Lelisa Desisa

Lelisa Desisa

Lelisa Desisa Benti, male winner of 2013 Boston Marathon almost at the end of the Wellesley College scream tunnel.
Personal information
Nationality Ethiopian
Born (1990-01-14) 14 January 1990
Oromia, Ethiopia, Africa
Sport
Sport Running
Event(s) Long distance
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Ethiopia
World Championships
2013 Moscow Marathon
All-Africa Games
2011 Maputo Half marathon

Lelisa Desisa Benti (born 14 January 1990) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in road running competitions. He gained his first international medal at the 2009 African Junior Athletics Championships, where he took the 10,000 metres gold medal.[1]

Biography

Born in Shewa zone, Oromia regional state of Ethiopia,[2] Lelisa made his breakthrough on to the senior international scene at road races in 2010, beginning with a sub-60 minute run for third place at the Zayed International Half Marathon in January.[3] He engaged Wilson Kiprop in a sprint finish at the Paris Half Marathon two months later, ending up in second place.[4] He took to the United States road circuit and was sixth at the Crescent City Classic before taking the runner-up spot at the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run behind Stephen Tum.[5][6] He won the Ottawa 10K in May and led an Ethiopian podium sweep with a win at the Bolder Boulder two days later.[7][8] That July, he came third in a sprint for the line at the Peachtree Road Race and won the Boilermaker Road Race in Utica in a near course record time.[9] He received his first senior international call-up for the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. He came seventh overall, recording a time of 1:01:28 alongside his compatriot Birhanu Bekele to secure the team bronze medal for the Ethiopians.[10] He set a new half marathon best (59:39 minutes) in November at the Delhi Half Marathon and finished one second behind winner Geoffrey Mutai.[11]

He came close to a personal best at the World's Best 10K in February 2011, taking third place in a time of 28:02 minutes.[12] This served as preparation for the City-Pier-City Loop in March, where he came out on top in a five-man sprint finish to record a personal best of 59:37 minutes for the half marathon.[13] In a two-day period he won the Cooper River Bridge Run and then broke the course record at the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, improving upon a mark which had stood for 16 years.[14] That June he reached the podium at the World 10K Bangalore, coming third behind Kenyan opposition.[15] He was not selected for the World Championships that year, but instead won the half marathon at the 2011 All-Africa Games held that same month. In November he returned to Delhi and ran a best of 59:30 minutes to win the half marathon race, beating Geoffrey Kipsang by a second.[16]

In June 2012 he ran a personal best of 27:18.17 minutes to win the 10,000 metres in Liège. He was selected as an Olympic squad reserve as a result.[17] A 5000 metres best of 13:22.91 minutes came in June, but ultimately he did not compete at the Olympics. He tried to defend his title at the Delhi Half Marathon but managed only seventh place.[18]

In his debut over the marathon distance, he made one of the fastest ever debuts by winning the 2013 Dubai Marathon in a time of 2:04:45 hours. He was surprised by the quick time and said he would like to make a world record attempt in the future.[2] Three months later, in the 2013 Boston Marathon, he took the victory in a time of 2:10:22. Desisa was not hurt in the Boston Marathon bombing that occurred after his victory.[19] Desisa later, in a widely acclaimed gesture, returned his 2013 Boston Marathon winner medal back to the city, in order to honor the victims of the bombings.[20]

Lelisa Desisa leads Lemi Berhanu Hayle as they pass mile 19 during the 2016 Boston Marathon, but Hayle went on to win; Desisa came in second.

Desisa won the 2015 Boston Marathon on April 20, 2015 with a time of 2:09:17.[21] He came in second in 2016 to fellow Ethiopian Lemi Berhanu Hayle.

Personal bests

References

  1. ↑ Ouma, Mark (2009-07-31). African Junior champs, Day 2. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  2. 1 2 Butcher, Pat (2013-01-25). Debutant Desisa wins Dubai Marathon in 2:04:45, five men under 2:05. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-23.
  3. ↑ Zorzi, Alberto (2010-01-08). Fast wins for Keitany and Regassa in Abu Dhabi Half. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  4. ↑ Vazel, Pierre Jean (2010-03-07). Beating the wind and chill, Kiprop and Bayisa take Paris Half wins. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  5. ↑ Lelisa Desisa Profile. Elite Sports Management. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  6. ↑ Hage, Jim (2010-04-12). Tum, Chepkurui are Cherry Blossom winners. Washington Post. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  7. ↑ Desisa and Tune take Ottawa 10Km titles. IAAF (2010-05-30). Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  8. ↑ Stapleton, Arnie (2010-05-31). Ethiopian men finish 1-2-3 in Bolder Boulder. USA Today. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  9. ↑ Post race interview with Boilermaker 15K Men’s winner Lelisa Desisa. WKTV (2010-07-10). Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  10. ↑ Ramsak, Bob (2010-10-16). Kiprop dethrones Tadese - Men’s Race – Nanning 2010. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  11. ↑ Murali, Ram. Krishnan (2010-11-21). Mergia recaptures women’s crown, Mutai foils Ethiopian sweep at Delhi Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
  12. ↑ Clavelo Robinson, Javier (2011-02-28). Kitwara regains title, Ejigu notches victorious 10km debut in San Juan. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-01.
  13. ↑ van Hemert, Wim (2011-03-14). Desisa and Chepcirchir take fast Half Marathon wins in The Hague. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.
  14. ↑ Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa wins Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run. Ethiosun. Retrieved on 2011-05-14.
  15. ↑ Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2011-06-05). Limo and Tune prevail in Bangalore 10Km. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-05.
  16. ↑ Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2011-11-27). In close races, Desisa and Kabuu prevail in New Delhi Half. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-11-27.
  17. ↑ Hendrix, Ivo (2012-07-06). Rotich 1:43.62, Desisa Benti 27:18.17 in Liège. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-07-09.
  18. ↑ Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2012-09-30). Kipyego, Wude take honours in Delhi - REPORT. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-23.
  19. ↑ AP via USA Today: Lelisa Desisa, Rita Jeptoo win Boston Marathon
  20. ↑ NYT: His Win Obscured, Runner Left Mark Off the Course
  21. ↑ "Lelisa Desisa Wins Second Boston Marathon Crown In Three Year Span". www.baa.org. Retrieved 2015-04-22.
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