BIB: #1
PRONUNCIATION: Le-li-sa De-see-sa Ben-ti
BIRTHDATE: 14 January 1990
PERSONAL BEST: 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013)
WORLD MARATHON MARATHONS: 17Aug13 Moscow IAAF World Championships Marathon 2nd 2:10:12 15Apr13 Boston Marathon 1st 2:10:22
ADDITIONAL MARATHON HIGHLIGHTS: 25Jan13 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 1st 2:04:45
CAREER NOTES: Lelisa Desisa is a 24-year-old talent who has quickly become one of the best marathoners in the world. At Boston last year Desisa out-sprinted Micah Kogo of Kenya and Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia on the final stretch of Boylston Street to claim the coveted olive wreath. In his marathon debut, Desisa won the 2013 Dubai Marathon and in the fall won the silver medal at the 2013 IAAF World Championships Marathon in Moscow. Two months after the 2013 Boston Marathon, Desisa returned to participate in the B.A.A. 10K and at that time gifted his Boston Marathon winner’s medal to the City of Boston to honor the victims and families affected by the tragic events of April 15, 2013. He returned to Boston again in October to set a new course record at the B.A.A. Half Marathon, 1:00:34.
“I am very excited to return to Boston this spring to show that we are united in our athletic community and are ready to stand up and show the world we are not afraid,” says Desisa. “Boston is the most historic race in our world of athletics and to win Boston means so much; it is such an honor. I expect to give my best effort to defend my Boston Marathon title. I know it will not be easy and the day will be much more than a race to most people, but right now my goal is to honor the day and repeat as champion.” This year Desisa won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 59:36 and led a record eight men under the one-hour barrier. In 2012 he recorded his fastest 10,000m in Hengelo at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games (27:11.98) and his fastest 5,000m in Lille (13:22.91). In 2011 he won the gold medal at the All-Africa Games in the half marathon and also won the Den Haag City-Pier-City Half Marathon in 59:37 and the New Delhi Half Marathon in 59:30. The same year, he also came to the U.S. to race and won the Cooper River Bridge Run and one day later set a course record at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. In 2010 he finished seventh at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and helped Ethiopia earn the team bronze medal.
PERSONAL NOTES: As a junior runner, Desisa won the gold medal in the 10,000m at the 2009 African Junior Athletics Championships. Desisa was born in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region. He trains in Addis Ababa and is coached by Haji Adillo.
“I expect to give my best effort to defend my Boston Marathon title. I know it will not be easy and the day will be much more than a race to most people, but right now my goal is to honor the day and repeat as champion.”
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