Luchia Yishak
Encyclopedia
Luchia Yishak (born 8 April 1973 in Eritrea
) is a former Ethiopia
n long-distance runner. She ran for Ethiopia at the Summer Olympics in 1992 and 1996.
She came to prominence as a teenager, winning medals on the track at the African Championships in Athletics
and All-Africa Games
and reaching the 10,000 metres final at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics
. After a series of high profile wins on the cross country
circuit, she won a team medal at the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. That same year she made her Olympic debut at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Her international career stalled after this and her next appearances at the 1995 World Championships
and 1996 Summer Olympics
saw her knocked out in the heats stages. She helped the Ethiopian women to the title at the 1996 IAAF World Road Relay Championships, but that year's appearances were her last on the international stage as the 26-year-old runner's career came to an abrupt end.
, where she claimed the 3000 metres
bronze medal
. She improved a position to take the silver medal
in the event at the 1990 African Championships in Athletics
behind Derartu Tulu
. Luchia came close to an individual medal at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
in 1990
and 1991
, finishing fourth and taking the team silver medal on both occasions. She made her global track debut at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics
, where she finished tenth in the 10,000 metres final. The following month she represented Ethiopia at the 1991 All-Africa Games
and was the runner-up in the 3000 m behind Susan Sirma
.
Luchia performed well on the cross country running
circuit in late 1991 to early 1992, taking wins at the Cross Zornotza
, Cross de San Sebastián
, Cinque Mulini
and Almond Blossom Cross Country
. These performances contributed to her rank of third place on the IAAF World Cross Challenge
series for that season. She was selected for the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and her tenth place finish led the Ethiopian women to the bronze medals in the team competition.
On the track
later that year, she won the 10,000 m bronze behind Derartu Tulu and Lydia Cheromei
at the 1992 African Championships in Athletics
. As a result, Luchia was selected to make her Olympic debut at the age of nineteen, running in the 10,000 m at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics
. However, she failed to progress beyond the heats stage of the event. She and Fita Bayisa
became the first Ethiopians since Mamo Wolde
to win at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza
in January 1993. At the Cross de San Sebastián
, Ethiopian duo also took the men's and women's titles, repeating their feats of the previous year. In spite of her performances, she failed to gain a place on the national team for the World Cross Country Championships.
Her next major outing came at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
, although she failed to make it past the 5000 m qualifiers. She experienced a brief resurgence in form in 1996 as she won her first national title in the 5000 m, guaranteeing herself a place on the Olympic team in the process. She also set a career best of 15:22.53 minutes for the event that season. However, the 23-year-old again failed to make it past the heats on the global stage, coming thirteenth in her 5000 m race at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta.
She ran the anchor leg of the championship record-breaking team at the 1996 IAAF World Road Relay Championships, which she won in a time of 2:16:04 hours, alongside the Ethiopian women's team of Genet Gebregiorgis
, Berhane Adere
, Ayelech Worku
, Gete Wami
and Getenesh Urge
.
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
) is a former Ethiopia
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. She ran for Ethiopia at the Summer Olympics in 1992 and 1996.
She came to prominence as a teenager, winning medals on the track at the African Championships in Athletics
African Championships in Athletics
The African Championships in Athletics is a continental athletics event organized by the Confederation of African Athletics. It is generally organised biennually, every other event is held same year as the Summer Olympics....
and All-Africa Games
All-Africa Games
The All-Africa Games, sometimes called the African Games or the Pan African Games, are a regional multi-sport event held every four years, organized by the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa...
and reaching the 10,000 metres final at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics
1991 World Championships in Athletics
The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the...
. After a series of high profile wins on the cross country
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...
circuit, she won a team medal at the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 21, 1992 in Boston, United States.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
. That same year she made her Olympic debut at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Her international career stalled after this and her next appearances at the 1995 World Championships
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
and 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
saw her knocked out in the heats stages. She helped the Ethiopian women to the title at the 1996 IAAF World Road Relay Championships, but that year's appearances were her last on the international stage as the 26-year-old runner's career came to an abrupt end.
