20 Facts About Habiba Ghribi

Habiba Ghribi is a Tunisian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase.

Habiba Ghribi won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, giving her country its first Olympic medal by a woman.

Habiba Ghribi is the Tunisian record holder in the event, having run 9:05.36 at the Memorial van Damme in Brussels in September 2015.

Habiba Ghribi represented Tunisia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing thirteenth in the first ever women's Olympic steeplechase race.

Habiba Ghribi was voted the Best Sportswoman of 2009 by the Arabic daily newspaper Assahafa.

Habiba Ghribi began her career as a cross country runner and competed in the junior race at the 2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championships at the age of fifteen, finishing in 46th place.

Habiba Ghribi competed in the senior short race in 2002, finishing in 76th.

Habiba Ghribi competed at the 2002 African Championships in Athletics in Rades, Tunisia and ended up in 11th place in the 5000 metres final.

Habiba Ghribi won the gold in the junior race at the 2002 Pan Arab Cross Country Championships.

Habiba Ghribi went back to the junior race in 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, improving to 23rd place and heading the Tunisian team to 7th place overall.

Habiba Ghribi took part in her first World Championships in Athletics at the 2005 Helsinki Championships and finished eighth in her heat, not managing to qualify for the women's final but setting a personal best and Tunisian record of 9:51.49 nevertheless.

Habiba Ghribi gained her first major medal in the event the following year, taking the silver medal at the 2006 African Championships in Athletics behind world medallist Jeruto Kiptum.

Habiba Ghribi competed at a number of major events in 2009, starting with her first ever long race at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships where she finished in 41st place.

Habiba Ghribi made her second world steeplechase appearance at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics and further improved her best by a significant amount in the World final.

Habiba Ghribi closed the year with a performance at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final results, but she failed to finish the race.

In recognition of her achievements in 2009, Habiba Ghribi topped a poll organised by the Arabic language daily Assahafa and was named as the "Best Sportswoman in 2009" in Tunisia.

In June 2016, Habiba Ghribi was officially named the 2012 Olympic champion in the women's 3000 m steeplechase, several months after the original gold medalist, Yuliya Zaripova of Russia, was disqualified due to a doping violation.

Habiba Ghribi married her coach, Khaled Boudhraa, who is of Algerian origin.

On September 30,2017, Habiba Ghribi married Yassine Saya, a Tunisian businessman.

Habiba Ghribi gave birth to a daughter, Alyssa, on May 2,2019, in Canada.