Elvan Abeylegesse

Elvan Abeylegesse
Elvan Abeylegesse
Personal information
NationalityEthiopian / Turkish
Born (1982-09-11) 11 September 1982
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Height1.59 m (5.2 ft)
Weight40 kg (88 lb)
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)5000 metres, 10,000 metres
ClubEnkaspor Athletics Team
Coached byCarol Santa
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)5000m: 14:24.68
10000m: 29:56.34
Medal record
Representing  Turkey
Women's athletics
Olympic Games
Disqualified2008 Beijing5000 m
Disqualified2008 Beijing10,000 m
World Championships
Disqualified2007 Osaka10,000 m
European Championships
2010 Barcelona10,000 m
2010 Barcelona5000 m
2006 Gothenburg5000 m
Mediterranean Games
Disqualified2009 Pescara10,000 m
2013 Mersin10,000 m

Elvan Abeylegesse (also formerly: Hewan Abeye (አልቫን አበይለገሠ, Amharic) and Elvan Can (Turkish); born 11 September 1982) is an Ethiopian-born Turkish middle and long-distance running athlete who competed over distances from 1500 metres up to the marathon, and also in cross country. She is a former world record-holder for the 5000 metres, at 14:24.68.

In August 2015, the Turkish Athletics Federation confirmed Abeylegesse had failed that an anti-doping test taken during the 2007 World Championships. She was stripped of her results from 2007-2009, including two Olympic medals and one World Championship medal, and banned from athletics for two years.