Imane Merga
Encyclopedia
Imane Merga Jida is an Ethiopia
n long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000
and 10,000 metres. He won his first world title at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
he won the 10,000 m bronze medal, but he was disqualified in the 5000 m, losing a second bronze.
Imane won the first two 5000 m titles in the annual IAAF Diamond League
and was the gold medalist at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
. He has also won the Giro Media Blenio
and BOClassic
road races.
, Oromia Region
. His first appearances on the world stage came in cross country running
– he finished seventh in the men's junior race at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
in Mombasa
and he went on to win at the Oeiras International Cross Country
later that year.
In 2008, he ran at the São Silvestre da Amadora road race, winning the 10 km competition in 29:27. Merga won the Antrim International Cross Country
in early 2009 and went on to finish second behind Gebregziabher Gebremariam at the Ethiopian 10,000 m championships in July. He finished fourth in the 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships
and won the 5000 metres at the 2009 World Athletics Final
. He closed the year on the cross country circuit, winning at the Cross de l'Acier
for a third consecutive time.
He began his 2010 season with a win at the 10 km Giro Media Blenio
race in Dongio
, beating defending champion Moses Mosop
in the process. Having won the 5000 m at the Bislett Games
and the Golden Gala
, he went on to become the inaugural 2010 IAAF Diamond League
champion in the event. He represented Africa in the event at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
, but came in fifth. He attempted a fourth straight win at the Cross de l'Acier, but was beaten to the line by reigning cross country champion Joseph Ebuya
. He ended 2010 with a win at the BOclassic
, defeating Mo Farah in a sprint finish.
At the Jan Meda Cross Country in February 2011 he came second, some distance behind race winner Hunegnaw Mesfin
who took the national title. However, he beat his countryman and all other contenders at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, closing the race with a quick sprint finish. His world title followed a 15-month stretch in which he had not won a cross country race. He ended his cross country season with another win on grass, beating Caleb Ndiku and world runner-up Paul Tanui at the Trofeo Alasport
in Alà dei Sardi
. Turning to the European road circuit, he retained his Giro Media Blenio title with a quick run to the line. In the 2011 Diamond League he won the 5000 m at the Golden Gala
and then, in the absence of the event leader Mo Farah, he won at the Memorial van Damme
final to be elected the Diamond race winner for a second time running.
At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
he won the bronze medal over 10,000 m while his team mate Ibrahim Jeilan
won the title. Imane won his second bronze of the competition in the Men's 5000 metres
, but he was later disqualified for having ran inside the curb of the running track for some 10 to 15 metres. Fellow Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel
was elevated to the bronze medal as a result.
He continued his cross country winning streak at the Cross de Atapuerca
in November, but was then defeated by 2010 World Champion Ebuya at the Cross de l'Acier
.
His personal best times are 7:51.24 minutes in the 3000 metres
, achieved in May 2009 at the Icahn Stadium
; 12:53.58 minutes in the 5000 metres, achieved in August 2010 in Stockholm
; and 26:48.35 minutes in the 10,000 metres, achieved in June 2011 in Oregon. He began working with Italian technical coach Renato Canova
at the start of 2010.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
and 10,000 metres. He won his first world title at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Punta Umbría, Spain on 20 March 2011.-Preparation:The United States had expressed an interest in hosting the competition, but Punta Umbria was chosen as the host at the IAAF Council Meeting in November 2009...
. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
he won the 10,000 m bronze medal, but he was disqualified in the 5000 m, losing a second bronze.
Imane won the first two 5000 m titles in the annual IAAF Diamond League
IAAF Diamond League
The Samsung Diamond League is an annual series of track and field meetings held from 2010 onwards, beginning with the 2010 IAAF Diamond League...
and was the gold medalist at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 7th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece on September 12 and September 13, 2009. The competition represented the culmination of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, a selection of athletics meetings which began on September 20, 2008 at the...
