Origins & Early Life

Almaz Ayana Eba (Oromo: Almaaz Ayyanaa Eebbaa; Amharic: አልማዝ አያና ኤባ, born 21 November 1991) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres and bronze in the 5,000 metres at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Almaz is a four-time World Athletics Championships medallist earning a bronze for the 5,000m in 2013, gold at the event in 2015 as well as gold in the 10,000m and silver in the 5,000m in 2017. She broke the 10,000 metres world record, set in 1993, while winning the gold medal at the Rio Olympics and held it until 2021.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

At the 2017 World Championships in London, Almaz won the title in the 10,000m, finishing 46 seconds ahead of the runner-up. She finished third in both the 5,000m and 10,000m on the respective world all-time lists. In 2016, she was voted IAAF Female World Athlete of the Year. Almaz set the fastest ever women's marathon debut at the 2022 Amsterdam Marathon. Almaz Ayana was born in Wenbera, Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Ethiopia.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Born the seventh youngest of nine siblings, she started running at local school around age 13–14. Like other notable athletes such as Fatuma Roba and Derartu Tulu, Almaz is also Oromo descent...

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