Career
Her first major success came at the 1989 African Championships in Athletics1989 African Championships in Athletics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
, where she claimed 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...
bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
. She improved a position to take the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the event at the 1990 African Championships in Athletics
1990 African Championships in Athletics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
behind Derartu Tulu
Derartu Tulu
Derartu Tulu is an Ethiopian long distance track, road and marathon athlete.Derartu , a member of the Oromo ethnic group, grew up tending cattle in the village of Bekoji in the highlands of Arsi Province...
. Luchia came close to an individual medal at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
in 1990
1990 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 18th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1990 in Aix-les-Bains, France.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
and 1991
1991 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 19th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1991 in Antwerp, Belgium.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**- References :...
, finishing fourth and taking the team silver medal on both occasions. She made her global track debut at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics
1991 World Championships in Athletics
The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the...
, where she finished tenth in the 10,000 metres final. The following month she represented Ethiopia at the 1991 All-Africa Games
Athletics at the 1991 All-Africa Games
The fourth All-Africa Games were held in September 1991 in Cairo, Egypt.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:*...
and was the runner-up in the 3000 m behind Susan Sirma
Susan Sirma
Susan Sirma is a retired Kenyan middle distance runner best known for winning a bronze medal over 3000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, becoming the first black African woman to win a track and field medal at World Championship or Olympic level.Sirma also won two gold medals over this...
.
Luchia performed well on the 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...
circuit in late 1991 to early 1992, taking wins at the Cross Zornotza
Cross Zornotza
The Cross Internacional Zornotza is an annual cross country running event which takes place in January in Amorebieta-Etxano , the Basque Country, Spain. The competition was first held in 1954 and has taken place every year since, with the sole exception of 1961...
, Cross de San Sebastián
Cross de San Sebastián
The Cross Internacional de San Sebastián, also known as the Cross Internacional de Donostia, is an annual cross country running event which is staged in late January in San Sebastián, Spain....
, Cinque Mulini
Cinque Mulini
The Cinque Mulini is an annual cross country running race in San Vittore Olona, Italy. First held in 1933, the course is unusual in that it revolves around a number of water mills, which lend the competition its name – meaning Five Mills in Italian. It is one of the IAAF cross country permit...
and Almond Blossom Cross Country
Almond Blossom Cross Country
The Almond Blossom Cross Country is an annual international cross country running competition which takes place in Albufeira, Portugal in early March. It is one of the IAAF permit meetings which serve as qualifying events for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. It is held in co-operation...
. These performances contributed to her rank of third place on the IAAF World Cross Challenge
IAAF World Cross Challenge
The IAAF World Cross Challenge was a cross-country running contest organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations. The athletes accumulated points in three specific cross country meets during the season.-Men:-Women:...
series for that season. She was selected for the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 21, 1992 in Boston, United States.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
and her tenth place finish led the Ethiopian women to the bronze medals in the team competition.
On the track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
later that year, she won the 10,000 m bronze behind Derartu Tulu and Lydia Cheromei
Lydia Cheromei
Lydia Cheromei is a Kenyan athlete. She specializes in long distance running. She rose to fame at the age of thirteen with a win in the junior race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
at the 1992 African Championships in Athletics
1992 African Championships in Athletics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
. As a result, Luchia was selected to make her Olympic debut at the age of nineteen, running in the 10,000 m at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics
Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics
At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, 43 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 19 by women. The competition ran from July 31, 1992 to August 9, 1992. Fourteen world record-holders were among the contenders...
. However, she failed to progress beyond the heats stage of the event. She and Fita Bayisa
Fita Bayisa
Fita Bayisa , Oromia is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, most known for winning a bronze medal on the 5000 metres at the 1992 Summer Olympics. A year before he had won a silver medal at the World Championships in Tokyo...
became the first Ethiopians since Mamo Wolde
Mamo Wolde
Degaga Wolde was an Ethiopian long distance track and road running athlete and was winner of the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
to win at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza
Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza
The Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza, also known as the Elgoibar Cross Country, is an annual cross country running competition which takes place each January in Elgoibar, the Basque Country, Spain...
in January 1993. At the Cross de San Sebastián
Cross de San Sebastián
The Cross Internacional de San Sebastián, also known as the Cross Internacional de Donostia, is an annual cross country running event which is staged in late January in San Sebastián, Spain....
