Name: Eifrem Gidey
Club: Clonliffe Harriers
Event: 10,000m
Personal Best: 3:30.42 NR, 13.11.05
Tokyo Schedule: Sun 14 Sept 1.30pm
TOKYO UPDATE
It was 19th place for Efrem Gidey in the men's 10,000m in a time of 29:30.37. An exciting race that resulted in a big win for Jimmy Gressier (France) who upset the odds by beating the Ethiopians. He is the first European to win the 10,000m since the Sudan born Mo Farrah in 2017. The Frenchman won in 28min 55.77sec, with Kejelcha taking silver 0.07sec adrift and Andreas Almgren (Sweden) claiming bronze (28:56.02).
Background
Efrem Gidey fled Eritrea and came to Ireland in 2017. Under the tutelage of the late Joe Cooper (Clonliffe Harriers) he won the Irish Schools Cross-Country and is double 5000m schools’ champion. His natural talent was obvious to all who watched him glide over the country or on the track.
Last year, Gidey signed a professional contract with Hoka and thus began working with London-based coach Andy Hobdell. Now Irish citizen he prefers to base himself in Dublin but travels over to the group for some training blocks and of course to altitude and warm weather training camps.
The 25-year-old has had a relatively short international career thus far. His first major was at the European Cross-Country in 2019 where he finished 3rd, the winner that day being none other than Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Progression on the international scene was halted somewhat with the intervention of the covid lockdown and restriction measures. However, over the past three years Gidey has embarked on a progressive international career. Moving up to the long distance of 10,000m and the half marathon, he is now the holder of three national records. The first record was set at the Copenhagen half marathon in September 2024 where he took down John Treacy’s 39-year-old record and knocked over 3 minutes off his own previous best. He beat Jakob Ingebrigtsen that same day. Competing in ‘The Ten’ in California in March of this year he bagged another National record as he clipped 13 seconds off Alistair Cragg's to run 27:26.95. A month later at the European Road Running Championships in Belgium he finished 4th in the half-marathon just four seconds behind his personal best and a tantalizing one second off the bronze medal. The bronze on that day went to Valentin Gondouin (France). The best was about to come. The following month (April 2025) Efrem Gidey became the European Cup 10,000m champion, beating Gondouin by over a minute and a half in the process.
He opted to run a few 5,000m races in the approach to Tokyo, clearly focusing on speed and finished 5th in the recent national championships just two seconds off his personal best. Tokyo will be Gidey’s first world championship appearance.
International Majors
2019: European Cross-Country Lisbon u20 3rd
2022: European Championships Munich 10,000m 6th Final
2022: European Cross Country Italy, u23 5th
2022: European 10,000m Cup Pace, France 10,000m 6th
2024: European Championships Rome 10,000m 12th Final
2024: European Cross-Country Turkey 26th
2025: European Running Championships Brussels-Leuven Half Marathon 4th
2025: European 10,000m Cup Pace, France 10,000m 1st
2025: World Championships 10,000m, Tokyo
Personal Bests
10,000m: 27:26.95 NR 29/03/2025
Half: 1:00.51 NR 15/09/2024
5,000m: 13:23.83 06/07/2024
10km: 27:43 NR 12/01/2025