Tirunesh Dibaba celebrates winning gold in the 5000m (© Getty Images)
The most frightening aspect for those who aspire to greatness in women's endurance running is the profound depth of talent rolling off the Ethiopian production line.
No sooner had the 30-year-old Berhane Adere led an Ethiopian one-two in the 10,000 metres than she was upstaged in the 5000m by Tirunesh Dibaba. She is the daughter of subsistance farmers, just 18-years and 36 days old.
Dibaba showed remarkable maturity to become the youngest winner in the history of the World Championships. She was buried in a tight pack at the bell, behind Adere, but won in 14min 51.72sec. The time may have been modest, but the manner of her victory, and composed acceptance of it, was extravagant for one so young, especially given the pedigree of those whom she beat.
It is worth quantifying them. Apart from Adere, who uniquely among women holds World titles on road, cross-country, and track indoors and out, her victims included: reigning Olympic and double world 5000m champion, Gabriela Szabo; reigning European 5000m champion Marta Dominguez; Sydney 5000m runner-up and former European 5000 and 10,000m champion Sonia O'Sullivan; double European Cup 5000m-winner Yelena Zadorozhnaya; double world cross-country champion Edith Masai; former African 5000m record-holder Zahra Ouaziz; world 3000m steeplechase record-holder Guknara Samitova; newly decorated 10,000m bronze medallist Sun Yingjie; and the former triple European junior champion, Elvan Abeylegesse. The defending champion, Olga Yegorova, was one of those whom she despatched in her heat.
"I was worried about the other runners in this race, because I knew they were very strong," she said with great serenity.
It was a staggering portfolio of champions to write out as a teenager.
Dibaba covered the final lap in less than 61 seconds, with the last 200 in under 30 seconds as Adere faded to tenth, exhausted by her efforts.
She had deferred to Adere's experience. "Berhane had suggested that we take off with three laps left, but that didn't work," she said later. "I had expected that I would run a lot more laps with Berhane."
She was left to make her own plan and reacted with the instincts of an assassin, making her move with 200 metres left. She was sixth with just over half a lap remaining, behind Adere, but closed up and postioned herself for the kill with chilling ease.
Here is a tiny young woman who, if blessed with good health, could dominate endurance running for a decade. You could say her talent is in the blood.
She is from Bukoji, in Arssi Province, birthplace of double Olympic 10,000m champion Derartu Tulu, and the same province as the four-time men's world champion and world record-holder, Haile Gebrselassie. Tulu is her cousin. "Derartu was so supportive of me before the race. I think she'll be very proud of me," added Dibaba.
She is also the younger sister of Ejigayehu Dibaba who ran a personal best to finish ninth in the 10,000m a week ago.
Ejigayehu began running about five years ago and Tirunesh followed a year later. The two sisters have also represented Ethiopia together at World Championships in Cross Country.
Although Tulu is their cousin, it was not she, but an elder cousin who inspired their early career. Bekelu Dibaba, whom they refer to as their sister, ran internationally on the track but has since moved to Belgium.
Tirunesh says she has been aware of her prodigy for some time: "pretty much since I went to the World Cross in Belgium, in 2001."
She finished fifth there. Last year she was runner-up, and this year she won. In a sprint finish. She is the World junior record-holder indoors and out.
She sprinted past the favourite, Worknesh Kidane, to win the senior 4000m at the Ethiopian trials, at which distance she finished seventh in Lausanne a day after her junior victory.
The catalogue of Dibaba's achievements promises to be very lengthy before she hangs up her spikes.
No sooner had the 30-year-old Berhane Adere led an Ethiopian one-two in the 10,000 metres than she was upstaged in the 5000m by Tirunesh Dibaba. She is the daughter of subsistance farmers, just 18-years and 36 days old.
Dibaba showed remarkable maturity to become the youngest winner in the history of the World Championships. She was buried in a tight pack at the bell, behind Adere, but won in 14min 51.72sec. The time may have been modest, but the manner of her victory, and composed acceptance of it, was extravagant for one so young, especially given the pedigree of those whom she beat.
It is worth quantifying them. Apart from Adere, who uniquely among women holds World titles on road, cross-country, and track indoors and out, her victims included: reigning Olympic and double world 5000m champion, Gabriela Szabo; reigning European 5000m champion Marta Dominguez; Sydney 5000m runner-up and former European 5000 and 10,000m champion Sonia O'Sullivan; double European Cup 5000m-winner Yelena Zadorozhnaya; double world cross-country champion Edith Masai; former African 5000m record-holder Zahra Ouaziz; world 3000m steeplechase record-holder Guknara Samitova; newly decorated 10,000m bronze medallist Sun Yingjie; and the former triple European junior champion, Elvan Abeylegesse. The defending champion, Olga Yegorova, was one of those whom she despatched in her heat.
"I was worried about the other runners in this race, because I knew they were very strong," she said with great serenity.
It was a staggering portfolio of champions to write out as a teenager.
Dibaba covered the final lap in less than 61 seconds, with the last 200 in under 30 seconds as Adere faded to tenth, exhausted by her efforts.
She had deferred to Adere's experience. "Berhane had suggested that we take off with three laps left, but that didn't work," she said later. "I had expected that I would run a lot more laps with Berhane."
She was left to make her own plan and reacted with the instincts of an assassin, making her move with 200 metres left. She was sixth with just over half a lap remaining, behind Adere, but closed up and postioned herself for the kill with chilling ease.
Here is a tiny young woman who, if blessed with good health, could dominate endurance running for a decade. You could say her talent is in the blood.
She is from Bukoji, in Arssi Province, birthplace of double Olympic 10,000m champion Derartu Tulu, and the same province as the four-time men's world champion and world record-holder, Haile Gebrselassie. Tulu is her cousin. "Derartu was so supportive of me before the race. I think she'll be very proud of me," added Dibaba.
She is also the younger sister of Ejigayehu Dibaba who ran a personal best to finish ninth in the 10,000m a week ago.
Ejigayehu began running about five years ago and Tirunesh followed a year later. The two sisters have also represented Ethiopia together at World Championships in Cross Country.
Although Tulu is their cousin, it was not she, but an elder cousin who inspired their early career. Bekelu Dibaba, whom they refer to as their sister, ran internationally on the track but has since moved to Belgium.
Tirunesh says she has been aware of her prodigy for some time: "pretty much since I went to the World Cross in Belgium, in 2001."
She finished fifth there. Last year she was runner-up, and this year she won. In a sprint finish. She is the World junior record-holder indoors and out.
She sprinted past the favourite, Worknesh Kidane, to win the senior 4000m at the Ethiopian trials, at which distance she finished seventh in Lausanne a day after her junior victory.
The catalogue of Dibaba's achievements promises to be very lengthy before she hangs up her spikes.
