Sifan Hassan is one of the most celebrated names in track and field today, but her rise was anything but easy. Her story, filled with challenges and resilience, is nothing short of movie-worthy. An Olympic medalist in both long-distance and middle-distance running, she continues to inspire a new generation, especially those who’ve had to leave behind their home countries and start over in unfamiliar places.
Her journey began as a young asylum seeker forced to flee her homeland. Today, she stands as a six-time Olympic medalist, three from Tokyo 2020 and three more from Paris 2024. So, what shaped her remarkable rise? Where did she come from, and what nationality does she hold now? Let’s take a closer look at the path that led Sifan Hassan to the top.
What is Sifan Hassan’s Ethnicity?
Sifan Hassan was born on 1st January 1993 in Adama, Oromia, Ethiopia, and raised in the countryside of Kersa in the Munesa district of the Arsi Zone of Oromia. Hassan is of Arsi Oromo ethnicity, which is a subgroup of the Oromo people from the Oromia region in Ethiopia. Her story encompasses the challenge and adversity that she overcame to become an Olympian.
Her formative years of childhood were spent with her mother and grandmother in their little home on a farm. But everything changed when she was 15 years old. She had to run away from Ethiopia and sought refuge in the Netherlands in 2008. Upon arrival, she was given accommodation in a youth center in the municipality of Zuidlaren, in the north of the country. She has acknowledged that during this time, she did nothing but cry daily. “It was like a flower that didn’t receive sunlight,” she confessed as per Inside the Games in 2024.
The only athlete ever to win both 1,500 and 10,000 at World Championships or Olympics embraced both her Ethiopian and Dutch connections. “I think all of us, nobody has a perfect life,” she is quoted in The Guardian. “I tell people: ‘When life is hard, you will see yourself like you never imagined. Never give up.” Her journey in life helped her get ready to win Olympic medals. In 2013, she also obtained Dutch citizenship while pursuing her nursing studies.
What is Sifan Hassan’s Religion?
Sifan Hassan practices Islam and has publicly identified as a Muslim. She has credited her faith for guiding her journey. The Ethiopian-born Dutch star has publicly displayed her faith before and talked about it as well.
In a past Instagram post around Ramadan, she shared how she balanced her training schedule while observing the fast. On 1st March, she shared a heartfelt video for all her brothers and sisters who were going to celebrate Ramadan. She also explained how she managed to fast during this time while also training.
What is Sifan Hassan’s Nationality?
Hassan had to relocate to the Netherlands in 2008 at age 15 as a refugee. She later acquired Dutch citizenship in 2013, and since then has competed internationally for the Netherlands, while retaining her Ethiopian heritage. Her mother decided to put her on a plane to the Netherlands for a better life. As per World Athletics, her life did get better, which is clear from her Olympic medals. She also realized that she was allowed to be curious and question in the Netherlands, which he might not be able to do in her home country.
She said, “Ethiopian children are not encouraged to ask why; it is just expected that when asked, they will do something. However, I repeatedly asked ‘why?’ because that is who I am. It is my personality.” Hassan continued, “Of course, to question is good and it is perfectly normal in the Dutch or English culture to do so, but in Ethiopia, this was not the case.”
Now, she’s taking on a new challenge as she’s been announced for the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS. Did you know about her journey from her home country? Let us know in the comments.
The post Sifan Hassan’s Ethnicity and Religion: Everything You Need to Know About Her Culture and Faith appeared first on EssentiallySports.
