A teenage Ethiopian runner has been cruelly mocked by callous Twitter trolls – simply because they think she looks older than 16.

The abuse started after Girmawit Gebrzihair won the bronze medal in the 5,000m race at the World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland.

Despite her stated birth date of November 21, 2001 some on social media didn’t believe this and took aim at the teenager.

Evidence

So far, no one has produced a shred of evidence that her birth date is false.

One cruel commentator wrote: “16? That woman has lived through the American Civil War, two world wars and saw Pele's Brazil lift the 1970 World Cup.”

A third added: “Is there no other way of controlling these things apart from looking at a passport? It is hard to believe.”

Grandchildren

Also taking aim at the runner was Spanish sprinter Oscar Husillos, 24.

He tweeted a picture of Gebrzihair with the caption, in Spanish, saying: “Her children and grandchildren are in the stands to see her run in the World U20 Championships.”

Husillos has since deleted the tweet and posted a string of messages saying it was taken “out of context” and his words had been “misinterpreted”.