by Larry Eder
Tsigi Gebreselama ran 30:04.45 for the 10,000m on the track (June 2023), and she will be racing the PARIS TEN on Saturday, March 16, 2023. We think she will play a massive part in this exciting 25-lap race.
Tsigi Gebreslama is racing the PARIS TEN on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
The PARIS TEN is an Olympic qualifier for the 10,000 meters.
The qualifying standards are rigid, requiring 27:00.00 for Men and 30:40.00 for Women. The 25-lap race is one of the most challenging distances and is much different from the road 10k. It is both mentally demanding and requires excellent preparation. In the 10,000m, one knows when they are having a bad race pretty early, and in a great 10,000m race, one has to take the race, one lap at a time. Most top elites will run 3-4 10,000m in a season. Some elites have told me they could race road 10ks each weekend, but racing the 10,000m on the track is a different story.
The field for this women’s 10,000 has some fantastic runners. Alicia Monson, the American record holder, Jess Warner-Judd, and World Championship bronze medalist Emily Infeld are among the top runners.
Many have not considered Tsigi Gebreselama. Tsigi is a half-marathon specialist who has run a 10k on the road in 30:28 and 30:04 on the track.
Last year, Tsigi took the silver in the hot and humid World Cross Country Champs in Bathhurst, Australia. At the World Road Championships in Riga, Latvia, Tsigi took 4th in the Half Marathon Champs in 1:07.50.
At the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on February 24, 2024, Tsigi Gebreselema took on Peres Jepchirchir, who took first in the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships and defeated all comers, running a PB of 65:14.
Tsigi stayed up front most of the race and broke away from her pursuers with a long stride and focus, putting 30 seconds between her and second-place finisher Arabel Yeshanah, also of Ethiopia.
I did a short interview with the On Athletic Club athlete, who was quite thoughtful and has a beautiful grasp of English, as my Amharic is non-existent.
What did I learn?
Tsigi loves the 10,000 meters and sees that event as her focus for Paris. The few weeks before the half marathon, she ran a 32:59.1 for 10,000m at altitude in Nairobi, Kenya.
She has run reasonably fast on the roads, and I think she will be in the heat of things if she gets over jet lag in California.
Tsigi Gebrselama has PBs at 3,000m of 8:38.20 (2021) and 14:43.90 at June 16 2022 in Bislett.
Tsigi’s PB at 10,000 meters is 30:04.45, which he ran on June 3, 2023, at the FBK Games in Hengelo, The Netherlands.
As a junior, Tsigi took bronze in the 2018 U20 World Indoor Champs at 8:59.20. In 2019, She took bronze in the 2019 World Cross Country U20 race.
This athlete has some serious talent and should be battling Alicia Monson on Saturday night, March 16, 2024. Tsigi has the second qualifying fastest time in the PARIS TEN.
Do not miss this race on Saturday at San Juan Capistrano High School. The streaming video is available right here.
You can enjoy the interview right here!
This is a short, fun interview with Tsigi Gebreselama, the winner of the 2024 Ras Al Khaimah half marathon, in 65:14! Tsigi won by 30 seconds. The world Xc silver medalist from #bathurst2023, will be race at The TEN, as she noted in the interview. The TEN is March 16, 2024,… pic.twitter.com/JYRSKqDfur
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 25, 2024
