| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
| Olympic Games | ||||
| 1 | 5000m | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 14:45.65 |
| 3 | 5000m | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 15:44.12 |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | 5000m | 2007 | Osaka, JPN | 14:57.91 |
| 2 | 5000m | 2005 | Helsinki, FIN | 14:39.54 |
| 3 | 5000m | 2011 | Daegu, KOR | 14:56.94 |
| 3 | 5000m | 2009 | Berlin, GER | 14:58.41 |
| 5 | 10,000m | 2009 | Berlin, GER | 30:52.37 |
| 10,000m | 2011 | Daegu, KOR | DNF | |
| African Championships | ||||
| 2 | 5000m | 2010 | Nairobi, KEN | 16:20.54 |
| Diamond League | ||||
| 1 | 5000m | 2011 | Paris Saint-Denis, FRA | 14:29.52 |
| 1 | 5000m | 2011 | Oslo, NOR | 14:37.32 |
| 2 | 3000m | 2012 | Doha, QAT | 8:46.49 |
| 2 | 5000m | 2012 | New York, NY, USA | 14:57.02 |
| 2 | 5000m | 2012 | Rome, ITA | 14:35.65 |
| 2 | 1500m | 2010 | New York, NY, USA | 4:02.00 |
| 3 | 3000m | 2010 | Lausanne, SUI | 8:36.09 |
| Golden League | ||||
| 1 | 5000m | 2009 | Oslo, NOR | 14:36.38 |
| 2 | 5000m | 2008 | Brussels, BEL | 14:25.52 |
| World Challenge | ||||
| 1 | 5000m | 2011 | Hengelo, NED | 14:45.48 |
| 1 | 5000m | 2010 | Hengelo, NED | 14:38.87 |
| World Indoor Championships | ||||
| 1 | 3000m | 2010 | Doha, QAT | 8:51.17 |
| 2 | 3000m | 2012 | Istanbul, TUR | 8:38.26 |
Nickname
Mezzy (globalthletics.com, 2011)
Hobbies
Football, especially supporting English club Chelsea. (All Africa, 18 Jul 2007)
Occupation
Athlete
Family
Husband Teodros Hailu and daughter Melat
Language(s) spoken
English
Coach
Dr Yilma Berta [national] (ETH) (capitalethiopia.com, 02 Jan 2012)
Other sports
Her husband Teodros Hailu played football in Addis Ababa. (iaaf.org, 02 Sep 2010)
Debut
2003 for Ethiopia, World Championships (Paris Saint-Denis) (iaaf.org, 2011)
Injuries
In 2004 she suffered muscular and nerve problems in her left arm. (iaaf.org, 14 Sep 2004)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
She started running when she was attending primary school. (iaaf.org, 20 Jul 2005)
Reason for taking up this sport
Her mother disapproved of her running, but she found she had a natural talent for it. (runningtimes.com, 18 Jul 2007)
Awards
Named 2007 IAAF Athlete of the Year. (globalathletics.com, 2011)
Also named 2007 Track & Field News Woman of the Year. (globalathletics.com, 2011)
General
LOVE AND MARRIAGE
She says her husband, Teodros Hailu, makes a significant contribution to her success on the track. "His presence has such a huge effect on my performance. He is there for me, psychologically, and emotionally, and in giving me massages." (Running Times, 18 Jul 2007)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
She is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund. She also paid for 12-year-old Netsanet Debebe to travel to the United States for surgery to correct a heart disorder. She has, in the past, donated her world record bonuses to children's charities. "I want to help children who are in need and do not have a chance to make their dreams come true, and if I can help in some way I am satisfied." (globalathletics.com, 2011, allafrica.com, 10 Mar 2011)
Previous Olympics
Beijing 2008, Athens 2004
