Tiki Gelana

Tiki Gelana is a super speedy athlete from Ethiopia who loves to run long, long distances. Imagine running for a really, really long time, like from your house all the way to school and back, maybe even twice! That's what Tiki does, but she does it even faster.

She's famous for running in marathon races, which are super long running events. She’s so good that she won a gold medal at the biggest sports event in the world, the Olympics!

In 2012, Tiki Gelana ran in the London Olympics. The marathon race was super exciting! She ran so fast that she finished first, winning the gold medal. Not only did she win, but she also set a new Olympic record, meaning she ran faster than any other woman had ever run in the Olympic marathon before. It’s like breaking a world record for running the longest distance the fastest!

Before the Olympics, Tiki Gelana was already a champion. She won the Amsterdam Marathon in 2011 and the Rotterdam Marathon in 2012. These are also very long and tough races. Winning these races showed everyone how strong and fast she was, getting her ready to shine at the Olympics. She is a true inspiration for anyone who loves to run and dreams big!

Tiki Gelana is so fast that she held the fastest time for a woman from Ethiopia for a long time. Her best time was 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 58 seconds. That’s faster than most people can even imagine running! This record showed how much she trained and how dedicated she is to being the best runner she can be. She inspires many young athletes in Ethiopia and around the world.