Meselech MelkamuHome: Debre Marqos, EthiopiaBib: #F25 Pronunciation: Mes-eh-lech Mel-ka-mu Birthdate: 27 April 1985 Personal Best: 2:21:01 (Frankfurt, 2012) CR |
| 10Aug13 | Moscow IAAF World Championships Marathon | DNF | |
| 21Apr13 | Virgin London Marathon | 5th | 2:25:46 |
| 24Jan14 | Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon | 2dd | 2:25:23 |
| 28Oct12 | BMW Frankfurt Marathon | 1st | 2:21:01 CR |
Meselech Melkamu has enjoyed a successful track and cross country career and over the past few years has made a positive transition to the roads. In 2012 she made her marathon debut in Frankfurt with a 2:21:01 course record win. The following year, she finished fifth at the London Marathon and because of that result was invited to compete for her country at the 2013 IAAF World Championships Marathon in Moscow. She rebounded from a disappointing showing at the World Championships this past January when she finished runner-up at the Dubai Marathon in a solid 2:25:23.
Additional highlights of Melkamu’s career include finishing eighth in the 5,000m at the Beijing Olympic Games and wining silver medals in the 10,000m at the 2009 Berlin IAAF World Championships and in the 3,000m at the 2008 Valencia IAAF World Indoor Championships. She has also earned five bronze medals at IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Melkamu is one of only a handful of women to break the 30-minute barrier in the 10,000m (29:53.80). Her fastest half marathon of 68:05 was recorded at the 2013 Ras Al Khaimah International Half Marathon.
Melkamu was a standout as a junior runner, earning gold medals at the 2004 Brussels IAAF World Cross Country Junior Championships and at the 2004 Grosseto IAAF World Junior 5,000m Championships. She was born in Debre Marqos, which is in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.