Derartu Tulu had told her supporters back home in Ethiopia to have patience and they would be rewarded. They did and they were.
Having become the first Ethiopian winner of the women’s division of the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, Tulu today outlined what it meant to her country. As Ethiopia’s first queen of women’s distance running, she is held in as high a regard as compatriot and marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie.
But, while Gebrselassie has had an unbroken career, moving seamlessly into the marathon from his two Olympic and four World Championships 10,000m gold medals, Tulu, a double Olympic 10,000m champion and 2001 London Marathon winner, has been on the periphery in recent years.
