Fikre Wondafrash (born February 27, 1973) is an Ethiopian retired middle-distance runner who specialized in the 1500 meters. He competed for Ethiopia at the 1992 World Junior Championships in Athletics.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Ethiopian Yugoslav (up to 1992) |
| Born | February 27, 1973 Unknown, Ethiopia |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track |
| Event | 1500 meters |
| College team | BYU |
| Club | Crvena Zvezda |
| Coached by | Willard Hirschi |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | 1500m: 3:44.29[1] |
Running career
editYouth
editAlthough born in Ethiopia, Wondafrash spent a part of his upbringing in Belgrade since his mother worked as an embassy cook there.[2] At one point he had citizenship in Yugoslavia, as he set the country's national boys' junior record for the indoor 1500 meters on February 11, 1992, running 3:48.57 in Budapest for Belgrade club AK Crvena Zvezda.[3] On July 15, 1992, he ran a personal best time of 3:44.29 in the 1500 meters.[1] Later that summer, he represented Ethiopia at the 1992 World Junior Championships in Athletics, placing second to last in heat 2 of the men's 1500 meters.
Collegiate
editHe was subsequently contacted by Brigham Young University track coach Willard Hirschi, who recruited him to BYU when Yugoslavia was breaking up.[2] On March 30, 1996, he placed second in the men's 800 meters at the Cal Poly meet in San Luis Obispo with a time of 1:52.78.[4] On March 22, 1997, he finished in 13th place in the men's 5000 meters at the Stanford Invitational in a time of 14:32.74.[5] In February 1998, he provisionally qualified for the preliminary rounds of the 1998 NCAA DI Indoor Championships when he ran 4:10.16 for the mile at the Mountain State Games in Pocatello, Idaho.[6] On May 23, 1998, he placed seventh in the men's 1500 meters at the WAC Championships in 3:49.53.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "National Lists Top 50 & 30 - 1500 M" (PDF). Athlestats. 2017. p. 38.
- ^ a b Willard M. Hirschi (May 16, 2000). "Gold Fever, Athletic Fervor". BYU Speeches. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ Ivica (March 15, 2018). "REKORDI SRBIJE U DVORANI" (PDF). Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- ^ "Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - Results". Studylib.net. March 30, 1996. p. 8.
- ^ "1997 Stanford Invitational - College & Open March 22 Results". Studylib.net. March 22, 1997. p. 24.
- ^ Dave Hersam (February 9, 1998). "Members of the men's track team qualify for NCAA".
- ^ "WAC Men Championships, Saturday's Results". Las Vegas Sun. May 23, 1998.