. He has also won the Giro Media Blenio
Giro Media Blenio
The Giro Media Blenio is an annual road running event over 10 kilometres which takes place in April in the village of Dongio, Switzerland. It was created in honour of Markus Ryffel's silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics....
and BOClassic
BOclassic
The BOclassic is an annual road running competition over the distance of 10 kilometres for men and 5 kilometres for women. It is held on New Year's Eve in Bolzano, Italy. The competition has only elite races, competed between a limited number of runners, but over 10,000 spectators gather in the...
road races.
Career
He was born in Tulu BoloTulu Bolo
Tulu Bolo is a town in central Ethiopia. Located in the Debub Mirab Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region, it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2193 meters above sea level...
, Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
. His first appearances on the world stage came in cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
– he finished seventh in the men's junior race at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa, Kenya on 24 March, 2007. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
in Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
and he went on to win at the Oeiras International Cross Country
Oeiras International Cross Country
The Oeiras International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Oeiras, Portugal...
later that year.
In 2008, he ran at the São Silvestre da Amadora road race, winning the 10 km competition in 29:27. Merga won the Antrim International Cross Country
Antrim International Cross Country
The Antrim International Cross Country, formerly the Belfast International Cross Country, is an annual cross country running meeting which takes place every January in Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the IAAF's cross country permit meetings, as well as being part of the UK Cross Challenge tour...
in early 2009 and went on to finish second behind Gebregziabher Gebremariam at the Ethiopian 10,000 m championships in July. He finished fourth in the 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 10,000 metres
The Men's 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 17 August. A large field of 31 athletes from 15 countries was set to participate in the final, although Irishman Martin Fagan did not start the competition.Kenenisa Bekele was the favourite...
and won the 5000 metres at the 2009 World Athletics Final
2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 7th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece on September 12 and September 13, 2009. The competition represented the culmination of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, a selection of athletics meetings which began on September 20, 2008 at the...
. He closed the year on the cross country circuit, winning at the Cross de l'Acier
Cross de l'Acier
The Cross de l'Acier is an annual cross country running competition that is held in late November in Leffrinckoucke, France. First held in 1990, it is one of the foremost competitions of its type in France. Ten races are held at the event for athletes of varying abilities...
for a third consecutive time.
He began his 2010 season with a win at the 10 km Giro Media Blenio
Giro Media Blenio
The Giro Media Blenio is an annual road running event over 10 kilometres which takes place in April in the village of Dongio, Switzerland. It was created in honour of Markus Ryffel's silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics....
race in Dongio
Dongio
Dongio is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.It was first recorded in year 1188 as Deuci.The municipality also contained the villages Marogno and Motto. It had 532 inhabitants in 1682, which decreased to 391 in 1808...
, beating defending champion Moses Mosop
Moses Mosop
Moses Cheruiyot Mosop is a Kenyan middle and long distance athlete. He competed for Kenya at the 2004 Olympic Games and went on to take 10,000 metres bronze at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics...
in the process. Having won the 5000 m at the Bislett Games
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett Stadion in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:The first...
and the Golden Gala
Golden Gala
Golden Gala is an annual track and field event at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-History:...
, he went on to become the inaugural 2010 IAAF Diamond League
2010 IAAF Diamond League
The 2010 IAAF Diamond League was the first edition of the Diamond League, an annual series of fourteen one-day track and field meetings. The series began on 14 May in Doha, Qatar and ended on 27 August in Brussels, Belgium....
champion in the event. He represented Africa in the event at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
2010 IAAF Continental Cup
The 1st IAAF Continental Cup was an international track and field sporting event held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations. Originally scheduled as the 11th IAAF World Cup in Athletics, it was renamed in 2008 when the IAAF revamped the competition format...
, but came in fifth. He attempted a fourth straight win at the Cross de l'Acier, but was beaten to the line by reigning cross country champion Joseph Ebuya
Joseph Ebuya
Joseph Ebuya is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 5000 metres and was the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships champion.-Early life and career:...
