Serkalem Biset Abrha, also known as Abrha Serkalem Biset, (born March 8, 1987) is a runner from Ethiopia who competes in long distance running and has won several major international marathons.[1][2]

Running career

Abrha's first major races outside of Ethiopia were in India's Delhi International Half Marathon and the Standard Chartered Lahore 10K from 2005 to 2007. She finished second in the half marathon in 2006, winning $1,000.[1]

In 2008, Abrha won the Maas Marathon (Dutch:Maasmarathon of the Basse-Meuse) in rural Visé, Belgium.[1]

Later that year, she raced the Hartford Marathon in Connecticut. More than 5,000 runners started out from Bushnell Park at 8 a.m. for the 15th annual race. The racers crossed the Connecticut River, traveled north through East Hartford and South Windsor before doubling back and crossing the Founders Bridge once again. As Abrha ran back into Bushnell Park and under the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch toward the finish line, it was clear she was the dominant winner. Her time was 2:38:37.[3][4]

In 2009, she went to Georgia for the Atlanta Marathon. More than 15,000 people were signed up to run, and the start promised fast times as the temperature hovered in the 40-degree range. Abrha lead all the women and won the $3,000 purse prize.[5][6]

She came to New York in 2009, where she faced tough competition in the New York City Marathon. Still, she ran a 2:37:20. She finished eighth, winning $5,000. She was just behind Ethiopian Bizunesh Deba, one of her training partners. [7]

In 2010, she finished third at the Las Vegas Marathon, putting her in the winnings with $4,000 and a stronger national profile. She followed that with finishing third (2:33:52) in the Barcelona Marathon in Spain. The top four female racers were Ethiopian, and they finished several minutes before the next runner from Kenya.[8]

In 2011, she won the California International Marathon in Sacramento, California. She would repeat the win again in 2015, winning $10,000 for her time of 2:31:29.[9]

Back in 2010, she surprised Canadian spectators by winning the 20th running of the Marathon Oasis de Montreal.[10] She was back in 2011 to claim the title again, this time in 2:33:21. In the 2011 race report, the Montreal Gazette inexplicably claimed that she was 17, though World Athletics showed her birth date to be 1987, and they reported a year earlier that she was 23.[11][10]

NYC marathon in 2011 saw Ethiopian runners Firehiwot Dado and Deba finish first and second—Abrha was 15th with a time of 2:33:22.[12]

In October 2015, she came to the Midwest for the Twin Cities Marathon from Minneapolis to St. Paul. The cities had been roiling for weeks with Black Lives Matter protests due to large socioeconomic gaps between the Black community and all others in the region.[13] Protest leaders threatened to disrupt the marathon near the finish line, prompting concern for the race organizers and 15,000 race participants. However, an agreement was reached, and the St. Paul Black Lives Matter group agreed to stage a "die-in" near the finish line instead of blocking the race course.[14] Abrah lead the women and won in 2:31:39,[15][16] just a few seconds ahead of Kenyan Jane Kibii.[17]

In the late 2010s, some of her other notable achievements were winning first place in the Staten Island Half Marathon on October 8, 2017, with the time 1:16:26; winning third place in the female category for the France Run 8K on August 20, 2017, in Central Park with the time of 32:01; and winning second place in the Hope & Possibility 4K Race on June 25, 2017, (also in Central Park) with the time 22:20.[1] She finished in the top three in multiple major marathons, including her second-place finish at the 2016 LA Marathon.[18]

She had another marathon win in 2017 when she sped past the other competitors to win the overall race of the Cleveland Marathon held on May 21.

