Mekides Shimeles
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| Nationality | Ethiopian | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 December 2005 | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Long-distance runner | ||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2024–present | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||
Events | Marathon, Half marathon | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Personal bests |
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Medal record
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Mekides Shimeles (born 26 December 2005) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. She is best known for her course-record-breaking victory at the 2026 Rotterdam Marathon.
Career
Mekides Shimeles began competing internationally on the road circuit in 2024. In early 2025, she demonstrated her potential at longer distances by winning the City-Pier-City Loop half marathon in The Hague, clocking a personal best of 1:08:18.[1] Later that year, she made a strong marathon debut at the Amsterdam Marathon, securing a podium finish in third place with a time of 2:19:56.
In April 2026, Mekides Shimeles achieved a major career milestone at the Rotterdam Marathon. Despite a challenging moment at the 25 km mark where she had to turn back to retrieve her hydration bottle, she maintained her composure to rejoin the lead pack.[2] By the 30 km mark, she launched a solo attack, eventually winning the race in a personal best time of 2:18:56.[3] This performance broke the long-standing course record of 2:18:58, which had been held by Olympic champion Tiki Gelana since 2012.[2]
Achievements
| Year | Race | Place | Position | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | City-Pier-City Loop | The Hague | 1st (Half marathon) | 1:08:18 |
| 2025 | Amsterdam Marathon | Amsterdam | 3rd (Marathon) | 2:19:56 |
| 2026 | Rotterdam Marathon | Rotterdam | 1st (Marathon) | 2:18:56 |
References
- ↑ "Mekides SHIMELES". World Athletics. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- 1 2 "Rotterdam Marathon 2026: Guye Adola takes victory, Mekides Shimeles smashes the women's record". Marathons.com. April 12, 2026. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Ethiopia's Mekides Shimeles wins 2026 Rotterdam Marathon". World-Track. April 12, 2026. Retrieved April 26, 2026.