Takele
Tadese Takele first turned heads as a teenager, qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 at just 18 after clocking 8:09.37 in the 3000m steeplechase at the Ethiopian Trials. He picked up a silver at the World U20 Championships that year, then made the unusual decision to leave the track behind and commit to road racing while still in his teens. The move paid off quickly. He debuted over the half marathon in April 2022 at the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany, running 59:41. A year later, at 21, he entered his first marathon at the 2023 Berlin Marathon and finished third in 2:03:24, the fastest time ever recorded by a U23 athlete. After a learning experience at the 2024 Berlin Marathon, he came back strong at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, pulling clear with a decisive move at 38 kilometers and winning in 2:03:23 for his first World Marathon Major title. He is still only 22.
