Ethiopian Marathon Runner Yebrgual Melese Dies at 36 During Training

International athletics is mourning the sudden death of Ethiopian marathon runner Yebrgual Melese, who passed away at the age of 36. The athlete collapsed during a training session in Addis Ababa while preparing for the upcoming Ottawa Marathon, scheduled for May 24. Despite being rushed to a local medical center, emergency teams were unable to revive her. The Ethiopian Athletics Federation confirmed the tragic news, though specific causes of death remain undisclosed. Melese was a prominent figure in long-distance running, boasting a personal best of 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 36 seconds set in 2018. Her career included significant achievements such as second-place finishes in the Chicago and Barcelona Marathons, along with victories in Prague, Houston, and Shanghai. She also secured half-marathon titles in Paris and Lisbon. Her passing marks another premature loss in African athletics, following recent deaths of other notable runners like Kelvin Kiptum and Agnes Tirop. Melese is remembered as one of the most consistent and elite distance runners of her generation, leaving behind a legacy of high-level performance on the global stage.