. He ended 2010 with a win at the BOclassic
BOclassic
The BOclassic is an annual road running competition over the distance of 10 kilometres for men and 5 kilometres for women. It is held on New Year's Eve in Bolzano, Italy. The competition has only elite races, competed between a limited number of runners, but over 10,000 spectators gather in the...
, defeating Mo Farah in a sprint finish.
At the Jan Meda Cross Country in February 2011 he came second, some distance behind race winner Hunegnaw Mesfin
Hunegnaw Mesfin
Hunegnaw Mesfin is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in cross country and track running events...
who took the national title. However, he beat his countryman and all other contenders at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Punta Umbría, Spain on 20 March 2011.-Preparation:The United States had expressed an interest in hosting the competition, but Punta Umbria was chosen as the host at the IAAF Council Meeting in November 2009...
, closing the race with a quick sprint finish. His world title followed a 15-month stretch in which he had not won a cross country race. He ended his cross country season with another win on grass, beating Caleb Ndiku and world runner-up Paul Tanui at the Trofeo Alasport
Trofeo Alasport
The Trofeo Alasport, also known as the Cross di Alà dei Sardi, is an annual cross country running competition which takes place in March in Alà dei Sardi on the Italian island of Sardinia. Unusually for a high-profile cross country event, it has often been held after the IAAF World Cross Country...
in Alà dei Sardi
Alà dei Sardi
Alà dei Sardi is a comune in the Province of Olbia-Tempio in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 160 km north of Cagliari and about 35 km southwest of Olbia....
. Turning to the European road circuit, he retained his Giro Media Blenio title with a quick run to the line. In the 2011 Diamond League he won the 5000 m at the Golden Gala
Golden Gala
Golden Gala is an annual track and field event at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-History:...
and then, in the absence of the event leader Mo Farah, he won at the Memorial van Damme
Memorial Van Damme
Memorial van Damme is an annual athletics event at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium that takes place in late August or early September...
final to be elected the Diamond race winner for a second time running.
At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
he won the bronze medal over 10,000 m while his team mate Ibrahim Jeilan
Ibrahim Jeilan
Ibrahim Jeilan Gashu is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres on the track, as well as cross country running...
won the title. Imane won his second bronze of the competition in the Men's 5000 metres
2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres
The men's 5000 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on September 1 and 4.Jake Robertson of New Zealand was added to the final field at the judges' discretion after twice being pushed in his qualifying race....
, but he was later disqualified for having ran inside the curb of the running track for some 10 to 15 metres. Fellow Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel
Dejen Gebremeskel
Dejen Gebremeskel is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who primarily competes in track events. His personal best for the 5000 metres is 12:53.56 minutes...
was elevated to the bronze medal as a result.
He continued his cross country winning streak at the Cross de Atapuerca
Cross de Atapuerca
The Cross Internacional de Atapuerca is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Atapuerca, Spain. Established in 2004, it takes place in early November and is among the first major competitions of the cross country season...
in November, but was then defeated by 2010 World Champion Ebuya at the Cross de l'Acier
Cross de l'Acier
The Cross de l'Acier is an annual cross country running competition that is held in late November in Leffrinckoucke, France. First held in 1990, it is one of the foremost competitions of its type in France. Ten races are held at the event for athletes of varying abilities...
.
His personal best times are 7:51.24 minutes in the 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
, achieved in May 2009 at the Icahn Stadium
Icahn Stadium
Icahn Stadium is a track and field venue located on Randall's Island, in New York City, and is one of only four Class 1 internationally certified tracks in the United States.-Overview:...
; 12:53.58 minutes in the 5000 metres, achieved in August 2010 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
; and 26:48.35 minutes in the 10,000 metres, achieved in June 2011 in Oregon. He began working with Italian technical coach Renato Canova
Renato Canova
Renato Canova is an Italian athletics coach. He coaches the Kenyan born Qatari 3000m Steeplechase world record holder Saif Saeed Shaheen, 10,000 meter runner Nicholas Kemboi , Dorcus Inzikuru , Moses Mosop ,...
at the start of 2010.