Table of Contents
- If you haven’t felt the weight of the richest athletes in Ethiopia, visit Addis Ababa and other big Ethiopian cities
- Successful athletes in Ethiopian history have invested massively in multi-million-dollar empires
- From entertainment, motor vehicle assemblies, to agriculture, the level of their athlete-backed investments will shock you
If you haven’t felt the weight of the richest athletes in Ethiopia, visit Addis Ababa and other big Ethiopian cities. Successful athletes in Ethiopian history have invested massively in multi-million-dollar empires.
From entertainment, motor vehicle assemblies, to agriculture, the level of their athlete-backed investments will shock you. These empires are a result of painful moments of training and consistency, even when things aren’t moving as planned.
They are the fruits of prudence and the urge to live for something else besides athletics.
Who are the Richest Athletes in Ethiopia?
These are the sports personalities with a fortune in the country, famed for its huge production of coffee globally.
1. Haile Gebrselassie
Ethiopian long-distance legend Haile Gebrselassie. He is the richest athlete in Ethiopia with huge investments cutting across real estate, entertainment, hospitality and automotive industry. Photo/Africa News Agency
The retired Ethiopian marathoner is worth an estimated $50 million. Gebrselassie is among the most successful long-distance runners in Ethiopia. The 45-year-old is a double Olympic champion and a four-time 10,000m World Champion.
Most of his wealth stems from prize money and sponsorships. He set the world record 27 times and won the Berlin Marathon four times in a row. Gebrselassie has invested massively in real estate, the entertainment industry, the automotive industry and the hospitality industry. He is the sole distributor of Hyundai vehicles in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian marathon champion also has a brand-influencing deal with Adidas, Diageo and G4S. He is big in philanthropy.
2. Kenenisa Bekele
Celebrated Ethiopian athlete Kenenisa Bekele. Photo/Capil newspaper
Kenenisa Bekele rivals Haile Gebrselassie in every aspect of his life. From his net worth of over $25 million to the fierce competition on the tracks. Bekele, among the dotting richest athletes in Ethiopia is a three-time Olympic gold medalist in 5000m and 10000m and is also a five-time World Champion. His investments spread from the hospitality industry to agriculture. He also has lucrative endorsements.
3. Tirunesh Dibaba
Ethiopian middle-distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba. She is the richest female athlete in Ethiopia. Photo/Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba is the face of athletics for the Dibaba Family, famed for producing five top Ethiopian athletes. Tirunesh’s baby face proved offensive for many of her competitors in 5000m races, where she won three Olympic gold medals and five World Championships. Her $6 million net worth places her among the richest athletes in Ethiopia.
4. Maryam Yusuf Jamal
Maryam, a middle-distance runner, is currently running for Bahrain despite being born and raised in Ethiopia. She hasn’t forgotten home; she is a big shot in the hospitality industry, running a popular 4-star hotel in Addis Ababa’s Megenagna area estimated to cost an estimated $2 million, all of which traces back to her athletics career.
The Bahrain-based Ethiopian runner is involved in heavy commercial farming and real estate. She is a one-time Olympic gold medalist.
5. Hagos Gebrehiwot
Hagos Gebrehiwot is an Ethiopian marathon legend with significant real estate investments in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Gebrehiwot runs a string of fitness centres in the capital. He has lucrative sponsorship deals with global sportswear firms Adidas and Nike
6. Tsigie Gebreselama
Despite being a young runner, Tsigie Gebreselama is among the richest athletes in Ethiopia. He runs a chain of sportswear lines fusing modern wear with Ethiopian cultural elements.
7. Freweyeni Hailu
Hailu is popular for her philanthropy work across Ethiopia. The middle-distance runner has sizeable investments in tech startups and sports academies across Ethiopia.