One of her greatest achievements was winning first place at the 2018 Philadelphia Marathon in 2:14:47, which set a course record.[19]

Personal life

She has trained with Bizunesh Deba, Genna Tufa, and Atalelech Asfaw in New York and in the high altitude of Albuquerque, New Mexico.[20] Part of her training has included seasonal trips over the winter to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to run at high altitudes with her training partners.[21]

Achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2006 Delhi Half Marathon New Delhi, India 2nd Half Marathon 1:15:06
2008 Marathon of the Basse-Meuse Vise, Belgium 1st Marathon 2:58:23
2008 Hartford Marathon Hartford, Connecticut 1st Marathon 2:38:37
2009 Atlanta Marathon Atlanta, Georgia 1st Marathon 2:41:31
2011 Montreal Marathon Montreal, Canada 1st Marathon 2:35:45
2011 IAAF World Cross-Country Championships Punta Umbria, Spain 96th 8K 30:47
2011 California International Marathon Sacramento, California 1st Marathon 2:33:40
2015 26.2 with Donna Jacksonville Beach, Florida 1st Marathon 2:39:11
2015 Twin Cities Marathon St. Paul, Minnesota 1st Marathon 2:31:40
2015 California International Marathon Sacramento, California 1st Marathon 2:31:50
2016 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, Minnesota 2nd Marathon 2:34:20
2017 Cleveland Marathon Cleveland, Ohio 1st Marathon 2:42:08
2017 Pikes Peak Ascent Manitou Springs, Colorado 1st 21.4K 2:42:22
2018 Philadelphia Marathon Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1st Marathon 2:32:53

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ken Young; Andy Milroy, eds. (5 May 2019). "Serkalem Biset Abrha". Mattole Valley, California: Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Abrha Serkalem Biset". Monaco: World Athletics. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  3. ^ "ING Hartford Marathon". Special Section. The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. 10 October 2008. pp. 1–3.
  4. ^ Riley, Lori (12 October 2008). "Bonding Experience: Women's Race Makes Friends". Sports. The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. pp. E1, E10.
  5. ^ Stafford, Leon (30 March 2009). "ING Marathon and Half Marathon: For runners, 'cool is what you want'". Sports. The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. p. C3.
  6. ^ "ING Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon - Serkalem Abrha". resultsui.active.com. Dallas, Texas: Active Network. 29 March 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  7. ^ Carlson, Timothy (1 November 2009). "Flicker 10th at NY Marathon". Slow Twitch. Valyermo, California.
  8. ^ Hugh Jones, ed. (March 2010). "7 March 2010: Marato De Barcelona, Spain". aims-worldrunning.org. Athens, Greece: Association of International Marathons and Road Races. AIMS Home. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Elisha Barno, Serkalem Abrha Winners of CIM". Capital Public Radio. Sacramento, California. 6 December 2015.
  10. ^ a b Basu, Arpon (6 September 2010). "Montreal Marathon: Long Distance Photo Finish". Sports. The Gazette. Montreal, Canada. p. A1, B1, B3.
  11. ^ Phillips, Randy (26 September 2011). "Montreal Oasis Marathon: Kenyan Chelimo sets scorching pace". Sports. The Gazette. Montreal, Canada.
  12. ^ Jett, Jason (8 November 2011). "A First, a Second, a Third and a Fourth: Ethiopia Leaves Its Imprint on NYC Marathon". Tadias Magazine. New York, New York.
  13. ^ Smith, Mary Lynn (30 September 2015). "Black Lives Matter marathon protest plan stirs fear, spurs backlash". Star Tribune. Minneapolis.
  14. ^ "Marathon and Black Lives Matter protest both go off as planned". Minnesota Public Radio. St. Paul, Minnesota. 4 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Dominic Ondoro, Serkalem Abraha Win Twin Cities Marathon". WCCO. CBS. 4 October 2015.[dead link]
  16. ^ "Black Lives Holds Peaceful Protest At Twin Cities Marathon". WCCO. Associated Press. 4 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Twin Cities Marathon top finishers". Sports. KARE-11. Associated Press. 4 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Kenyan Winns in Los Angeles Marathon". The New York Times. 15 February 2016.
  19. ^ Shaw, Clay (19 January 2019). "Yae, Abrha Top Philly Marathon". Runners Gazette. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  20. ^ Jett, Jason (25 October 2012). "Update: Interview with Buzunesh Deba: Eying the 2012 NYC Marathon". Tadias Magazine. New York, New York.
  21. ^ Jett, Jason (25 October 2012). "Ethiopian Runners in U.S. Vying for a Level Field With Athletes from Ethiopia". Tadias Magazine. New York, New York.
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