30 Facts About Tamirat Tola

Tamirat Tola Abera was born on 11 August 1991 and is an Ethiopian Olympic and world champion long-distance runner.

Tamirat Tola won gold medal in the marathon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, setting an Olympic record, and the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Tamirat Tola competed in the marathon at the 2017 and 2022 World Athletics Championships, earning silver and gold, respectively, and setting a championship record at the 2022 competition.

Tamirat Tola finished third at both the 2021 Tokyo and 2023 London marathons and won the 2023 New York City Marathon, breaking the course record.

At 22, Tamirat Tola won the May 2013 4th edition of the Lake Hawassa Half Marathon, setting a course record of 62:44.

Tamirat Tola completed that 9.24-km Spanish race with a time of 29:28, beating out Timothy Toroitich and turning the tables on Muktar Edris.

In December 2015, Tamirat Tola took second place, one second behind Bahrain's Aweke Ayalew in the Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos, finishing the 10.5-km course with a time of 32:19.

Tamirat Tola closed out 2015 winning the men's 10K of the 41st BOclassic on New Year's Eve in Bolzano, Italy with a time of 28:28 atop an all-Ethiopian podium.

Tamirat Tola was part of the national team setup in 2016, this time for the 2016 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, a March event in Cardiff.

Tamirat Tola was again an essential team member with his fifth-place finish, a personal best of 60:06, pushing Ethiopia through Abayneh Ayele, Tamirat, and Mule Wasihun to the team silver medals behind Kenya.

In May 2016, with a personal best of 26:57.33, Tamirat Tola took 3rd place in the Eugene Prefontaine Classic 10,000 meter race behind Mo Farah and William Malel Sitonik.

Tamirat Tola finished 1.09 seconds behind British gold medalist Mo Farah with Paul Tanui of Kenya taking the podium for silver.

Eight days later, it was Tamirat Tola who left Mande behind at third, winning the Dutch race 4 Miles of Groningen with a time of 17:38.

Tamirat Tola won the January 2017 Dubai Marathon clocking 2:04:11 and breaking the 2012 course record held by Ayele Abshero, from Ethiopia.

Spectators at the Sportsimo Prague Half Marathon in April 2017 witnessed Tamirat Tola achieve a personal best of 59:37, winning the race over a minute faster than Josphat Kimutai Tanui and Geoffrey Yegon of Kenya and running the race's third 5K segment in only 13:54.

Tamirat Tola's effort was hindered by his having been blocked at a drink station where he almost fell at kilometer 35.

Tamirat Tola returned to Bolzano for the 2018 New Years Eve Boclassic 10K and won it with a time of 28:12, the race's fastest win since 1998.

Tamirat Tola won the July 2019 20th Bogata Half Marathon with a time of 62:35 ahead of Lawrence Cherono and John Lotiang, both from Kenya.

Tamirat Tola was included in that elite group and finished sixth with a time of 2:06:41, one minute behind the winner, Ethiopia's Shura Kitata.

The pandemic caused the 2020 Summer Olympics to be postponed until 2021, and therefore the Ethiopian Olympic Trials in Hengelo until June 2021, where Tamirat Tola participated in the 10,000-meter trials.

Tamirat Tola finished with a time of 2:03:39,30 seconds ahead of Kenya's Bernard Koech.

Tamirat Tola took third on the fast, flat course with a time of 2:04:14, bested by two Kenyans.

In July 2022, Tamirat Tola won gold in the marathon at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Tamirat Tola stretched his lead to over a minute from his closest pursuers and finished with a championship-record time of 2:05:36.

Tamirat Tola reported muscle fatigue after the World Championships preventing him from training.

In November 2023, Tamirat Tola won the New York City Marathon with a course-record time of 2:04:58, beating Geoffrey Mutai's 11-year-old record by eight seconds.

Tamirat Tola first moved to the lead group just before the halfway point.

At around mile 17, in response to runner Akira Akasaki's aggressive attempt to break away from the leaders, Tamirat Tola made a key move that secured his position.

Tamirat Tola remained in the lead until the 20th mile after which he surged ahead, eventually putting 21 seconds between himself and his pursuers.

In November 2024, Tamirat Tola returned to the New York City Marathon placing fourth with a time of 2:08:12, more than a minute behind title winner Evans Chebet of Kenya.