Meselech Melkamu
Fast marathon debut for Meselech Melkamu
Meselech Melkamu won Frankfurt marathon last weekend. After 35km she accelerated and left the other athletes behind. She lowered the course record by almost one minute to 2.21.01. This is the third fastest marathon debut ever, behind Paula Radcliffe and Lucy Kabuu.
Meselech Melkamu had a great career on the track and in cross country and has a personal best of 29.53.80 on the 10.000m, which ranks her second on the all-time list. Since she could not qualify for the Olympics in London due to an injury, she decided to move to the marathon.
Meselech Melkamu is training in the group of Getaneh Tessema in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. His training group already had many successes this year. First of all the victory of Tiki Gelana in the London Olympic marathon. Followed by the victories of Hailu Mekonnen and Etalemahu Kidane in the Hengshui Lake International marathon, Atsede Baysa and Tsegaye Kebede both won Chicago marathon in a new personal best, respectively 2.22.03 and 2.04.38. Aberu Mekuria won the women’s race in Eindhoven marathon and Shitaye Bedaso was second in Cologne marathon. Limneh Getachew made a great debut in Cologne by finishing second in 2.07.39.
Another talented athlete from this training group, Meseret Hailu won the World Half Marathon Championships in Bulgaria. Only two weeks later she won Amsterdam Marathon in a new course record and personal best of 2.21.09. In the men’s race Assefa Bentayehu made a great debut by finishing second in 2.06.22. Also debutants Feysa Bekele and Abraham Girma ran 2.06 in Amsterdam.
According to Meselech Melkamu the key to success of coach Getaneh Tessema is only working hard and training together every day so they can help and motive each other to improve.
Olympic marathon Champion Tiki Gelana will run the New York City Marathon next Sunday.