Gabriela Szabo
Stats Birthdate: 11/14/75 (Bistrita, Romania) Height: 5-2 1/2 Coach: Zsolt Gyongyossy Current Residence: Bucharest, Romania
The record of Gabriela Szabo:
· Junior World Champion for 3000 meters - Lisbon 1994; · Bronze medal for 3000 meters - Helsinki 1994; · Cross World Champion - team - Durham 1995; · World Champion - 3000 meters - Barcelona 1995, Paris -Bercy 1997, Maebashi 1999 and 1500 meters - Maebashi 1999; · Olympic Vice Champion 1500 meters - Atlanta 1996; · World Champion for 5000 meters - Athens 1997 and Sevilla 1999; · Winner of the Golden League Circuit in 1997 and 1999; · European Vice Champion for 5000 meters - Budapest 1998; · World Record for 2000 meters in 1998; · Best Athlete of the World in 1999; · World Record for 5000 meters - Dortmund 1999; · European Champion for 3000 meters - Gent 2000; · Olympic Champion for 5000 meters - Sydney 2000.
For distance running fans in the U.S., their lasting memory of Gabriela Szabo may be watching her make up a seemingly unsurmountable gap to outlean Suzy Favor Hamilton in the 1,500m at the 2000 Prefontaine Classic. However, the 24-year-old Romanian was simply protecting her more than two-year-old winning streak -- a streak that indicates her place among the top runners in the world. Though that streak has since been broken, Szabo is unquestionably one of the best middle distance/distance runners in the sport today, if not the best.
Szabo's resume includes a silver medal in the 1,500m at the 1996 Olympics, gold in the 5,000m at the 1997 World Championships, gold at 1,500m and 3,000m at the 1999 World Indoor Championships, gold in the 5,000m at the 1999 World Outdoor Championships, and most recently, gold in the 5,000m and bronze in the 1,500m at the 2000 Olympic Games. In 1999, she was named Athlete of the Year by the IAAF, Track & Field News and Athletics International. She currently holds two world indoor records: 2,000m (5:30.53) and 5,000m (14:47.35). In 1999, Szabo swept all the 3,000
