This article is about a person whose name includes a patronymic. The article properly refers to the person by their given name, Fatuma, and not as Roba.
Fatuma Roba was born on 18 December 1973 in Bekoji, Ethiopia.[1] As Fatuma grew up, there were no female role models in long distance running within Ethiopia, only Abebe Bikila. While Fatuma was at school, she was not encouraged to run but decided to continue regardless.[2] She was coached by Sentayehu Eshetu, who had previously worked with athletes such as Derartu Tulu.[3]
Running career
She made her first national team in 1988, in the half marathon. That year she was in the top ten in the world championships, by 1992 she had improved to sixth. After coming first in the juniors and seventh overall in the New York Mini Marathon, she decided to try a full length marathon. So in 1994, she took part in the Paris Marathon, finishing 19th, later saying "when I finished I said, ;Never again, never again will I do this distance, it is too long!' I drank too much water, had stomach troubles, and after 14km I was finished."[2]
She gave up the longer distance for the following year, but with 25 days to go until the 1995 World Championships in Athletics, it was suggested that she should compete since Ethiopia was not sending anyone else. So she competed, and ran well up until the 25 kilometres (16 mi) mark, but then felt dizzy and collapsed several times. She finished 19th, with a time of 2:39:27, but her performance put her in hospital afterwards.[2]
But Fatuma decided to continue training at that distance. She won her first marathon at Marrakech in early 1996, before winning the Rome Marathon two months later. Between the two runs, she improved her personal best time by a minute. After the victory in Rome, she was selected for the Ethiopian team at the 1996 Summer Olympics, in Atlanta, United States, and intensified her training.[2] She later said that by the 18-kilometre (11 mi) point in the women's marathon at the Atlanta Games, she was certain she had won the race because her fellow runners were tiring although she was finding the pace comfortable.[2] With her victory and the gold medal, Fatuma became the first woman from an African nation to win the women's marathon at an Olympic Games.[1]
Fatuma also won three straight Boston Marathons from 1997–1999.[4] The three-time Boston champion narrowly missed a fourth straight title in 2000, coming in third in the closest finish in race history.[5] She later said "Well, for me the greatest of all marathons is of course the Olympic Marathon, but second place is Boston."[2]
^ ab"Bekoji trip: Cradle of champions". Athletics Weekly. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^ abcdefTanser, Toby (19 April 2008). "Fatuma Roba: A Twisted Path to Living Legend". Runner's World.
^Hattenstone, Simon (6 April 2012). "The Ethiopian town that's home to the world's greatest runners". The Guardian. from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^. NBC Sports. 21 April 2008. Archived from the original on 25 April 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^"Fatuma Roba". Boston.com. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
External links
January 07, 2023
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This article is about a person whose name includes a patronymic The article properly refers to the person by their given name Fatuma and not as Roba Fatuma Roba Amharic ፋጡማ ሮባ born 18 December 1973 is an Ethiopian long distance runner best known for being the first African woman to win a gold medal in the women s Olympic marathon race at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics and for winning three successive Boston Marathons Fatuma RobaPersonal informationBorn 1973 12 18 December 18 1973 age 49 Bekoji EthiopiaMedal record Women s AthleticsRepresenting EthiopiaOlympic Games1996 Atlanta Marathon Contents 1 Early life 2 Running career 3 Personal bests 4 Achievements 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditFatuma Roba was born on 18 December 1973 in Bekoji Ethiopia 1 As Fatuma grew up there were no female role models in long distance running within Ethiopia only Abebe Bikila While Fatuma was at school she was not encouraged to run but decided to continue regardless 2 She was coached by Sentayehu Eshetu who had previously worked with athletes such as Derartu Tulu 3 Running career EditShe made her first national team in 1988 in the half marathon That year she was in the top ten in the world championships by 1992 she had improved to sixth After coming first in the juniors and seventh overall in the New York Mini Marathon she decided to try a full length marathon So in 1994 she took part in the Paris Marathon finishing 19th later saying when I finished I said Never again never again will I do this distance it is too long I drank too much water had stomach troubles and after 14km I was finished 2 She gave up the longer distance for the following year but with 25 days to go until the 1995 World Championships in Athletics it was suggested that she should compete since Ethiopia was not sending anyone else So she competed and ran well up until the 25 kilometres 16 mi mark but then felt dizzy and collapsed several times She finished 19th with a time of 2 39 27 but her performance put her in hospital afterwards 2 But Fatuma decided to continue training at that distance She won her first marathon at Marrakech in early 1996 before winning the Rome Marathon two months later Between the two runs she improved her personal best time by a minute After the victory in Rome she was selected for the Ethiopian team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta United States and intensified her training 2 She later said that by the 18 kilometre 11 mi point in the women s marathon at the Atlanta Games she was certain she had won the race because her fellow runners were tiring although she was finding the pace comfortable 2 With her victory and the gold medal Fatuma became the first woman from an African nation to win the women s marathon at an Olympic Games 1 Fatuma also won three straight Boston Marathons from 1997 1999 4 The three time Boston champion narrowly missed a fourth straight title in 2000 coming in third in the closest finish in race history 5 She later said Well for me the greatest of all marathons is of course the Olympic Marathon but second place is Boston 2 Personal bests Edit10000m 32 25 2000 Half marathon 1 09 01 2001 Marathon 2 23 21 1998 Achievements EditYear Competition Venue Position Event NotesRepresenting Ethiopia1990 World Junior Championships Plovdiv Bulgaria 16th h 3000m 9 26 631992 World Half Marathon Championships Newcastle United Kingdom 6th Half marathon 1 10 281995 World Championships Gothenburg Sweden 19th Marathon 2 39 271996 Rome City Marathon Rome Italy 1st Marathon 2 29 05Olympic Games Atlanta United States 1st Marathon 2 26 051997 Boston Marathon Boston United States 1st Marathon 2 26 23World Championships Athens Greece Marathon DNF1998 Boston Marathon Boston United States 1st Marathon 2 23 211999 Boston Marathon Boston United States 1st Marathon 2 23 25World Championships Seville Spain 4th Marathon 2 28 042000 Boston Marathon Boston United States 3rd Marathon 2 26 27Olympic Games Sydney Australia 9th Marathon 2 27 382001 World Championships Edmonton Canada 13th Marathon 2 31 102004 Nagano Marathon Nagano Japan 1st Marathon 2 28 05References Edit a b Bekoji trip Cradle of champions Athletics Weekly 16 March 2016 Retrieved 24 October 2016 a b c d e f Tanser Toby 19 April 2008 Fatuma Roba A Twisted Path to Living Legend Runner s World Hattenstone Simon 6 April 2012 The Ethiopian town that s home to the world s greatest runners The Guardian Archived from the original on 25 October 2016 Retrieved 24 October 2016 Women s Boston Marathon is closest in history NBC Sports 21 April 2008 Archived from the original on 25 April 2008 Retrieved 24 October 2016 Fatuma Roba Boston com Retrieved 24 October 2016 External links EditFemale Athletes Fatuma Roba Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fatuma Roba amp oldid 1120918819, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
