Among her first elite level appearances was the Great Ethiopian Run in November 2008, where she came fourth behind Teyba Erkesso over the 10 km distance.[4] She made her professional marathon debut at the Alexander the Great Marathon in April 2009 and she won on her first attempt, taking the women's title in a time of 2:36:54 hours.[5] The Ljubljana Marathon in October was her second outing over the distance and she was fourth, but improved her best time by a minute and a half.[6]
She represented Oromia Police at the Sululta Cross Country at the start of 2010 and came fourth.[7] She significantly improved her marathon best at that year's Rome City Marathon, taking fifth in a time of 2:28:54 hours,[8] and won the Paderborner Osterlauf 10K soon afterwards.[9] She was selected to represent Ethiopia at the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Nanning in October and she came seventh, setting a personal best of 1:09:38 hours for the distance.[10] Her last major race of the year came at the Turin Marathon and she again improved: it became a two-woman race between Tola and Priscah Jeptoo and although it was her Kenyan rival who claimed victory, Tola ran a best of 2:28:22 hours as the runner-up.[11]
Her 2011 season began with a second-place finish at the Berlin Half Marathon.[12] This was her preparation for the Vienna City Marathon and in that race she defeated débutantes Peninah Arusei and Ana Dulce Felix to win with a fourth consecutive personal best of 2:26:21 hours.[13] This streak came to an end at October's Frankfurt Marathon as her time of 2:27:18 hours brought her seventh place.[14] She defended her Vienna Marathon title in 2012 and came close to her best with a run of 2:26:39 hours.[15] A fifth place at the 2012 Berlin Marathon saw her improve that time to 2:25:14 hours.[16]
References
^2010 World HM Championships - Women's Half Marathon Biographies[permanent dead link]. IAAF. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
^Wenig, Jorg (15 April 2012). "Sugut runs 2:06:58 while Tola defends; Haile beats Paula in chase in Vienna". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Berndt, Ute (5 November 2015). "Über Braunschweig nach Rio". Braunschweiger Zeitung (in German). p. 30.
^November 2008 AIMS Results Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. AIMS (23 November 2008). Retrieved 19 April 2011.
^April 2009 AIMS Results Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. AIMS (12 April 2009). Retrieved 19 April 2011.
^October 2009 AIMS Results Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. AIMS (25 October 2009). Retrieved 19 April 2011.
^Negash, Elshadai (24 January 2010). "Jelila continues winning streak, unknown Jida takes shock men's title - Sululta Cross Country". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Sampaolo, Diego (21 March 2010). "Ethiopian double as Rome celebrates Bikila – Rome Marathon report". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Wo Hasen überall ihre Pfoten haben, kann man an Ostern laufen Archived 2010-11-25 at the Wayback Machine. Lauf Report (3 April 2010). Retrieved 19 April 2011.
^Ramsak, Bob (16 October 2010). "Kiplagat kicks to gold - Women's Race – Nanning 2010". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Sampaolo, Diego (14 November 2010). "Pertile surprises in rainy Turin, Jeptoo takes women's crown". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Wenig, Jorg (3 April 2011). "Teenagers triumph at Berlin Half Marathon". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^"Kiprotich and Tola the surprise winners in Vienna, Gebrselassie cruises 1:00:18 in the Half Marathon". IAAF. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Butcher, Pat (30 October 2012). "Kipsang tantalises with 2:03:42 World record assault in Frankfurt". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Wenig, Jorg (15 April 2012). "Sugut runs 2:06:58 while Tola defends; Haile beats Paula in chase in Vienna". IAAF. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^Butcher, Pat (30 September 2012). "Close victory for Mutai but more straightforward for Kebede in Berlin - REPORT". IAAF. Retrieved 31 January 2013.