, Ethiopian duo also took the men's and women's titles, repeating their feats of the previous year. In spite of her performances, she failed to gain a place on the national team for the World Cross Country Championships.
Her next major outing came at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
, although she failed to make it past the 5000 m qualifiers. She experienced a brief resurgence in form in 1996 as she won her first national title in the 5000 m, guaranteeing herself a place on the Olympic team in the process. She also set a career best of 15:22.53 minutes for the event that season. However, the 23-year-old again failed to make it past the heats on the global stage, coming thirteenth in her 5000 m race at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta.
She ran the anchor leg of the championship record-breaking team at the 1996 IAAF World Road Relay Championships, which she won in a time of 2:16:04 hours, alongside the Ethiopian women's team of Genet Gebregiorgis
Genet Gebregiorgis
Genet Gebregioris is an Ethiopian middle distance runner who competed in the late 1990s and early 2000s.She won a bronze medal in the 1500 metres at the 1995 All-Africa Games held in Harare...
, Berhane Adere
Berhane Adere
Berhane Adere is an athlete from Ethiopia.Adere held the African record for 10,000 metres in a time of 30:04.18, set at the 2003 World Championships, where she won gold...
, Ayelech Worku
Ayelech Worku
Ayelech Worku is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, most known for winning two World Championships bronze medals on the 5000 metres...
, Gete Wami
Gete Wami
Getenesh Wami is a female Ethiopian cross country and track runner....
and Getenesh Urge
Getenesh Urge
Getenesh Urge is a retired Ethiopian middle distance runner who competed in the 1980s through to 2000She won three bronze medals at three different African Championships in Athletics. In Annaba at the 1988 Championships she won a bronze in the 1500 metres, she repeated this performance five years...
.
Competition record
| 1989 | African Championships 1989 African Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Lagos Lagos Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa... , Nigeria |
3rd | 3000 metres |
| 1990 | World Cross Country Championships 1990 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 18th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1990 in Aix-les-Bains, France.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**... |
Aix-les-Bains Aix-les-Bains Aix-les-Bains is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is situated on the shore of Lac du Bourget, by rail north of Chambéry.-Geography:... , France |
4th | Long race |
| 2nd | Team race | |||
| African Championships 1990 African Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Cairo Cairo Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life... , Egypt |
2nd | 3000 metres | |
| 1991 | World Cross Country Championships 1991 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 19th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1991 in Antwerp, Belgium.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**- References :... |
Antwerp, Belgium | 4th | Long race |
| 2nd | Team race | |||
| World Championships 1991 World Championships in Athletics The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan |
10th | 10,000 m | |
| All-Africa Games Athletics at the 1991 All-Africa Games The fourth All-Africa Games were held in September 1991 in Cairo, Egypt.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:*... |
Cairo Cairo Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life... , Egypt |
2nd | 3000 m | |
| 1992 | World Cross Country Championships 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 21, 1992 in Boston, United States.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... , United States |
10th | Long race |
| 3rd | Team race | |||
| African Championships 1992 African Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Belle Vue Mauricia, Mauritius | 3rd | 10,000 m | |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, 43 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 19 by women. The competition ran from July 31, 1992 to August 9, 1992. Fourteen world record-holders were among the contenders... |
Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain |
21st (heats) | 10,000 m | |
| 1995 | World Championships 1995 World Championships in Athletics The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations.... |
Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
7th (heats) | 5000 m |
| 1996 | World Road Relay Championships | Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... , Denmark |
1st | Ekiden Ekiden is a term referring to a long-distance relay running race, typically on roads. The Japanese term originally referred to a post-horse or stagecoach which transmitted communication by stages.-History:... |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 44 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 20 by women. There were a total number of 2053 participating athletes from 191 countries.-Men:... |
Atlanta, United States | 13th (heats) | 5000 m | |