EDINBURGH (AFP) — Sibling rivalry helped the Dibaba household gather a further two golds at the world cross-country championships with victories for sisters Tirunesh and Genzebe in the senior and junior women’s events.
For Tirunesh, the win was a third over the gruelling long-course event, and the 22-year-old double world gold medallist in both the 5,000 and 10,000m admitted she had been inspired by her younger sister’s performance.
“My sister was out first and it was partly in order to match her achievement that I dug in and put everything I had into it to win,” she said.
“When Genzebe was competing, I was warming up. I was very anxious for her, indeed more so for her than myself.
“I’m happy we’ve brought home two gold medals, and I’m happier for her gold than mine.”
Genzebe Dibaba, 17, acknowledged that her victory over a strong field in the junior women’s race had come as a surprise.
“I’m very happy,” she said. “I didn’t expect to win. I only thought that I would medal.
“But on the third lap I realised that I could win. I am really happy to emulate my sisters.”
Tirunesh said that she sometimes trained alongside Genzebe and elder sister Ejegayehu, the silver medallist at 10,000m at the Athens Olympics Games in 2004.
“We all three train together at times when we’re not training for our respective clubs.
“I’m hoping to bring Genzebe into the same club as me.”
The winning performances by the Dibabas were just half of an overwhelming Ethiopian cleansweep of individual medals, compatriots Kenenisa Bekele and Ibrahim Jeilan winning the senior and junior men’s races respectively.
“Last year (in Mombasa) as a team and individuals we did not do well, and disappointed the country but this is redemption,” said Tirunesh Dibaba, who added that she had no doubt she had it in her for a final burst.
“I thought I could catch up with the leading three. I saw there were Ethiopians and I knew I could do it.
“The weather was much better here than the stifling heat and humidity of Mombasa, and we produced a much better performance as a team.”
She added that targeting both the world cross-country championships and participation at the Beijing Olympic Games was a realistic goal, unlike many European nations who either pulled their best runners or failed to enter a team for the world cross.
“Each country has its own priorities, and it might only be the Olympics,” she said diplomatically. “Our own priorities are cross-country and the Olympics and I believe we have the time to prepare for that.”