Mekonnen at the 2010 World Indoor Championships
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Personal information | |
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Born |
Sheno, Ethiopia |
October 20, 1987
Sport | |
Country | Ethiopia |
Sport | Track |
Event(s) | 1500 metres, Mile |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) |
1500 metres: 3:32.26 Mile: 3:48.95 |
Medal record
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Deresse Mekonnen Tsigu (Amharic: ደረሠ መኮንነን; born 20 October 1987) is an Ethiopian middle distance runner, who specializes in the 1500 metres. He is a two-time World Indoor champion and was the silver medallist at the 2009 World Championships. He represented Ethiopia in the event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and holds the Ethiopian record for the mile run.
Born in Sheno, Oromia Region, his first major international competition was the 2007 World Championships in Osaka where he finished 11th in the heats. His first major win came at the 2008 World Indoor Championships in Valencia at the 1500 m, where he was initially disqualified for a lane violation after winning the race. However, the Ethiopian Athletics Federation made an appeal, and the disqualification was reversed, giving Mekonnen the gold medal. He came third in the Dream Mile at the Bislett Games in June with an Ethiopian record of 3:49.72 for the distance. He gained selection for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but he just missed a place in the 1500 m final as he was eliminated in the semi-finals.