The Dibaba Sisters from Ethiopia-The Fastest Family on Earth

The Dibaba Sisters (Ejegayehu Dibala, Tirunesh Dibala, Genzebe Dibala and Mare Dibala) from Ethiopia, are the fastest family on earth. They are the only siblings in recorded history to hold concurrent world records and have 4 Olympic gold medals, 2 silvers, 3 bronze and 15 World Championships.

Ejegayehu Dibala: Ethiopian long-distance runner and 2004 Olympic silver medallist at 10,000 meters.

Tirunesh Dibala: Ethiopian long-distance runner who has achieved multiple Olympic and World Championships gold medals and world records.

Genzebe Dibala: Ethiopian long-distance runner and 2015 1,500-meter World Champions gold medalist.

Mare Dibala: Ethiopian marathon runner and 2015 World Championships marathon winner.

What People Say:

Judy Hulen

This is a marvelous story, Kathleen. What are the chances of there being so much athletic talent in one family? Got to be the record!

Arif Aziz

Those who make some comments about how beautiful these women are, just to let them know that Ethiopian men are equally handsome and slender too. I was fortunate to know a few of them, a student at our Universities, they are indeed very athletic and blessed with a beautiful voice too. I always imagine how Queen Sheba looks like then, now I know

Jo Mburu

Pride of Ethiopia, amazing how one family can be blessed.

Geraldine Merola

Thank goodness they were born now and not 100 years ago when their talents would never have seen the light of day! Just magnificent women and such a wonderful story, thanks.

In Summary, the Dibaba sisters- Ejegayehu, Tirunesh, Genzebe and Mare -are the only siblings in recorded history to hold concurrent world records, and they are a fiercely competitive family from a humble background. They were raised in a round mud hut in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, without electricity. Their parents were subsistence farmers who grew wheat, barley and teff. As a matter of fact, the Dibaba siblings are seven in all, and all of them run.

Ato Boldon, NBC’s track analyst, told Vogue in 2016: “It’s not a stretch to say they are the world’s fastest family.” The sisters have remained a household name in Ethiopia, a country that has produced some of the world’s greatest runners, alongside Kenya.

The mother of the Dibaba sisters told Vogue that the siblings are successful thanks to the environment they were raised in, especially the ready supply of milk they get from the family cows.

The runners’ feat is also attributed to their diet — especially teff rich in iron and calcium — and their “small lightweight frame”. The Dibaba sisters have the body type good for sports, analysts say. Boldon said in 2016 that if one compares the sisters to a car, they would be a Ford Focus with a Ferrari engine.

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And just like other successful athletes, the Dibabas have invested their monies back into their communities. The sisters, alongside their in-laws, are real estate moguls owning several buildings in Addis Ababa. Still, the sisters continue to shine brightly in the sports world.