Atsede Habtamu

ATSEDE HABTAMU
ETHIOPIA

BIRTHDATE:
26 October 1987

PERSONAL BEST:
2:24:27 (Berlin, 2009)

WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:

20Sep09 real,- Berlin Marathon 1st 2:24:27
20Apr09 Boston Marathon 7th 2:35:34

ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

16Jan09 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2nd 2:25:17

CAREER NOTES:

Atsede Habtamu ran 1:08:29 at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships Half-Marathon 12 days before her 20th birthday, to become the fastest teen-age half-marathoner in history at the time. She placed fifth in that race against a field of much more experienced competitors.

Habtamu also placed eighth at the 2008 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships and followed that up with a 1:09:37 at the Air-Tel Delhi Half-Marathon.

She ran her first marathon at Dubai in January 2009 and wound up trailing only countrywoman Bezunesh Bekele, clocking an excellent 2:25:17. In her first World Marathon Majors race, Habtamu placed seventh at the Boston Marathon.

At the age of 21, Habtamu then became the youngest ever winner of the real,-Berlin Marathon in September. She took 50 seconds off her previous personal best to win by almost two minutes.

PERSONAL NOTES:

Habtamu trains in Addis Ababa and is single. She has also raced under her full name of Atsede Habtamu Besuye. She started running because the sport just came naturally to her.