Gete Wami

Medal record

Gete Wami (right) at the 2008 New York City Marathon
Women's Athletics
Competitor for  Ethiopia
Olympic Games
Silver 2000 Sydney 10000 m
Bronze 1996 Atlanta 10000 m
Bronze 2000 Sydney 5000 m
World Championships
Gold 1999 Seville 10000 m
Bronze 2001 Edmonton 10000 m

Getenesh ("Gete") Wami (Ge'ez:ጌጤነሽ 'ጌጤ' ዋሚ born December 11, 1974 in Debre Berhan) is a female Ethiopian cross country and track runner.

Wami won gold at the 1999 World Championships in Seville, timing 30:24.56, which was a new African Record and Championships Record.[1] She also won the 10,000 m gold medal at the 1999 All-Africa Games that year. She is a two-time winner of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, having taken the long race title in 1996 and then the short race title in 2001.

Wami won the 2006 Berlin Marathon, finishing in front of Salina Kosgei and Monika Drybulska on September 24.[2] She was expected to beat the world record over 15 km during the Zevenheuvelenloop in and around Nijmegen on 19 November 2006, but failed. Wami finished in second position during the race, nine seconds behind Mestewat Tufa, who finished in 47:22.

In 2007, Wami won the Berlin Marathon again. She competed in the New York Marathon thirty-five days later and she finished 23 seconds behind Paula Radcliffe. Her second-place finish gave her the World Marathon Majors Series Title, earning herself the $500,000 jackpot.[3]

In August 2008, Gete Wami dropped out of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon, after running in the lead pack for much of the race, as did her teammate Berhane Adere.

Major achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 3rd 10,000 m
1999 World Championships Sevilla, Spain 1st 10,000 m
2000 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 3rd 5000 m
2nd 10,000 m
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Canada 3rd 10,000 m
2002 Amsterdam Marathon Amsterdam, Netherlands 1st Marathon
2005 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon San Diego, United States 1st Marathon
2006 Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany 1st Marathon
Zevenheuvelenloop Nijmegen, Netherlands 2nd 15K
2007 Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany 1st Marathon
New York City Marathon New York City, United States 2nd Marathon
World Marathon Majors Series 1st Marathon

References

  1. ^ IAAF, September 20, 1999: Gete Wami shines again in the 10,000m
  2. ^ World-leading 2:05:56 for Gebrselassie in Berlin, iaaf.org, 24 September 2006
  3. ^ Radcliffe, Wami Steal Show in New York, Runners Web, 6 November 2007

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Gabriela Szabo		 Women's 5.000m Best Year Performance
2000		 Succeeded by
Olga Yegorova


Short Course
Long Course