Diribe Welteji Kejelcha has meanwhile transformed into one of the names in the track and field realm to look out for. Specializing in the 1500m category, Kejelcha has been one of the shining stars among the leading female athletes in the world. Some of her biggest achievements include winning a silver medal at the World Championships back in 2023. However, that was not all. At the Olympic stage too, the Ethiopian runner has left her mark, finishing 4th in the women’s 1500m event at the 2024 Paris Games. Kejelcha ensured that her fine form did not fade away. Continuing her impeccable run, the young athlete soon rose to significant heights of success. What is her latest exploit?

The 22-year-old is back at it again! Competing in her favorite 1500m category, the Ethiopian athlete took the Grand Slam Track by storm. Running an impeccable race, Kejelcha pulled off an upset as the fan favorite Nikki Hiltz came in at the second position. While they claimed 20 points, Kejelcha also became the proud owner of the $100k cash prize. Hiltz, however, made $50k. While this latest achievement has catapulted Welteji Kejelcha into ever-greater glory and recognition, one look at her resume drives the point home that she has always been the one to dominate the track.

A look at Diribe Welteji Kejelcha’s accolades

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Representing Ethiopia, Kejelcha initially sprang into prominence when she won the IAAF U18 World Championships back in 2018. Clocking 1:59.74 in the 800m event held in Finland, her performance was historical. Kejelcha became the first runner in the history of the championships to dip under 2 minutes. She also won a silver medal participating in the 1500m category in 2021. Next up, it was time for Kejelcha to make her impact in the African U20 Championship.

Making her mark in the 1500m, Kejelcha won gold in 2019. Her most recent accolade included yet another 1500m silver, which she won in 2025 Nanjing, at the World Indoors. Surely, having made herself known to her opponents as a dominant force, Kejelcha secured one of her most prized victories exactly a couple of years back.

Diribe Welteji’s stunning upset over Faith Kipyegon still echoes as her rise continues

Diribe Welteji shocked the world once—now she’s doing it again. Two years ago, the then-21-year-old Ethiopian sensation stunned the sport by dethroning the impeccable Faith Kipyegon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga. Clocking a blistering 4:20.98, Welteji didn’t just claim gold, she demolished the world record in the women’s road mile. And in doing so, she made a statement that continues to reverberate through the sport. Diribe Welteji has arrived, and she’s not going anywhere.

In a field stacked with elite talent, Diribe’s performance was nothing short of electric. Faith, riding the momentum of a historic season, had taken the lead early and looked poised for another signature victory. But Welteji remained unfazed, hanging tight through the midway point. With 400 meters to go, she surged with purpose. “I knew I had to go,” Welteji said, moments after crossing the line. Her kick was ferocious, leaving even the great Kipyegon in her wake as Freweyni Hailu joined the party for a stunning Ethiopian 1-2.

Now, as Diribe Welteji continues to light up the track in 2025, that moment in Riga feels like a turning point and a glimpse into the future, a future that holds nothing but the best for this 22-year-old Ethiopian track sensation!