A time of 2:18:58 set at the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon established Tiki Gelana as the fourth-fastest woman in history over the distance at that time. This performance secured her place in the Ethiopian delegation for the London Olympics, where she navigated rain and a fall at a water station to clinch gold with an Olympic record of 2:23:07.
Early Career and International Debut
Born in Jijiga on 22 October 1987, Gelana emerged from the Ethiopian distance running system. Her early trajectory included a fourth-place finish at the 2004 Great Ethiopian Run. By 2006, she moved to Catalonia, Spain, where she secured half marathon victories in Mataró and Terrassa. During the 2007 Sanyo Road Race in Japan, she clocked a 10K time of 31:54, marking her as the third-fastest Ethiopian that year. She continued to refine her track skills in 2008, recording 15:17.74 in the 5000 metres at the Internationales Stadionfest and 31:27.80 in the 10,000 metres at the Ostrava Golden Spike.
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Gelana transitioned to the full marathon distance in October 2009 at the Dublin Marathon, securing third place. After fourth-place finishes in Los Angeles and Dublin in 2010, she achieved a significant milestone at the 2011 Amsterdam Marathon. Finishing in 2:22:08, she surpassed Gete Wami’s nine-year-old course record. In February 2012, she won the Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon in 1:08:48. Her success that year included the Rotterdam Marathon record and the Olympic gold medal in London, leading to her selection for the AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award.
Challenges in London and Moscow
The 2013 London Marathon proved difficult when a collision with wheelchair racer Josh Cassidy at the 15 km feeding station knocked her to the ground. Although she resumed, she finished 16th with a time of 2:36:55. This event resulted in changes to the race starting protocols. Later that year, she represented Ethiopia at the World Championships in Moscow. She withdrew from the event after 5 km due to heat and humidity, a decision that led the Ethiopian Athletics Federation to request a written explanation. She returned to the London Marathon in 2014, placing ninth in 2:26:58.
Fast facts
- Born: 22 October 1987, Jijiga, Ethiopia
- Olympic Gold: Marathon, 2012 London Olympics
- Personal Best Marathon: 2:18:58 (2012)
- Personal Best Half Marathon: 1:08:48 (2012)
- Rotterdam Marathon Winner: 2012
- Amsterdam Marathon Winner: 2011
Questions readers ask
What was the result of Tiki Gelana’s 2012 Olympic marathon?
She won the gold medal with an Olympic record time of 2:23:07.
Why were starting arrangements changed for the London Marathon after 2013?
The change was prompted by a collision between Gelana and wheelchair racer Josh Cassidy at the 15 km mark during the 2013 race.
