Tirunesh Dibaba Stays Undefeated at 10,000 and Picks Up 30:26.67 World Lead in Ostrava

by LetsRun.com
June 27, 2013

Ten for ten.

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba remained undefeated for her life in the 10,000 as she pulled away from three others over the final 600 to win in a 2013 world leading time of 30:26.67 earlier today at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet. 2012 African 5000 and 10000 champ Gladys Cherono had a big two minute plus personal best to finish second in 30:29.23 (previous pb 32:41.40).

The win was Dibaba’s tenth at 10,000 and marks the sixth time she has broken 30:30 for her career.

2012 Olympic 5th placer Belaynesh Oljira was third in 30:31.44. 2:33 marathoner Yeshaneh Ababel was fourth in 30:35.91 while 2009 world champion Linet Masai fell off the lead group before 7km and finished just sixth in 31:02.89

Approximate splits according to the twitter feed of agent/tv commentator Michael Boeting: 

Dibaba enjoying last year’s Olympic gold

1km: 3:02,
2km: 6:05
3km: 9:10,
4km: 12:15,
5km: 15:19
6km: ?? He said they were on 30:40 pace which would be 18:40 but it seems like it was likely faster if his 7km split is right)
7km: 21:25
8.8km: 27:01

Quick Takes and Results below. Coverage of men’s action here: LRC 2013 Ostrava Analysis: Kenenisa Bekele is finished as a threat on the track, Evan Jager and Galen Rupp’s medal chances go way up. Results.

Quick Take #1: We might as well hand Dibaba her fifth global gold at 10,000 right now. No one is beating her in Moscow.  If she hadn’t missed the 2009 and 2011 worlds with injury, she’d likely be going for her seventh global gold. That’s crazy good.

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Update: Not so fast. We didn’t think the woman who beat Dibaba last year for 5000 gold, Meseret Defar, would be interested in running the 10,000 at Worlds as she’s never medalled at the distance despite having a 29:59 pb (5th in 2009, DNF 2011). But we were wrong as she just finished a 10,000 in Sollentuna, Sweden where she smashed Dibaba’s time:

Sollentuna 10,000 Results
1    Meseret Defar    83        Ethiopian    30:08.06        WL AR
2    Afera Godfay Berha    91    Ethiopian    31:08.23        PB
3    Gotytom Gebreslase    95    Ethiopian    31:51.42        PB
4    Aheza Kiros    85        Ethiopien    32:32.23
5    Aynensh Niguse    92        Ethiopian    33:40.59
Viktorya Pohoryelska    90        Ukraine    DNF

Defar, not Dibaba, might be the favorite now.

QT #2: The previous world leader was American Shalane Flanagan at 31:04.85. Many of the women in tongiht’s race will be in the hunt with Flanagan for the two other medals in Moscow behind Dibaba. Oljira, for example who was 5th in London last year, will likely be the top returner behind Dibaba from last year’s Olympics in Moscow as shown below.

Top 5 from last year’s Olympics

1 Tirunesh Dibaba ETH 30:20.75
2 Sally Kipyego KEN 30:26.37 Injured.
3 Vivian Cheruiyot KEN 30:30.44 Pregnant.
4 Worknesh Kidane ETH 30:39.38 –  Might she be out. Haasn’t races since two 15:30s in April. Didn’t show up in Ostrava despite being on initial start list.
5 Belaynesh Oljira ETH 30:45.56

QT #3: While a big two minute plus pb for the 29-year old Cherono, she had run 66:48 for 13.1 earlier this year indicating she was capable of a sub 30:30.

More: LRC Vault: 2012 Olympic Women’s 10,000: Tirunesh Dibaba Makes The Case For Being The Greatest Ever