Press Release - Frankfurt Marathon - 10/28/24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                         Mainova Frankfurt Marathon:

       Hawi Feysa joins marathon elite with breakthrough in Frankfurt

Ethiopia's women continue to dominate the all-time list in the marathon: 17 
Ethiopians are among the 30 fastest runners ever. And in the current 
season's list they occupy 14 of the 25 top spots. The newest Ethiopian 
marathon world-class runner is Hawi Feysa. With a stunning 2:17:25 
performance the 25 year-old smashed the course record of the Mainova 
Frankfurt Marathon and moved up to 19th in the all-time list. 

Hawi Feysa improved her personal best by over six minutes, but knowing her 
background this did not come as a huge surprise. Feysa has a 65:41 PB in 
the half marathon, she was sixth at the World Cross Country Championships 
last year and she belongs to what is currently the best marathon training 
group on the planet. Coached by Gemedu Dedefo in Addis Ababa Olympic silver 
medallist and former world record holder Tigst Assefa, current Berlin 
Marathon champion Tigist Ketema and the reigning World Marathon Champion 
Amane Shankule are among her training partners. Olympic Champion Tamirat 
Tola and Boston winner Sisay Lemma are also coached by Gemedu Dedefo.

"There is an A and a B group in training and I am with the A group. There 
is not much difference between us in our group in training. We are more or 
less on the same level," said Hawi Feysa. "It is very motivating for me to 
see how successful the others are. This makes me stronger and additionally 
my coach motivates me a lot."

Hawi Feysa comes from Ambo, where she grew up with five sisters and two 
brothers. "My parents are farmers, they have cows and horses," said Hawi 
Feysa, who now supports her family financially. The city of Ambo is around 
100 kilometres west of Addis Ababa and is part of the Oromia region. A 
large number of Ethiopia's star runners come from this area, among them 
multiple Olympic champions Tirunesh Dibaba and Kenenisa Bekele. "Tirunesh 
and Genzebe Dibaba are my idols. I was ten years old when I watched 
Tirunesh competing at World Championships and Olympic Games. Her success 
really impressed me and I knew: I have to start running," said Hawi Feysa. 
In contrast to many African world-class athletes running to school and back 
did not form the foundation for Hawi Feysa's future career. "My school was 
only one kilometre away from home. But I went to a loop course in Ambo to 
run with others. There were always older boys as well. We had no coach, but 
from time to time we were able to enter local races organised by a regional 
coach who also helped us training for these events. The best athletes of 
these races were then invited to join a club in Addis Ababa," said Hawi 
Feysa, who moved to the capital at the age of 16. In the meantime she is 
also married in Addis Ababa.

"I liked running on the track. But I was injured quite often, so I decided 
to switch to road running," said Hawi Feysa who was eighth at the 2019 
World Championships over 5,000 m. In Frankfurt the 25 year-old now achieved 
a big marathon breakthrough. "My next goal will be to run sub 2:15. I don't 
know my schedule yet for next year, but if possible I would like to return 
to Frankfurt. The course is good and you can run even faster here." One day 
Hawi Feysa might well bring a sister with her to the Mainova Frankfurt 
Marathon. "Two of my younger sisters are already that strong that they are 
living with me in Addis Ababa for training. I am sure that one day they 
will reach my level." Ethiopia's pool of talents seems inexhaustible. 

Further information is available at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com 

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