Birhan Dagne

Birhan Dagne (born 8 April 1978) is an Ethiopian-born British long-distance runner.

Dagne was born, and grew up, in Ethiopia. She was a promising international athlete and in 1994 represented her country of birth; at the IAAF World Road Relay Championships, in both 3000m and 10000m at the World Junior Championships in Athletics, IAAF World Cross Country Championships and African Junior Athletics Championships.

At the age of 17 she was assaulted by a soldier because she was one of the minority Amhara ethnic group, while the ruling party in Ethiopia was Tigrayan.[1] Later that year she flew to the UK as part of the Ethiopian junior cross country team for the 1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Birhan finished fifth in the race and along with Alemitu Bekele(7th), Yemenashu Taye(8th) and Ayelech Worku(11th) took the silver medal in the team event. Early the following morning Dagne took a train to London, with fellow athletes Askale Bireda and Getenesh Tamirat, to seek political asylum.[1] The UK Government refused asylum to the athletes, but Dagne and Bireda successfully appealed against this decision.[2]

During this time the asylum seeking Ethiopian athletes trained at the Woodford Green with Essex Ladies athletic club. The IAAF approved her changes of allegiance on 1 December 1998 and soon after represented Great Britain at the 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Dagne became a member of the London-based Belgrave Harriers athletics club and ran in many domestic Half-Marathon and Marathon races. In 2004 Dagne finished less than a minute behind the first Briton, a relatively unknown, Tracey Morris in the London Marathon. This performance meant she just missed out on a trip to the 2004 Olympic Games.[3]

International Competition
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Ethiopia
1994 1994 World Junior Championships in Athletics Lisbon, Portugal 9th 3000m 9:20.51
1994 1994 World Junior Championships in Athletics Lisbon, Portugal 5th 10000m 34:13.58
1994 1994 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Juniors Budapest, Hungary 10th 4.3 km 14:48
1994 1994 African Junior Athletics Championships Algiers, Algeria 3rd 3000m 9:10.47
1994 1994 African Junior Athletics Championships Algiers, Algeria 1st 10000m 33:49.10
1995 1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Juniors Durham, UK 5th 4.47 km 14:25
Representing  Great Britain
1999 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Belfast, UK 61st 8.012 km 30:55
1999 1999 European Athletics U23 Championships Göteborg, Sweden 9th 10000m 34:24.70
1999 1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Palermo, Italy 29th Half Marathon 1:13:41
2001 2001 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Bristol, UK Half Marathon DNF

Other Races
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1998 Hastings Half Marathon Hastings, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:16:30
1998 Blaydon Race Newcastle upon Tyne, UK 1st 5.9miles 31:18
1999 Blaydon Race Newcastle upon Tyne, UK 1st 5.9miles 31:04
2000 Blaydon Race Newcastle upon Tyne, UK 1st 5.9miles 31:18
2000 Reading Half Marathon Reading, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:14:23
2004 Silverstone Half Marathon Silverstone, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:15:54
2004 City of Norwich Half Marathon Norwich, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:19:14
2004 London Marathon London, UK 11th Marathon 2:34:45
2005 Silverstone Half Marathon Silverstone, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:16:25
2005 Great Bristol Half Marathon Bristol, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:12:53
2006 City of Norwich Half Marathon Norwich, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:17:18
2006 Hastings Half Marathon Hastings, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:15:50
2006 Windsor Half Marathon Windsor, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:15:10
2006 Liverpool Half Marathon Liverpool, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:15:01
2006 London Marathon London, UK 18th Marathon 2:49:48
2007 Hastings Half Marathon Hastings, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:16:02
2008 Great Bristol Half Marathon Bristol, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:14:18
2008 Run to the Beat London, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:18:22
2008 Great Birmingham Run Birmingham, UK 1st Half Marathon 1:17:40
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References
  1. Mike Rowbottom (26 March 1999). "Athletics: Dagne closes the door on dark days". The Independent. The Independent. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  2. "Athlete faces 'ludicrous' deportation". The Independent. The Independent. 12 April 1997. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  3. Duncan Mackay (19 April 2004). "Athens calls as Morris gets serious". The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
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