World Champion Sifan Hassan Reportedly To Be Coached By Alberto Salazar

World Champion Sifan Hassan Reportedly To Be Coached By Alberto Salazar

World Indoor 1500m Champion Sifan Hassan is reportedly joining Alberto Salazar's training group.

Dec 7, 2016 by Meg Bellino
World Champion Sifan Hassan Reportedly To Be Coached By Alberto Salazar
World Indoor 1500m Champion Sifan Hassan is reportedly joining Alberto Salazar's training group.

The Ethiopian-born athlete--who competes for the Netherlands--earned a bronze medal at the 2015 IAAF World championships, won the World Indoor title this March in Portland, and finished fifth in the Olympic 1500m final this summer.

She has been coached by Honore Hoedt since 2012, but expressed a desire to change coaches after her performance in Rio.

According to the Dutch report, "Hassan [will] not occur officially join the group, because of the ongoing investigation by USADA they temporarily [will not] take any athletes. Hassan is allowed to train with the group."

Hassan, who, like Feyisa Lilesa, is Oromo, moved to the Netherlands as a 15-year-old refugee. Her 3:56.02 1500m PR ranks her in the top 20 in the world all-time and is faster than her new teammate Shannon Rowbury's American record.