous long-distance runner from Ethiopia. She is known for competing in races like the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters.
Werknesh has won many medals at big events, including the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She also represented her country, Ethiopia, at the Summer Olympics in 2000, 2004, and 2012. She earned a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics and a gold medal at the 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and First Wins
Werknesh Kidane was born in the historic town of Maychew, located in the Tigray area of Ethiopia. She showed her talent early in her career.
Her first big international win came at the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. There, she won the junior race, showing she was a rising star.
As a teenager, Werknesh made her first appearance at the Summer Olympics. She competed in the 5,000-meter final at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finishing in seventh place. In 2002, she won the Great Ethiopian Run. She also placed second in the short race at the 2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Major Championships and Records
Werknesh started her 2003 season strong with a win at the Antrim International Cross Country event. She then went on to win the women's long race title at the 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
She earned a silver medal in the 10,000-meter race at the Athletics at the 2003 All-Africa Games. She finished just behind another Ethiopian runner, Ejegayehu Dibaba.
Her best performance in 2003 was at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. She ran her fastest 10,000-meter race ever, finishing in 30 minutes and 7.15 seconds. This amazing time earned her the runner-up position. She finished behind Ethiopian veteran Berhane Adere, who set a new African record in that race.
The next year, in 2004, she competed in the 10,000-meter event at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She finished fourth in that race. She also won a bronze medal in the long race at the 2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She placed fourth in the short race at the same event.
Cross Country Success and World Championships
Werknesh had a very successful cross country season in Spain during 2004 and 2005. She won races in Soria, Valle de Llodio, and Seville.
At the 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, she continued her strong performance. She took second place in the short race and third place in the long race. She also helped her team win titles in both races alongside Tirunesh Dibaba.
She participated in the 2005 World Championships in Athletics again. However, she could not repeat her medal-winning performance from two years earlier. She finished sixth in the 10,000-meter race.
Return to Competition and Marathon Debut
After a long break from international competitions, Werknesh returned in 2010. She competed at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where she finished ninth in the senior race.
She tried her first major road race at the 2010 Great Manchester Run. She won the race with her personal best time of 32 minutes and 31 seconds. In June 2010, she ran at the NYRR New York Mini 10K and finished third. She continued her success on the US road circuit at the Philadelphia Half Marathon. There, she placed third with a time of 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 30 seconds.
In 2011, Werknesh made her debut in a marathon race. She ran in the 2011 Boston Marathon and finished seventh with a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes, and 15 seconds. The following year, she was runner-up at the Carlsbad 5000 race, finishing behind Tirunesh Dibaba.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she once again finished fourth in the 10,000-meter race. In 2015, she was a late entry at the Carlsbad 5000. She finished 11th with a time of 16 minutes flat.
Life Outside Running
Werknesh Kidane now lives in the United States as a US resident. Her parents still live in Axum, which is also in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.
She is 1.58 meters (5 feet 2 inches) tall. When she runs for the Ethiopian National Team, she is coached by Kassu Alemayehu and Dr. Woldemeskel Kostre. Her manager is Mark Wetmore from Global Athletics & Marketing. Werknesh is married to Gebregziabher Gebremariam, who is also a runner.
See also
In Spanish: Werknesh Kidane para niños
