A time of 12 minutes and 49 seconds recorded in Barcelona on 31 December 2021 established a world record for the 5 km road race. This achievement marked a significant milestone for Berihu Aregawi Teklehaimanot, an Ethiopian long-distance runner born in Atsbi Wenberta, who has consistently performed at the elite level of international athletics since his debut as a teenager.
Early Career and Youth Competitions
Berihu Aregawi began his competitive journey in 2018, securing a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the World U20 Championships in Tampere. That same year, he earned a victory in the 3000 metres at the African Youth Games and achieved a second-place finish in the combined 3000 m event at the Summer Youth Olympics held in Buenos Aires. By November 2019, he demonstrated his endurance by winning the Great Ethiopian Run, a 10-kilometre road race.
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During the 2021 Ethiopian trials, Aregawi finished third, securing his position for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He finished fourth in his Olympic debut in the 10,000 metres. Later that year, he set the 5 km world record in Barcelona. In 2024, he competed at the Paris Olympics, where he secured a silver medal in the 10,000 metres with a time of 26:43.44, trailing the winner by a narrow margin.
International Track and Road Success
Throughout his career, Aregawi has remained a frequent competitor in high-level events. He won silver at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst and repeated this result at the 2024 championships held in Serbia. In March 2025, he earned a silver medal in the 3000 metres at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing. His proficiency on the track is further highlighted by his 3000 metre performance in 2024 at the Silesia Diamond League, where his time of 7:21.28 made him the third-fastest runner in history for the distance.
Fast facts
- Born: 28 February 2001, Atsbi Wenberta
- Citizenship: Ethiopia
- Major Olympic Achievement: Silver medal, 10,000 m (Paris 2024)
- 5 km Road World Record: 12:49 (Barcelona 2021)
- Primary Sport: Long-distance running
- 3000 m Personal Best: 7:21.28 (Chorzów 2024)
- 10 km Personal Best: 26:33 (Laredo 2023)
Questions readers ask
What is Berihu Aregawi's primary distance?
He specializes in long-distance events, primarily the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, as well as cross country and road racing.
Has Berihu Aregawi set any world records?
Yes, he set the world record in the 5 km road race in 2021 with a time of 12 minutes and 49 seconds.
