A 1:57.02 finish in the 800-metre event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships established Diribe Welteji as a competitive force in middle-distance running. The Ethiopian athlete, born on 13 May 2002, transitioned from a successful junior career into professional track competition, securing significant podium finishes and world records on the international circuit before facing a high-profile disciplinary suspension.
Junior Success and Early Development
Welteji began her international track career at age 16, winning the gold medal in the 800 metres at the 2018 World U20 Championships in Tampere. During that event, she set a championship record. She also participated in the 4 × 400 m relay, contributing to an Ethiopian junior record. Her trajectory continued in 2019 with a gold medal in the 1500 metres at the African U20 Championships and an appearance in the 800 m semi-finals at the Doha World Championships. By August 2021, she secured a silver medal in the 1500 metres at the World U20 Championships held in Nairobi.
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Following a debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Welteji achieved consistent results on the senior circuit. In July 2022, she finished fourth in the 800 m at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. Her progression continued the following month at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzów, Poland, where she won her first Diamond League meeting. She finished the 1500 m with a time of 3:56.91, setting a meet record and achieving a personal best. In 2023, she earned a silver medal in the 1500 metres at the World Championships and established a 1-mile road record of 4:20.98 in Riga.
Disciplinary Proceedings and Suspension
In May 2025, the Ethiopia National Anti-Doping Office charged Welteji with an anti-doping rule violation for refusing to provide a sample for out-of-competition testing. While an initial local panel found no violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In September 2025, the court declared her ineligible for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. In February 2026, the court handed her a two-year ban, backdated to September 2025, and disqualified all results from 25 February 2025.
Fast facts
- Born: 13 May 2002, Ethiopia
- Primary Sport: Middle-distance running
- 800 metres personal best: 1:57.02
- 1500 metres personal best: 3:53.93
- 3000 metres indoor personal best: 8:33.44
- 2023 World Championships 1500m finish: Silver medal
- 2026 status: Two-year ban for anti-doping rule violation
Questions readers ask
What record did Diribe Welteji set in Riga in 2023?
She broke the women's 1-mile road record with a time of 4:20.98.
Why was Diribe Welteji banned from competition?
She received a two-year ban for failing to provide a drug sample for an out-of-competition test without justification.