Ethiopia will look to extend their impressive dominance in the women’s 1500m at the upcoming World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, having claimed eight titles in the last 11 editions of the event.
Leading Ethiopia’s charge are Birke Haylom, Saron Berhe, and Haregeweyni Kalayu — all of whom enter the competition with strong medal ambitions.
Haylom arrives in top form after a standout indoor season, including victory at a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava where she clocked 4:00.62. Her performances earned her an automatic spot at the championships after winning the overall Indoor Tour title. She also finished fifth in the 3000m at last year’s World Indoor Championships, underlining her growing consistency on the global stage.
Berhe, the reigning African champion and world U20 champion, has also shown significant progress, setting a personal best of 3:57.72 outdoors last year and an indoor best of 4:01.23 in Ostrava, where she finished just behind Haylom. Kalayu was close behind in that race, finishing third with a lifetime best of 4:01.92, further strengthening Ethiopia’s depth in the event.
Despite Ethiopia’s strong lineup, the competition for gold is expected to be fierce. Georgia Hunter Bell is widely regarded as a leading contender. The British athlete, who won bronze at last year’s indoor championships and also claimed bronze in the Olympic 1500m final, has enjoyed excellent form this season. She posted an indoor personal best of 1:57.80 over 800m in Glasgow and secured 1500m wins in Karlsruhe and Liévin.
Jessica Hull of Australia is another major threat. The Olympic 1500m silver medallist recently moved to second on the world all-time list for the indoor 2000m with a time of 5:26.68. After winning a world indoor bronze over 3000m last year, she will aim to add another medal, despite competing in both the 1500m and 3000m events during a busy schedule.
The United States will look to end a title drought in this event through Nikki Hiltz, a strong finisher who won silver at the 2022 World Indoor Championships and placed fifth at last year’s global final. Hiltz has been in impressive form, highlighted by victory in the Wanamaker Mile in New York and a win at the US indoor 1500m championships.
Among other contenders, Agathe Guillemot of France enters as European indoor champion after setting a national record of 4:00.64 earlier this year, while Portugal’s Salome Afonso will aim to improve on previous eighth-place finishes after strong recent performances.
Kenya’s Susan Lokayo Ejore-Sanders also remains in contention, having finished sixth at the Olympics and fifth at last year’s indoor championships, alongside posting a recent 3000m personal best.
With a deep and competitive field assembled, Ethiopia’s quest to continue its 1500m dominance will face a stern test on the global stage
