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Bezunesh Bekele
![[Photo of Bezunesh Bekele]](http://static.worldmarathonmajors.com/images/athletes/bekele_bezunesh.jpg)
ETHIOPIA
BIRTHDATE:
29 January 1983
PERSONAL BEST:
2:23:09 (Dubai, 2008)
WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:
25Apr10 Virgin London Marathon 4th 2:23:17
23Aug09 IAAF World Championships, Berlin 16th 2:30:03
20Apr08 Boston Marathon 4th 2:33:08
12Oct08 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 7th 2:32:41
ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
22Jan10 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 4th 2:26:05
16Jan09 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 1st 2:24:02
18Jan08 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2nd 2:23:09
CAREER NOTES:
The fourth fastest Ethiopian women’s marathoner of all time, Bezunesh Bekele is well on her way to recasting the top tier. Only Berhane Adere, Askale Tafa Magarsa and Gete Wami have run quicker over the 26.2-mile distance.
As a prelude to her marathon debut, Bekele ran to a 1:08:07, fourth place at the 2007 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Udine, earning a national record (since broken by Dire Tune). Bekele also finished first at the Meia Maratona de Portugal Half Marathon the same year.
With full attention on her, Bekele made her marathon debut in 2008 in impressive fashion running 2:23:09 for the runner up position in Dubai. At her first World Marathon Majors race in Chicago, she faltered in the heat and placed a disappointing seventh. In preparation for Boston 2009, she returned to Dubai in January to win the race. Although her finish time at the Boston Marathon was a bit slower than Chicago, she did move up three places to fourth.
After a somewhat disappointing showing at the Berlin World Championships she ran her fourth different Major at London in April 2010. She posted another fourth place finisher and missed her personal best by a mere eight seconds.
Bekele has also represented her country on five World Cross Country Championship teams and two World Half Marathon Championship teams. In addition she was the Ethiopian national champion on the track in the 10,000m in 2006.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Comparisons with Gete Wami are not unfounded; Bekele is a protégé and trains under the direction of Wami’s husband, coach Getaneh Tessema, in Addis Ababa. Bekele said her proudest running moment was winning the Dubai Marathon in January. She is married, and her hobby is reading.