Feyisa Lilesa

FEYISA LILESA
ETHIOPIA

BIRTHDATE:
1 February 1990

PERSONAL BEST:
2:04:52 (Chicago, 2012)

WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:

21Apr13 Virgin London Marathon 4th 2:07:46
07Oct12 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2nd 2:04:52
22Apr12 Virgin London Marathon 10th 2:08:20
04Sep11 IAAF World Championships, Daegu 3rd 2:10:32
10Oct10 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 3rd 2:08:10

ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

10Apr11 ABN-AMRO Rotterdam Marathon 7th 2:11:42
11Apr10 Fortis Rotterdam Marathon 4th 2:05:23
03Jan10 Xiamen Marathon 1st 2:08:47
26Oct09 Dublin Marathon 1st 2:09:12

CAREER NOTES:

Feyisa Lelisa became the youngest man in history to break 2:06 for the marathon in 2010.

Running in the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon just ten weeks past his 20th birthday, he was with a large group that went through the halfway point in 1:02:06. Lelisa tried to break away with 10-K to go, but eventually he yielded only to a trio of more experienced Kenyans as he crossed the line in 2:05:23.

At Chicago in October he was one of the final three contesting for the top spot. A 2:08:10 third place finish still placed him ahead of many more veteran competitors.

After a hard fought battle with Vincent Kipruto at the 2011 World Championships, Lelisa hung on for the bronze medal.

At Chicago in October 2012 he was the last man to stay with eventual winner, Tsegaye Kebede, and was rewarded with a PR of 2:04:52.

Lelisa gave a preview of his marathoning talent at the beginning of 2010 when the still 19-year-old won the Xiamen Marathon in China in 2:08:47, knocking four seconds off the course record. He also won his debut in Dublin in 2009.