Tirunesh Dibaba wins the 5000m in Boston in a World indoor record in 2007 (© Victah Sailer)
Boston, USA Reigning twotime World 10,000m champion Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia, who twice has broken the World Indoor 5000m record at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, will return on 26 January to compete at 3000 metres.
Still just 22 years old, Dibaba, a three-time World Cross Country champion, has been one of the brightest track and field stars in the world for the past four years. In 2007, she defended her World 10,000m title with a dramatic come-from-behind victory while battling an injury.
Dibaba is also the 2003 and 2005 World champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist at 5000 metres. She set her first World indoor record at the distance at the 2005 Boston meeting with a 14:32.93 (29 Jan) and improved that time in 2007 with a 14:27.42 (27 Jan).
Dibaba’s personal best over 3000m indoors is the 8:33.56 World junior record which she ran on 20 February 2004 in Birmingham, England.
Also added to the field are two athletes who will be competing before hometown crowds. Jennifer Toomey of Salem, Mass., is the 2004 double US Champion at 800 and 1500 meters indoors and the American Record-holder at 1000 metres, while Said Ahmed, a three-time SEC Champion while at the University of Arkansas, recorded some of the fastest 800-meter times in Massachusetts history while starring at Boston English High School.
The 2008 Reebok Boston Indoor Games, the second stop in USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, takes place on 26 January at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College.
Barbara Huebner for the IAAF
