Ethiopian Marathon Champion Yebrgual Melese Dies at 36 After Collapsing in Training
She had been in the closing stretch of preparation for the Ottawa Marathon, set for May 24, at the time of her death.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopian marathon standout Yebrgual Melese, a multiple international race winner and one of the country’s respected distance runners, has died after collapsing during a training session, the national athletics federation said Wednesday. She was 36.
The Ethiopian Athletics Federation said Melese suffered a sudden medical emergency on Tuesday while taking part in a routine workout in Addis Ababa. Local media reported that efforts to help her began immediately, but she could not be revived.
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Melese built an impressive résumé on the world marathon circuit, winning major races in Houston, Prague and Shanghai. Her best time, 2:19:36, came at the 2018 Dubai Marathon, where she finished third and cemented her place among the leading women’s marathoners of her era.
She had been in the closing stretch of preparation for the Ottawa Marathon, set for May 24, at the time of her death.
News of her passing sent a wave of grief through the athletics community. The federation remembered her as a committed competitor and a source of inspiration for younger runners in a country long celebrated for its distance-running tradition.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. Melese is survived by her family and teammates in Addis Ababa.
AXADLETM
