Meseret Defar

Meseret Defar, born on November nineteenth, nineteen eighty-three, is a distinguished Ethiopian long-distance runner renowned for her exceptional prowess in the 3,000 metres and 5,000 metres events. Throughout her illustrious career, she has garnered numerous accolades, including Olympic and World Championship gold medals, particularly excelling in the 5,000 metres. Defar made history by breaking the world record in this event in two consecutive years, first in two thousand six and again in two thousand seven, holding the record until it was surpassed by fellow Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba in two thousand eight.

In two thousand seven, on a track in Brussels, Belgium, Defar achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first woman to complete a two-mile run in under nine minutes, clocking in at eight minutes and fifty-eight point fifty-eight seconds. This performance not only showcased her extraordinary talent but also improved the existing world record by an impressive eleven seconds.

Defar's Olympic journey has been nothing short of spectacular, with gold medals at the two thousand four Athens Olympics and the two thousand twelve London Olympics, alongside a bronze medal at the two thousand eight Beijing Olympics. Her success extends to the World Championships, where she earned silver in the two thousand five Helsinki Championships and gold in the two thousand seven Osaka Championships.

In addition to her outdoor achievements, Defar has dominated the indoor circuit, holding records for the 5,000 metres, 3,000 metres, and two-mile run. She has claimed four consecutive gold medals at the IAAF World Indoor Championships from two thousand four to two thousand ten. Her accolades also include being a two-time champion at the All-Africa Games and a four-time medalist at the African Championships.

After a successful career, Defar took a break from competition in two thousand fourteen to focus on starting a family. Although she expressed her intention to return by two thousand fifteen, she did not participate in the World Championships held in Beijing that August.