Getnet Wale

Getnet Wale Bayabl (born 16 July 2000)[2] is an Ethiopian runner specialising in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as well as at the 2019 and 2022 World Athletics Championships. Wale won the silver medal at the 2019 African Games and a bronze at the 2018 African Championships in Athletics.

Getnet Wale
Getnet at the PSD Bank Meeting in Düsseldorf in 2020
Personal information
Full nameGetnet Wale Bayabl
Born (2000-07-16) 16 July 2000
Sekela (woreda), Ethiopia[1]
Sport
CountryEthiopia
SportAthletics
Event(s)3000 m steeplechase, 5000 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Ethiopia
Diamond League
First place20193000 m st.
African Games
Silver medal – second place2019 Rabat3000 m st.
African Championships
Bronze medal – third place2018 Asaba3000 m st.
World U20 Championships
Bronze medal – third place2016 Bydgoszcz3000 m st.
Bronze medal – third place2018 Tampere3000 m st.
World Cross Country Championships
Silver medal – second place2023 BathurstMixed relay

He earned bronze medals at the 2016 and 2018 World Under-20 Championships. In 2019, he became the Diamond League 3000 m steeplechase champion. Wale is the current Ethiopian record holder in the indoor 3000 metres.

Early life

Getnet Wale was born one of eight children in Sekele, Ethiopia. He ran 4 km to and from school. After winning provincial titles at the 1500 metres and 3000 metres aged 13 steeplechase coach Teshome Kebede was interested in him and invited Wale to Addis Ababa.[3]

Early running career

Wale's first international competition came at the 2016 IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Despite falling twice at the water jump he earned the bronze medal in the 3000 m steeplechase by placing third in 8:22.83.[3][2]

In 2017, Wale competed at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics making the final and placing ninth in 8:25.28.[2]

The next year, he competed at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, where he took bronze in 8:26.16.[2]

In 2019, Wale contested nine 3000 m steeplechase races including Diamond League wins in Rabat and Brussels. At the 2019 World Championships in Athletics, he placed fourth in the 3000 m steeplechase event in a personal best time of 8:05.21.

In 2020, Wale only raced one steeplechase after an indoor track season. He competed at the Monaco Diamond League finishing 10th in 8:35.85.[2]

Possible transition to 5000m

On 16 January 2021, Wale placed second at the Olympic candidate trial competition in Addis Ababa. On 9 February, he ran a 7:24.98 in the 3000 metres in Liévin, France, which was the second fastest all-time indoor time for the event, behind Daniel Komen's 7:24.90 from 1998.[4] On 11 April, he won the Ethiopian Championships over the 5000 metres. On 19 May, Wale won the 3000 m steeplechase at the 60th Ostrava Golden Spike in 8:09.47. At the Ethiopian Trials on 8 June in Hengelo, Netherlands, he won the 5000 m with a time of 12:53.28. Wale was named for the Ethiopian Olympic Team in the 5000 m for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he was eliminated in the heats.[5]

International competitions
Representing  Ethiopia
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
2016 World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 3rd 3000 m s'chase 8:22.83
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 9th 3000 m s'chase 8:25.28
2018 World U20 Championships Tampere, Finland 3rd 3000 m s'chase 8:26.16
African Championships Asaba, Nigeria 3rd 3000 m s'chase 8:30.87
2019 African Games Rabat, Morocco 2nd 3000 m s'chase 8:14.06
World Championships Doha, Qatar 4th 3000 m s'chase 8:05.21 PB
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 4th 3000 m s'chase 8:14.97
20th (h) 5000 m 13:41.13
2022 World Championships Eugene, OR, United States 4th 3000 m s'chase 8:28.68
2023 World Championships Budapest, Hungary 11th 3000 m s'chase 8:21.03

Circuit wins and titles
3000 metres steeplechase wins, other events specified in parentheses

National championships

Personal bests

References
  1. Getnet Wale ready to make more steeplechase history for Ethiopia
  2. Getnet Wale at World Athletics
  3. Landells, Steve. World Athletics, 16 June 2020, Wale ready to make more steeplechase history for Ethiopia. Accessed 1 July 2021.
  4. "3000 Metres Men." World Athletics, All-time top list. Accessed 3 July 2021.
  5. World Athletics, 2 July 2021. Ethiopia selects 34 athletes for Tokyo. Accessed 3 July 2021.
  6. "Wanda Diamond League Final | Brussels (BEL) | 5th-6th Sept 2019" (PDF). Diamond League. 2019-09-06. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
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