With 29-year-old Tirunesh – a three-time Olympic champion, nine-time world champion, and winner here in 2003 and 2006 also – having moved away from the track in order to focus on the marathon distance, is determined to follow in her illustrious footsteps on the track:
The 2010 world junior 5,000m champion said of her appearance at the sixth leg of the worldwide IAAF Diamond League:
“I’ve spoken to my sister and she told me to use the unique atmosphere in the great stadium.
“My cousin, Meseret Defar (the 31-year-old double Olympic and world 5,000m champion) also broke the world record here (with 14:16.63) in 2007. She also won here in 2009 and 2013.
“I have run here before but I was never the one in focus – this time it is my turn to have the attention and I am looking forward to the experience.”
Having recorded three world indoor records during the space of two weeks during the 2014 winter season with 3:55.17 for 1500m, 8:16,60 for 3,000m and 9:00.48 for two-miles, respectively, Dibaba is eager to translate her indoor form to the outdoor surface this summer:
“It feels more safe to run indoors – this is my first time attacking the 5,000m outdoor world record so I am a bit nervous but I am confident it will go well,” she revealed.
“I ran 14:19.76 to win in Eugene (at the Pre Classic/ at the end of May to move to fourth place on the world all-time list) so I am not far off the world record time.
“I will be paced to 2km then I will take over myself. The weather conditions are supposed to be perfect so I hope to take my sister’s record,” she added.
With a 15,000-strong sell-out crowd set to descend on the Bislett Stadium this week including an estimated impressive 1,500 Ethiopian fan-base, local support will be strong during her attempt to become the 70th world record breaker in the event’s prestigious 50-year history.
“My shape is very good – I’ve been getting ready for this race for a while and I am ready to break the record,” Dibaba explained.
“I believe in God and know he will help me to break it after I have worked so hard. I have trained well and I feel in very good shape.
“If I break the record, it will help with my confidence and chances for Beijing (the IAAF World Championships in August) – there, I hope to win the gold medal in the 5,000m event because I want to make my country proud and give them a reason to celebrate.