Who is Meseret Defar?

Meseret Defar , born on November 19, 1983, is an Ethiopian long-distance runner celebrated as a world champion and Olympic medalist. Defar has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. Her running career began in primary school, leading to international competitions where she secured silver medals at the world youth championships in 1999. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Defar won gold in the 5,000 metres. She continued to achieve, setting her first world record in June 2006 in the 5,000-metre race. In 2012, she captured another gold medal at the London Olympic Games in the 5,000 metres, and also won that event at the 2013 world championships.

Which sport does Meseret Defar compete in?

Meseret Defar is an Ethiopian long-distance runner known for competing in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. In 1999, she secured second place in the 3,000 metres at the world youth championships in Poland. The following year, she won two silver medals in the 5,000 metres at both the African championships in Algiers and the world junior championships in Santiago. In 2004, she won gold in the 5,000 metres at the Olympic Games in Athens. Defar also won gold in the 3,000 metres at the world indoor championships in 2006 and 2008.

In which Olympic Games did Meseret Defar win gold medals?

Meseret Defar won gold medals in the 5,000 meters at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She was initially named as an alternate for the 2004 games but was confirmed as a team member in mid-August. In 2012, she was considered an underdog but surged ahead of her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba to win.

How has Meseret Defar influenced athletics in Ethiopia?

Meseret Defar , an Ethiopian long-distance runner, has significantly influenced athletics in Ethiopia. She is a world champion and Olympic medalist who has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. Defar's international triumphs, along with other Ethiopian runners, have uplifted the spirits of a people deeply aggrieved by the effects of political conflicts, social upheaval, and environmental disasters. As one of the prominent female Ethiopian runners, she broke three world records in 2007, contributing to Ethiopia's impressive record in track events.

What makes Meseret Defar stand out among long-distance runners worldwide?

Meseret Defar stands out due to her versatility and record-breaking performances. Defar, an Ethiopian long-distance runner, has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races . She is the first woman to win the 3,000- and 5,000-metre double at the world junior championships. Her achievements include multiple gold medals at world indoor championships (3,000-metre race) and Olympic medals, including a gold in the 5,000 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

Meseret Defar

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Quick Facts

Born:: November 19, 1983, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (age 42)

Awards And Honors:: Olympic Games

See all related content

Meseret Defar

Q: What are some of Meseret Defar's major achievements?

Meseret Defar , an Ethiopian long-distance runner, has achieved world champion status and Olympic medals. She has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. Defar's accomplishments include winning silver medals at the African and world junior championships in 2000. In 2002, she won gold medals in the 3,000- and 5,000-metre races at the world junior championships, a historic double win. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Defar won gold in the 5,000 metres. She also won gold in the 3,000 metres at the 2006 world indoor championships and set her first world record in the 5,000 metres. At the 2012 London Olympic Games, she captured gold in the 5,000 metres, and she won that event at the 2013 world championships.

Ethiopian athlete

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

Who is Meseret Defar?
Meseret Defar, born on November 19, 1983, is an Ethiopian long-distance runner celebrated as a world champion and Olympic medalist. Defar has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races.

Her running career began in primary school, leading to international competitions where she secured silver medals at the world youth championships in 1999. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Defar won gold in the 5,000 metres. She continued to achieve, setting her first world record in June 2006 in the 5,000-metre race.

In 2012, she captured another gold medal at the London Olympic Games in the 5,000 metres, and also won that event at the 2013 world championships.
1 Britannica Source
1. Meseret Defar
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Which sport does Meseret Defar compete in?
Meseret Defar is an Ethiopian long-distance runner known for competing in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. In 1999, she secured second place in the 3,000 metres at the world youth championships in Poland. The following year, she won two silver medals in the 5,000 metres at both the African championships in Algiers and the world junior championships in Santiago. In 2004, she won gold in the 5,000 metres at the Olympic Games in Athens. Defar also won gold in the 3,000 metres at the world indoor championships in 2006 and 2008.
1 Britannica Source
1. Meseret Defar
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some of Meseret Defar's major achievements?
Meseret Defar, an Ethiopian long-distance runner, has achieved world champion status and Olympic medals. She has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races.

Defar's accomplishments include winning silver medals at the African and world junior championships in 2000. In 2002, she won gold medals in the 3,000- and 5,000-metre races at the world junior championships, a historic double win.

