Gudaf Tsegay Desta is an Ethiopian athlete who specializes in middle and long-distance races. She is the current 5000 m world record holder at 14:00.21 set at the 2023 final Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon. She is also the current World Indoor record holder at senior and U-18 levels and former at U-21 level in 1500 m.
The versatile athlete has competed in various disciplines including 800, 1500, 3000, 5000 and 10,000 meters. As at September 2023, Tsegay ranked first in 5000 m, fourth in 10,000 m and tenth in indoor 800 m in the world.
She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic 5000 m bronze medalist. Tsegay has also won several medals at the World Athletics Championships; gold in 2023 for 10,000 m, silver in 2022 and bronze in 2019 both for 1500 m. She has as well won two medals in World Indoor Championship in 1500 m, gold in 2022 and bronze in 2016.
Age and Birthday
Gudaf Tsegay was born on 23 June 1997 and is 27 years old as at 2024. Her zodiac sign is Cancer.
She is from the Tigray region, northern Ethiopia.
Gudaf Tsegay Husband
Tsegay is married to a former marathon athlete Hiluf Yihdego who is also her coach. The couple are yet to have a child.
Gudaf Tsegay Career
Junior level
Gudaf’s career in athletics started at the age of 16. She first represented Ethiopia in February 2014 at the World Indoor Championships in 1500 m race in Stockholm. Tsegay clocked 4:08.47 to become the world’s fastest under-18 in the discipline. In July same year, she won her first medal (silver) at the World U20 Championships in 1500 m.
Senior level
Aged only 19, she broke the 1500 m world indoor record in 2016 in Glasgow with a time of 4:01.81. She won bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Portland. She represented Ethiopia at the Rio Olympics but was could not make it beyond the heats.
During the 2017 London World Championships, Tsegay only made it up to the1500 m semi-finals. This was after she fell in the first lap and was unable to keep up with the pace. However at the 2019 World Championships at Doha, She was the bronze medalist after clocking 3:54.38, her personal best time.
World Indoor 1500 m Tour champion and record: 2020-2021
In 2020, the track star won her maiden overall World Indoor Tour in 1500m. This was after winning the races in; Torun in Poland, Lievin in France and Madrid in Spain.
On 9 February 2021, Tsegay ran a record 3:53.09 to set a new 1500 m world indoor record in France. In June that year during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Gudaf won bronze in 5000 m. She also clocked her best time of the year in the discipline of 14:13.32 during the race.
Second World Indoor 1500 m Tour victory, First global outdoor title and 1500 m medal: 2022
In March 2022, Tsegay would comfortably win her second overall World Indoor Tour 1500 m at Madrid. She did that inside the fifth fastest world all-time indoor time of 3:57.38. She would carry on with her excellent form as she dominated in the 1500 m at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia. Tsegay led an Ethiopian medal sweep as she won her maiden world title and set a championship record of 3:57.19. This was the first time in history to have a single country taking all the medals in any discipline. It was also the seventh time in a row Ethiopian women athletes enjoyed victory in the event.
In March 2022, Tsegay would comfortably win her second overall World Indoor Tour 1500 m at Madrid. She did that inside the fifth fastest world all-time indoor time of 3:57.38. She would carry on with her excellent form as she dominated in the 1500 m at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia. Tsegay led an Ethiopian medal sweep as she won her maiden world title and set a championship record of 3:57.19. This was the first time in history to have a single country taking all the medals in any discipline. It was also the seventh time in a row Ethiopian women athletes enjoyed victory in the event.
5000 m world record: 2023
In August, she won gold 10,000 m in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. On 17 September at the final Diamond League event in Eugene, Tsegay smashed Faith Kipyegon 14:05.20 5000m world record to set a new one at 14:00.21.
Gudaf Tsegay Achievements and Medals
Achievements
- Highest world rankings: First in 5000 m (2023).
- Personal bests: 800 m indoors- 1:57.52 National record (2021), 1500 m indoors- 3:53.09 World record (2021), 1500 m- 3:54.01 (2021), 3000m indoors- 8:16.69 (2023), 5000 m- 14:00.21 World record (2023), 10,000 m- 29:29.73 (2023).
Medals
- World Junior Championships: Silver 1500 m (2014 Eugene)
- World Indoor Championships: Bronze 1500 m (2016 Portland), Gold 1500 m (2022 Belgrade)
- Olympics games: Bronze 5000 m (2020 Tokyo)
- Diamond league: Champion 5000 m (2023)
- World Championships: Bronze 1500 m (2019 Doha), Silver 1500 m (2022 Eugene), Gold 5000 m (2022 Eugene), Gold 10,000 m (2023 Budapest)
National titles
- Ethiopian Athletics Championships: 5000 m (2021)
Gudaf Tsegay Net worth
Gudaf Tsegay net worth is estimated to be $1-5 million as of 2024.