Mekdes Woldu

Mekdes Woldu (born 20 October 1992) is a French long-distance runner of Eritrean origin.

Biography Mekdes Woldu was born in Adi-keblo, Eritrea. She was naturalized as a French citizen on 26 May 2021.

Career As an Eritrean athlete, she finished eighth in the 5,000 metres at the 2011 African Games in Maputo.

After becoming a French citizen, she achieved several national titles in 2021, winning the French Championships in the 10,000 metres, the French 10 km Championships, and the French semi-marathon Championships. In October of the same year, she won the Marseille-Cassis 20-kilometre race.

In 2022, she set the new French record for the semi-marathon. She ran her first marathon in Hamburg in April 2023, achieving the third-best performance of all time by a French woman and qualifying for the 2023 World Athletics Championships and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. In June 2024, she became the official sponsor of the Base Aérienne 705 de Tours. In 2025, she set the new French marathon record.

Achievements Year Competition Location Event Result Notes 2011 African Games Maputo, Mozambique 5,000 metres 8th 16:08.57 2021 French Championships Pacé, France 10,000 metres 1st 32:20.65 2024 Olympic Games Paris, France Marathon 20th 2:29:20 2024 European Championships Rome, Italy Semi-marathon 8th