Diribe Welteji Kejelcha (born 13 May 2002)[1] is an Ethiopian middle-distance runner. She won the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 2023 World Championships and placed fourth in the 800 metres at the 2022 World Championships.
![]() Diribe Welteji in 2023 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Birth name | Diribe Welteji Kejelcha |
Nationality | Ethiopian |
Born | West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia | 13 May 2002
Sport | |
Sport | Track and Field |
Event(s) | 800 metres 1500 metres |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) | 800m: 1:57.02 (Eugene, 2022) 1500m: 3:53.93 (Eugene, 2023) |
Medal record |
At age 16, Welteji won the 800 m at the 2018 World U20 Championships, breaking the championship record in the process. She took silver for the 1500 metres at the 2021 World U20 Championships.
Career
editA 16-year-old Diribe Welteji won the gold medal for the 800 m event at the 2018 World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, where she also competed in the women's 4 × 400 m relay without reaching the final, but achieving an Ethiopian junior record.[1]
In 2019, she won a gold in the 1500 metres at the African U20 Championships, finished sixth in the 800 m event at the African Games in Rabat, and was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 800 m event at the Doha World Championships.[1]
The 19-year-old competed without success in the women's 1500 m at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in August 2021, but the same month took silver in this event at the World U20 Championships held in Nairobi.[2][1]
Welteji placed fourth in the 800 m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July with a time of 1:57.02.[3] In August, she won her first Diamond League meeting with a 1500 m victory, beating her esteemed compatriot Gudaf Tsegay at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzów, Poland. Welteji improved her personal best by more than two seconds and set a meet record with 3:56.91.[4]
On October 1, 2023, Welteji broke the 1 mile women's road record by running 4:20.98 in Riga at the World Athletics Road Running Championships.[5]
Achievements
editInternational competitions
editYear | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | World U20 Championships | Tampere, Finland | 1st | 800 m | 1:59.74 WU20L CR |
13th (h) | 4x400 m relay | 3:39.29 NU20R | |||
2019 | African U20 Championships | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 1st | 1500 m | 4:11.59 |
African Games | Rabat, Morocco | 6th | 800 m | 2:04.20 | |
World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 18th (sf) | 800 m | 2:02.69 | |
2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 35th (h) | 1500 m | 4:10.25 |
World U20 Championships | Nairobi, Kenya | 2nd | 1500 m | 4:16.39 | |
2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 4th | 800 m | 1:57.02 PB |
2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:55.69 |
World Athletics Road Running Championships | Riga, Latvia | 1st | Road mile | 4:20.98 WR | |
2024 | World Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 5th | 1500 m | 4:03.82 |
Olympic Games | Paris, France | 4th | 1500 m | 3:52.75 |
Circuit wins
editPersonal bests
edit- 800 metres – 1:57.02 (Eugene, OR July 2022)
- 1500 metres – 3:53.93 (Eugene, OR September 2023)
- 3000 metres indoor – 8:33.44 (Val-de-Reuil February 2023)
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Diribe WELTEJI – Athlete profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
- ^ "Athletics WELTEJI Diribe". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
- ^ Kelsall, Christopher (2022-07-29). "Did Athing Mu impede Keely Hodgkinson during the 800m final at World Athletics Championships?". Athletics Illustrated. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
- ^ Chris Broadbent (6 August 2022). "Fraser-Pryce flies to world-leading 10.66 in Silesia". World Athletics. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
- ^ "Diribe Welteji Sets A New World Record In The Women's Road Mile In A Stunning Upset In Riga". 2023-10-01. Retrieved 2023-10-01.