Runner Dibaba Reigns Supreme in Ethiopia/Kenya Athletics Rivalry · Global Voices
Richard Wanjohi

This post is part of our special coverage London 2012 Olympics.
The Olympic Games has many rivalries and one of the most famous is that between the Ethiopian and Kenyan competitors. Ethiopian long-distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba has ensured that the London Games are no exception to the rule. Leading two of the Kenyans into the final lap of the women’s 10,000 metre race on Saturday 4 August, 2012, Dibaba ran away with the gold.
Here we sample some of the comments from Twitter (hashtag #Dibaba):
@llucyleo: This shows the strength of the African woman
@justAylak: “Dibaba is the best female distance runner of all time”! The #Bolt of ladies. Go Ethiopia on that one!
@iddsalim: Once we rise above colonial boundaries, we realize that #dibaba victory was a win for Africa. #oneafrica
Fellow Ethiopian long-distance running legend Kenenisa Bekele said:
@KenenisaBekele: Fit and ready to defend the 10K gold in #London2012. Inspired by yesterday’s amazing finish by teammate #tirunesh #dibaba
Bloggers had this to say about Dibaba's Olympic exploits:
Pana-TV blog:
…And the race has begun. Three Africans claimed the medals at the Women’s 10,000m. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia retained her Olympic title and won the gold medal, leaving Kenyans, Jepkosgei Kipyego and Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot, to take the silver and bronze medals respectively
Dr. Adewusi Thinks commended her sterling performance:
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba held on to her Olympic 10,000m title in stunning style at the Olympic stadium tonight. The 27-year old, who won the distance double at the Beijing 2008 Games, saw off Kenya’s Sally Kipyego and Vivian Cheruiyot with a final-lap burst to win by more than five seconds. Dibaba’s time was a season’s best 30:20:75 with Kipyego taking the silver in 30:26:37 and world champion Cheruiyot bronze in 30:30:44.
EthioSports.com paid glowing tribute to this distance race queen:
Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia won her third Olympic gold medal Friday at the London Games, easily defending her title in the women’s 10,000 meters. The distance race closed out the first day of track and field action at Olympic Stadium and Dibaba ended the night in style
Get, Set, Match…Egypt reported:
Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba defended her gold medal in the 10,000m race with a stunning last lap where she blew away her competition. It was a no contest really in the end and the 27-year-old has captured the first running medal of London 2012
This post is part of our special coverage London 2012 Olympics.