This year, NBC will give the parents of Paris Olympians a chance to show the world what it feels like when their child steps onto the Olympic stage. While this may be exclusive to the parents of American athletes, it is common to see parents cheering their children from the stands of the Olympic stadium. Now imagine relying on other people to inform you that your child broke a world record. That was the reality for Gudaf Tsegay’s parents until 2022.

This may come as a shock to many. In today’s connected world, you can stream entire sporting events through a 6-inch screen. However, the track and field icon’s family were stuck in Tigray, Ethiopia, a place embroiled in conflict from November 2020 until the end of 2022. It may be the reason why so little is known about the Olympic gold medalist’s parents and siblings.

Gudaf Tsegay’s family stood beside her despite the hardships

Gudaf Tsegay was born in rural Tigray on 23 January 1997. However, the athlete has never publicly announced the names of her father and siblings, presumably because she didn’t want them identified in an active warzone. So as the world watched the Ethiopian win the 5000m bronze medal in Tokyo, break the indoor 5000m world record, and earn gold at the World Championships, her parents couldn’t.

Unlike many champions, Gudaf Tsegay never saw her parents cheering for her from the stands. “I didn’t talk to them for 18 months,” Tsegay revealed in a BBC Sports Africa interview from 2023. While nearly nothing is known about the family, Tsegay’s parents are farmers. On June 29, 2022, the Instagram page Tigray Update posted some stills from an interview featuring her parents.

The post contained stills of people who appeared to be the 4x world champion’s mother, father, and two siblings. “Gudaf Tsegay’s family say they heard the news of her winning from other people,” revealed the Instagram page and credited Tigrai Television for the interview. However, the Olympian didn’t get to speak with her parents until the communication blockade ended in November 2022.

“Not being able to talk to a father and brothers who had been advising you to strive and achieve more success every day is very difficult,” Tsegay told BBC. However, despite these hardships, her family continued to support her. When Gudaf Tsegay finally spoke to her family in 2023, they informed her that they finally saw her win gold at the world championships “and cried.” Despite the circumstances, her family is proud of the sibling who continues to beat the odds and make them proud.

Who are the Olympian’s siblings?

Gudaf Tsegay showcased her innate talents from a very young age. At 16, the middle distance specialist became the fastest U18 1,500m (indoor) runner with a time of 4:08.47. However, she was the only one among her siblings who moved from rural Tigray to Mekele. While the 27-year-old has mentioned her supportive brothers, the athlete didn’t disclose how many siblings she has.

So it’s safe to assume that Gudaf Tsegay’s brothers don’t share her gift. However, even if they participate in track and field it’s possible that the conflict in Tigray virtually ended their prospects in the sports. Unfortunately, not much more is publicly known about the family of the athlete who’ll represent Ethiopia in Paris. Thankfully, this time it’s likely they’ll watch the live broadcast of Gudaf Tsegay’s 5000m attempt at the Olympics.