Birhanu Legese

Birhanu Legese Gurmesa (born 11 September 1994) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He won the 2019 and 2020 Tokyo Marathon and finished second at the 2019 Berlin Marathon.

Legese is currently part of the NN Running Team, which is managed by Global Sports Communication.

Career Born and raised in Woliso, around 100 km south west of Addis Ababa, Birhanu Legese started out as a talented sprinter, winning area 100 metres and 200 m titles.

In 2015, Legese claimed victory at the Berlin Half Marathon (59:45) before winning Delhi Half Marathon in a time of 59:20, the joint third-fastest time in the world that year.

Further half marathon victories followed at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates in 2016 (1:00:40) and New Delhi once again in 2017 (59:46). In September that year, Legese finished second at the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:02:48 to move to third on the world all-time list behind only Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele.

He successfully defended his title at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon by winning the race with a time of 2:04:15. He ran 2:03:16 for third at the Valencia Marathon in December that year.

Legese placed fifth at the 2021 London Marathon, and sixth at the 2022 London Marathon.

Marathon performances 2018 Dubai Marathon – 2:04:15 (6th) 2018 Chicago Marathon – 2:08:41 (10th) 2019 Tokyo Marathon – 2:04:48 (1st) 2019 Berlin Marathon – 2:02:48 (2nd) 2020 Tokyo Marathon – 2:04:15 (1st) 2020 Valencia Marathon – 2:03.16 (3rd) 2021 London Marathon – 2:06.10 (5th) 2022 London Marathon – 2:06.11 (6th) 2023 Amsterdam Marathon – 2:04.43 (4th)

Personal bests Birhanu Legese's personal bests are: Distance Time Place Date 1500 Metres 3:44.07 Luanda, Angola 2 January 2014 3000 Metres 7:51.09 Hengelo, Netherlands 8 June 2014 5000 Metres 13:08.88 Shanghai, China 18 May 2014 10 Kilometres 27:34 Taroudant, Morocco 10 March 2013 10 Miles Road 45:38 Amsterdam, Netherlands 17 September 2017 Half Marathon 59:20 New Delhi, India 29 November 2015 25 Kilometres 1:12:54 Kolkata, India 18 December 2022 Marathon 2:02:48 Berlin, Germany 29 September 2019