Ethiopian marathon runner Yebrgual Melese has died suddenly at the age of 36 after collapsing during a training session in Addis Ababa.
Melese suffered a medical emergency while preparing for the Tamarack Ottawa Marathon scheduled for 24 May 2026. She was rushed to hospital on Tuesday 12 May but medical professionals were unable to save her life. The specific cause of her collapse has not yet been disclosed.
The Ethiopian Athletics Federation issued a statement expressing its “deep sorrow over the sudden passing of this heroic athlete” and offered condolences to her family, friends and fans. Melese is survived by her husband and two children.
Career Highlights
Melese built an outstanding marathon career defined by major victories and a world-class personal best. Her finest performance came at the Dubai Marathon in 2018, where she recorded a time of 2:19:36 – placing her among the elite sub-2:20 female marathoners in the world. Consistent, patient and tactically astute, she was known for maintaining a steady rhythm before unleashing a powerful surge in the final ten kilometres.
She won three major city marathons: Houston in 2015, Prague International in 2015, and Shanghai International in 2018, the last of which she captured in course-record time. On the World Marathon Majors stage, she finished second at the 2015 Chicago Marathon. She also claimed a bronze medal in the half marathon at the 2015 All-Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo, and won both the Paris Half Marathon twice and the Lisbon Half Marathon.
Melese made her marathon debut in 2014, finishing second at the Paris Marathon. Following a hiatus from competitive racing between 2020 and 2024, she returned to form with an eighth-place finish at the Berlin Marathon in 2024 and a second-place result at the Zurich Marató Barcelona in March 2025.
Planned Return to Racing
At the time of her death, Melese was preparing to run the Tamarack Ottawa Marathon on 24 May 2026, where she was considered one of the top favourites to win. Her sudden passing has been met with widespread mourning across the global running community, with tributes focusing on her professionalism, dedication and the national pride she brought to Ethiopian athletics.
