Tejitu Daba Chalchissa
Encyclopedia
Tejitu Daba Chalchissa (born 20 August 1991) is an Ethiopia
n-born long-distance runner who competes internationally for Bahrain
. She competes mainly in cross country
and track running events. She won the gold medal
over 5000 metres
at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships
.
Tejitu began running for Bahrain in 2009 and her first outing for her adopted country came at the Asian Cross Country Championships
, where she was second in the junior ranks behind Shitaye Eshete
(another Ethiopian-turned-Bahraini). She then ran in the junior race of the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, placing 23rd overall. Turning to track events
, she completed a 5000 metres
/10,000 metres double at the Arab Athletics Championships. In October she won the 3000 metres
gold medal
at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games
She looked set to top the podium again at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
, but she slowed too early at the line and allowed Xue Fei
to pip her at the line. Tejitu also represented Bahrain in the 10,000 m at the competition and was fourth overall.
At the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, she reached the top ten in the junior race and was the only runner in the top twelve who did not compete for Kenya or Ethiopia. She ran a national junior record over 3000 m at the Arab Junior Championships, taking a 3000/5000 m double. She went on to take the 5000 m gold at the 2010 Asian Junior Athletics Championships
, although she managed only fourth over 3000 m. Later that month she attended the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics
and delivered a 3000 m best of 9:01.22 minutes and 5000 m best of 15:29.78 minutes, reaching the top five in both disciplines. She represented Asia/Pacific at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
and came sixth in the 3000 m. She was chosen to compete for Bahrain at the 2010 Asian Games
and gave her third personal best performance of the year in the 10,000 m, where her time of 32:21.29 minutes brought her seventh place.
She moved up to the senior level in 2011 and helped the Bahraini women to fourth in the team rankings at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. Tejitu won her first major senior title later that year, winning the 5000 m at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships
while two other former Ethiopians (Genzebe Shami and Shitaye Eshete) made it a distance running sweep for Bahrain from 1500 metres
to 10,000 m.
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-born long-distance runner who competes internationally for Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
. She competes mainly in 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...
and track running events. She won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
over 5000 metres
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...
at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships
2011 Asian Athletics Championships
The 19th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Kobe, Japan between July 7–10, 2011 at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium. The tournament had 507 athletes from forty Asian nations competing in the 42 track and field events over the four-day competition....
.
Tejitu began running for Bahrain in 2009 and her first outing for her adopted country came at the Asian Cross Country Championships
Asian Cross Country Championships
The Asian Cross Country Championships is a biennial regional cross country running competition for athletes from Asia. It is organised by the Asian Athletics Association and was first held in 1991 in Fukuoka, Japan...
, where she was second in the junior ranks behind Shitaye Eshete
Shitaye Eshete
Shitaye Eshete Habtegebrel is an Ethiopian-born long-distance runner who competes internationally for Bahrain.She first began competing for the oil-rich Gulf state in 2009, making her debut at the Asian Cross Country Championships in Manama. She won the women's junior title while team-mate Tejitu...
(another Ethiopian-turned-Bahraini). She then ran in the junior race of the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the Al Bisharat Golf Course at Amman, Jordan on 28 March 2009. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
, placing 23rd overall. Turning to track events
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...
, she completed a 5000 metres
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...
/10,000 metres double at the Arab Athletics Championships. In October she won 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...
gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games
Indoor athletics at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games
Indoor athletics at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games was held in My Dinh Indoor Athletics Gymnasium, Hanoi, Vietnam from 31 October to 2 November 2009....
She looked set to top the podium again at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....
, but she slowed too early at the line and allowed Xue Fei
Xue Fei
Xue Fei is a female Chinese long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 metres....
to pip her at the line. Tejitu also represented Bahrain in the 10,000 m at the competition and was fourth overall.
At the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held at Myślęcinek Park in Bydgoszcz, Poland on 28 March 2010. It was the first time in over twenty years that Poland hosted the annual championships, having previously held them in Warsaw in 1987. Kenyan runners dominated the competition, taking...
, she reached the top ten in the junior race and was the only runner in the top twelve who did not compete for Kenya or Ethiopia. She ran a national junior record over 3000 m at the Arab Junior Championships, taking a 3000/5000 m double. She went on to take the 5000 m gold at the 2010 Asian Junior Athletics Championships
2010 Asian Junior Athletics Championships
The 2010 Asian Junior Athletics Championships was the 14th edition of the international athletics competition for Asian under-20 athletes, organised by the Asian Athletics Association. It took place from 1 to 4 July 2010 at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi – the first time the competition was...
, although she managed only fourth over 3000 m. Later that month she attended the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 13th World Junior Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition for athletes under the age of 20 which was held at the Moncton Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada from 19–25 July 2010. A total of 44 athletics events were contested at the Championships, 22 by male...
and delivered a 3000 m best of 9:01.22 minutes and 5000 m best of 15:29.78 minutes, reaching the top five in both disciplines. She represented Asia/Pacific 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...
and came sixth in the 3000 m. She was chosen to compete for Bahrain at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme...
and gave her third personal best performance of the year in the 10,000 m, where her time of 32:21.29 minutes brought her seventh place.
She moved up to the senior level in 2011 and helped the Bahraini women to fourth in the team rankings 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...
. Tejitu won her first major senior title later that year, winning the 5000 m at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships
2011 Asian Athletics Championships
The 19th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Kobe, Japan between July 7–10, 2011 at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium. The tournament had 507 athletes from forty Asian nations competing in the 42 track and field events over the four-day competition....
while two other former Ethiopians (Genzebe Shami and Shitaye Eshete) made it a distance running sweep for Bahrain from 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
to 10,000 m.