Teyba Erkesso

TEYBA ERKESSO
ETHIOPIA

BIRTHDATE:
30 October 1982

PERSONAL BEST:
2:23:53 (Houston, 2010)

WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:

19Apr10 Boston Marathon 1st 2:26:11
11Oct09 Bank of America Marathon 4th 2:26:56
07Oct07 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon DNF

ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

17Jan10 Chevron Houston Marathon 1st 2:23:53 CR
18Jan09 Chevron Houston Marathon 1st 2:24:18

CAREER NOTES:

Prior to the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon, Teyba Erkesso [Wako] was perhaps best known for her all-women's race world record of 51:44 at the 2007 Cherry Blossom 10-Mile.

However, completing her first marathon, Erkesso not only won but knocked 22 seconds off the course record set by countrywoman Dire Tune. Her 2:24:18 was the fastest marathon ever run in the state of Texas.

At the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Erkesso was the first to make a bold move off a slow first-half women's pace, but did not have the speed over the final few miles to make it to the awards podium.

Returning to Houston in 2010, Erkesso broke 2:24, setting another personal and state of Texas record. Three months later she added her first World Marathon Majors victory with a three-second victory at the Boston Marathon.

Erkesso has greatly improved her half-marathon best in 2009. She began the year at 1:10:00 but then ran 1:09:37 at Ras al Khaimah in February and 1:08:39 at Lille in early September.

The 26-year-old Ethiopian won the 2009 Bay to Breakers 12K in 38:29, just seven seconds off the course record, the MDS Nordion 10K (31:51) and Freihofer's Run for Women 5K (15:26.1). She was also second at the Lilac Bloomsday 12K and Bolder Boulder 10K

Erkesso has a solid cross-country background. She was part of two gold-medal teams at the 2004 World Championships, contributing an individual bronze medal in the short race and fifth place in the long race.