by Larry EderGenzebe Dibaba has become only the second athlete to win World Junior title (5,000m), World Junior Cross Country and now, World Indoor Champs title! She did it controlling each step of the race, from a tepid early pace to a last 400 meters in a lung shattering 61.5! Here is how she won her World Indoor Champs 1,500m title:
Genzeba Dibaba, 2008 adidas GP, photo by PhotoRun.net
Genzebe Dibaba took the lead in the final, keeping the pace relaxed, hitting the first 200 meters in 36.00. Tizita Bogale of Ethiopia took over the pacing chores, and lead at 400 meters in 71.12.
Then, Genzebe Dibaba got to work. Dibaba hit the 600 meters in 1:43.92 (32.7), moved through the 800 meters in 2:16.59 (33.2), and 1,000m hit in 2:48.38 (32.3).
Over the next 200 meters, Dibaba, followed by Mariem Alaoui Selsouli of Morocco (remember her at the NB Indoor Games?), and to the delight of the crowd, Asli Cakir Alptekin of Turkey, who set a NR in making the final on Friday afternoon.
Genzeba Dibaba then gave the crowd a lesson in race finishing. From 1,000m to 1,200m, Dibaba ran 29.94, then finished her first World Indoor Champs, and first medal here for Ethiopia, with a fine 27.9, finishing going away in 4:05.78! Dibaba noted afterwards, “
This is the first major victory in my career and the first gold for Ethiopia here, I am extremely happy.”
Mariem Alaoui Selsouli of Morocco, who ran wisely and out of trouble, taking the silver in 4:07.78. Selsouli commented after her silver medal performance: “This is a very important medal for myself and Morocco. The King of Morocco and the Moroccan federation are putting great efforts for the country to bring medals at the World Championships. Thanks to God, I’ve succeeded today and hope to keep going like that for the Olympic Games this summer.”
But it was Asli Cakir Alptekin of Turkey who brought down the house. Fighting like the little engine that could, Alptekin ran another NR of 4:08.74 to take the bronze. Asli had this to say after her hard fought bronze:
” I am very delighted since this is a historical win for Turkey. My target was to be in the final and winning a medal is a big surprise. I felt the energy and the power from the audience. It made me believe that I could medal. During the race, is some corners I felt the energy so strong and this made me move further and further.”
This was a classic middle distance race, control the pace, and begin a long, long drive to the finish. Genzeba Dibaba, more than likely could have won this race any which way but up, as she is that talented. We will see her on the top of the rostrum for some time to come!
Women’s 1,500m: 1. Genzebe Dibaba, Ethiopia, 4:05.78, 2. Mariem Alaoui Selsouli, Morocco, 4:07.78, 3. Asli Cakir Alptekin, Turkey, 4:08.74, NR, 4. Natlaia Kareiva, Belarus, 4:10.12, 5. Hind Dehiba Chayd, France, 4:10.30, 6. Tizita Bogale, Ethiopia, 4:10.98