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Defar won gold in the 5,000 metres. She also won gold in the 3,000 metres at the 2006 world indoor championships and set her first world record in the 5,000 metres. At the 2012 London Olympic Games, she captured gold in the 5,000 metres, and she won that event at the 2013 world championships.
1 Britannica Source
1. Meseret Defar
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
In which Olympic Games did Meseret Defar win gold medals?
Meseret Defar won gold medals in the 5,000 meters at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She was initially named as an alternate for the 2004 games but was confirmed as a team member in mid-August. In 2012, she was considered an underdog but surged ahead of her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba to win.
1 Britannica Source
1. Meseret Defar
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How has Meseret Defar influenced athletics in Ethiopia?
Meseret Defar, an Ethiopian long-distance runner, has significantly influenced athletics in Ethiopia. She is a world champion and Olympic medalist who has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. Defar's international triumphs, along with other Ethiopian runners, have uplifted the spirits of a people deeply aggrieved by the effects of political conflicts, social upheaval, and environmental disasters. As one of the prominent female Ethiopian runners, she broke three world records in 2007, contributing to Ethiopia's impressive record in track events.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What makes Meseret Defar stand out among long-distance runners worldwide?
Meseret Defar stands out due to her versatility and record-breaking performances. Defar, an Ethiopian long-distance runner, has broken world records in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races. She is the first woman to win the 3,000- and 5,000-metre double at the world junior championships.

Her achievements include multiple gold medals at world indoor championships (3,000-metre race) and Olympic medals, including a gold in the 5,000 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.
1 Britannica Source
1. Meseret Defar
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Meseret Defar (born November 19, 1983, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, world champion, and Olympic medalist who broke a number of world records, including those in the 3,000-metre, 5,000-metre, and 2-mile races.

Defar began her running career in primary school and won several primary and secondary school competitions in her home country of Ethiopia. At the world youth championships in Poland in 1999—her first international competition—Defar took second place in the 3,000 metres. The following year she won two more silver medals, both in the 5,000 metres, at the African championships in Algiers and the world junior championships in Santiago. Her achievements during the 2002 season included gold medals in the 3,000- and 5,000-metre races at the world junior championships, making her the first woman to win the 3,000-metre–5,000-metre double.

In 2003 Defar began competing at the senior level. Although she competed well, she became ill prior to the world championships in Paris that August and was unable to qualify for the finals. Her quick recovery was marked by a first-place finish in the 5,000-metre race at both the All Africa and Afro-Asian games later that year.

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Silhouette of hand holding sport torch behind the rings of an Olympic flag, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; February 3, 2015.

Britannica Quiz

The Olympics Quiz

Although Defar executed a strong indoor season in 2004—she won first place in the 3,000 metres at the world indoor championships—she struggled to gain a position on the Ethiopian Olympic team. Originally designated an alternate, in mid-August she was confirmed as a member of the team, and at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, she won the gold medal in the 5,000 metres. The following year, at the world championships in Helsinki, Defar took second place in a 5,000-metre race marked by a historic four-place sweep by Ethiopian women in that event. In March 2006 Defar took the gold in the 3,000 metres at the world indoor championships, and in June she won a 5,000-metre race in 14 min 24.53 sec, setting her first world record.

In 2007 Defar was finally able to conquer the 3,000-metre world record that had previously eluded her: in February she broke the previous record by more than four seconds. In May she also broke the world record in the outdoor 2 mile (9 min 10.47 sec), and at the Oslo Golden League meet in June, she won the 5,000 metres and broke her own 2006 world record by almost eight seconds (14 min 16.63 sec). In September she took first place in the outdoor 5,000 metres at the world championships in Osaka, and shortly thereafter she set a new outdoor 2-mile record (8 min 58.58 sec).

In January 2008 Defar matched her world record in the 2-mile outdoor with a world record in the 2-mile indoor (9 min 10.50 sec). At the 2008 world indoor championships in March, Defar again won the gold in the 3,000 metres, and her performance in the 5,000 metres at the Beijing Olympic Games that year earned her a bronze medal. Over the 2009 season Defar earned a string of victories and set two world records: the indoor 5,000-metre record (14 min 24.37 sec) and the indoor 2-mile record, in which she improved her own mark (9 min 6.26 sec); at the 2009 world championships in Berlin, she placed third in the 5,000 metres. At the world indoor championships in 2010, Defar won the 3,000 metres.

Defar placed third in the 5,000 metres at the 2011 world championships and second in the 3,000 metres at the 2012 world indoor championships. She was an underdog heading into the London 2012 Olympic Games, but she pulled ahead of countrywoman and defending Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba in the final lap of the 5,000 metres to capture the gold medal. She also won that event at the 2013 world championships. Due to a knee injury, Defar was unable to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and she subsequently shifted her focus to the marathon.

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.