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Derartu
Tulu born March 21, 1972 in Bekoji, Ethiopia. Derartu
is the first African female to win Olympic Gold. And Abebe
Bikila was the first African ever to win Olympic
Gold. Ethiopia is home to these great athlets and many
more
10000m
Gold Barcelona 1992
10000m Gold Sydney 2000
A
member of the Oromo ethnic group, Derartu Tulu grew up
tending cattle in the Arsi highlands of Ethiopia. She
did not realize that she was an unusually fast runner
until she was 16 years old. In the 10,000m final at the
1992 Olympics, Elana Meyer of South Africa pulled away
from the field after 6,100m and only Tulu was able to
keep pace with her. Meyer tried to force Tulu to pass
her, but Tulu refused.
Derartu
Tulu Finally, just before the start of the last lap, Tulu
darted into the lead and went on to win by 30 metres.
She waited for Meyer at the finish line, and then Tulu,
the first black African woman to earn an Olympic medal,
and Meyer, a white South African, set off hand in hand
for a victory lap that symbolized hope for a new Africa.
Tulu returned to the Olympic in 1996, but finished a disappointing
fourth. However, her running career was far from over.
At the 2000 Sydney Games, Tulu again entered the 10,000m.
Regaining
her form of eight years earlier, she took the lead at
the bell signaling the final lap and sprinted ahead to
a clear victory over teammate Gete Wami. Tulu became the
first woman to win two gold medals in Olympic distance
races. At the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, she won the
bronze medal in the 10,000m (gold medallist was China's
Huina Xing, silver medallist, Derartu's compatriot Ejegayehu
Dibaba).
source:
International Olympic Commitee
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Bob Martin
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