“There are a few running families, but not like the Dibabas,” says the Ethiopian track legend Haile Gebrselassie. The Dibabas’ dominance in the field of distance running has captivated the track-and-field community. In the late-afternoon light high above central Addis Ababa, we zigzag between the majestic eucalyptus trees, paying heed to the uneven ground below and staying alert for the not-uncommon hyena sighting-no problem, the sisters assure me, as long as you clap loudly and throw a rock in the animal’s direction. I am doing my best to keep pace with Tirunesh Dibaba, 30, and her younger sister, Genzebe, 25, two wisplike Ethiopians with wide smiles and a fiercely close bond who may be the most formidable female track stars in the world. The only sound at the top of the Entoto Mountains is the thwack of a cowherd’s staff against the tree trunks as he leads his small herd of oxen home. Chloe Malle heads to Addis Ababa to meet the fastest family on the planet. Ethiopia is a running-mad country-but it’s never seen anything like the Dibabas.
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