Education
In her first international appearance she finished eleventh in the women"s senior race at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
In her first international appearance she finished eleventh in the women"s senior race at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
She represented Ethiopia in the event at the 2012 Summer Olympics, coming fifth. Born in Gojjam, she is the younger sister of Wude Ayalew, a medallist at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. Hiwot made her first impact in athletics in 2010.
Running for the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, she took second place at the January Meda Cross Country in 2011 which gained her a place on the national team
She competed on the 2011 IAAF Diamond League track circuit and established herself further. She ran a 5000 m best of 14:49.36 minutes for eighth at the Bislett Games then came seventh at the Meeting Areva.
Visa issues meant she arrived hours before the start of the London Grand Prix, but she proved herself in the steeplechase with a personal best of 9:23.88 minutes to take second place behind Milcah Chemos Cheywa. Following her track season, she had fourth-place finishes at the Great Ethiopian Run 10K road race and the Cross de Atapuerca.
She also performed well on the 2012 IAAF Diamond League circuit, having top three placings at the Bislett Games, Prefontaine Classic and Weltklasse Zurich meets.