Yebrgual Melese Arage (born Yebrgual Melese; Amharic: የብርጓል መለሰ; 18 April 1990 – 12 May 2026) was an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She placed second at the 2015 Chicago Marathon, 2017 Frankfurt Marathon in 2:24:30, and 2025 Barcelona Marathon in 2:20:47. Melese won 2019 Shanghai International Marathon in 2:23:19 and the 2018 Shanghai International Marathon in 2:20:36.
Melese died on 12 May 2026, at the age of 36, after collapsing during a training session.
Infobox
Born
Yebrgual Melese (1990-04-18)18 April 1990 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Died
12 May 2026(2026-05-12) (aged 36) Addis Ababa
Height
1 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight
48 kg (106 lb)
Country
Ethiopia
Sport
Athletics
Event(s)
10,000 metres, Marathon
Turned pro
2011
National finals
Ethiopian Athletics Federation 2013: 1st, 10,000 m
Tables
· Career
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
10 kilometres
10 kilometres
Year
10 kilometres
2011
2011
Year
2011
Competition
Ethiopian Athletics Federation
Track and Field Championships
Venue
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Position
6th
Event
10 km
Notes
33:35
France Clermont-Ferrand Road 10 km
France Clermont-Ferrand Road 10 km
Year
France Clermont-Ferrand Road 10 km
Competition
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Venue
3rd
Position
10 km
Event
32:54
2013
2013
Year
2013
Competition
Ethiopian Athletics Federation
Track and Field Championships
Venue
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Position
1st
Event
10 km
Notes
33:32
Peachtree Road Race
Peachtree Road Race
Year
Peachtree Road Race
Competition
Atlanta, GA, United States
Venue
3rd
Position
10 km
Event
32:16
Beach to Beacon 10K
Beach to Beacon 10K
Year
Beach to Beacon 10K
Competition
Cape Elizabeth, ME, United States
Venue
4th
Position
10 km
Event
31:40
2015
2015
Year
2015
Competition
Great Ethiopian Run
Venue
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Position
2nd
Event
10 km
Notes
33:11
Representing Ethiopia
Representing Ethiopia
Year
Representing Ethiopia
2013
2013
Year
2013
Competition
World Cross Country Championships
Venue
Bydgoszcz, Poland
Position
29th
Event
8 km
Notes
25:44
2015
2015
Year
2015
Competition
All-Africa Games
Venue
Brazzaville, Congo
Position
3rd
Event
Half marathon
Notes
1:12:42
Marathons representing Nike
Marathons representing Nike
Year
Marathons representing Nike
2014
2014
Year
2014
Competition
Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon
Venue
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Position
13th
Event
Marathon
Notes
2:29:46
Paris Marathon
Paris Marathon
Year
Paris Marathon
Competition
Paris, France
Venue
2nd
Position
Marathon
Event
2:26:21
Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Year
Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Competition
Gold Coast, Australia
Venue
4th
Position
Marathon
Event
2:32:49
2015
2015
Year
2015
Competition
Houston Marathon
Venue
Houston, TX, United States
Position
1st
Event
Marathon
Notes
2:23:23
Prague Marathon
Prague Marathon
Year
Prague Marathon
Competition
Prague, Czech Republic
Venue
1st
Position
Marathon
Event
2:23:49
Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
Year
Chicago Marathon
Competition
Chicago, IL, United States
Venue
2nd
Position
Marathon
Event
2:23:43
2016
2016
Year
2016
Competition
Paris Marathon
Venue
Paris, France
Position
5th
Event
Marathon
Notes
2:32:06
Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
Year
Chicago Marathon
Competition
Chicago, IL, United States
Venue
5th
Position
Marathon
Event
2:24:49
2017
2017
Year
2017
Competition
Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon
Venue
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Position
3rd
Event
Marathon
Notes
2:23:13
Paris Marathon
Paris Marathon
Year
Paris Marathon
Competition
Paris, France
Venue
5th
Position
Marathon
Event
2:22:51
Frankfurt Marathon
Frankfurt Marathon
Year
Frankfurt Marathon
Competition
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Venue
2nd
Position
Marathon
Event
2:24:30
2018
2018
Year
2018
Competition
Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon
Venue
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Position
3rd
Event
Marathon
Notes
2:19:36
Dongying Yellow River Marathon
Dongying Yellow River Marathon
Year
Dongying Yellow River Marathon
Competition
Dongying, China
Venue
2nd
Position
Marathon
Event
2:27:47
Shanghai International Marathon
Shanghai International Marathon
Year
Shanghai International Marathon
Competition
Shanghai, China
Venue
1st
Position
Marathon
Event
2:20:36 CR
Half marathons representing Nike
Half marathons representing Nike
Year
Half marathons representing Nike
2014
2014
Year
2014
Competition
Paris Half Marathon
Venue
Paris, France
Position
1st
Event
Half marathon
Notes
1:09:23
2015
2015
Year
2015
Competition
Paris Half Marathon
Venue
Paris, France
Position
1st
Event
Half marathon
Notes
1:09:54
Prague Half Marathon
Prague Half Marathon
Year
Prague Half Marathon
Competition
Prague, Czech Republic
Venue
2nd
Position
Half marathon
Event
1:08:21
2018
2018
Year
2018
Competition
Portugal Half Marathon
Venue
Lisbon, Portugal
Position
1st
Event
Half marathon
Notes
1:07:18 CR
Ranked list
Year
Competition
Venue
Position
Event
Notes
10 kilometres
2011
Ethiopian Athletics Federation Track and Field Championships
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
6th
10 km
33:35
France Clermont-Ferrand Road 10 km
Clermont-Ferrand, France
3rd
10 km
32:54
2013
Ethiopian Athletics Federation Track and Field Championships
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
1st
10 km
33:32
Peachtree Road Race
Atlanta, GA, United States
3rd
10 km
32:16
Beach to Beacon 10K
Cape Elizabeth, ME, United States
4th
10 km
31:40
2015
Great Ethiopian Run
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2nd
10 km
33:11
Representing Ethiopia
2013
World Cross Country Championships
Bydgoszcz, Poland
29th
8 km
25:44
2015
All-Africa Games
Brazzaville, Congo
3rd
Half marathon
1:12:42
Marathons representing Nike
2014
Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
13th
Marathon
2:29:46
Paris Marathon
Paris, France
2nd
Marathon
2:26:21
Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Gold Coast, Australia
4th
Marathon
2:32:49
2015
Houston Marathon
Houston, TX, United States
1st
Marathon
2:23:23
Prague Marathon
Prague, Czech Republic
1st
Marathon
2:23:49
Chicago Marathon
Chicago, IL, United States
2nd
Marathon
2:23:43
2016
Paris Marathon
Paris, France
5th
Marathon
2:32:06
Chicago Marathon
Chicago, IL, United States
5th
Marathon
2:24:49
2017
Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
3rd
Marathon
2:23:13
Paris Marathon
Paris, France
5th
Marathon
2:22:51
Frankfurt Marathon
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2nd
Marathon
2:24:30
2018
Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
3rd
Marathon
2:19:36
Dongying Yellow River Marathon
Dongying, China
2nd
Marathon
2:27:47
Shanghai International Marathon
Shanghai, China
1st
Marathon
2:20:36 CR
Half marathons representing Nike
2014
Paris Half Marathon
Paris, France
1st
Half marathon
1:09:23
2015
Paris Half Marathon
Paris, France
1st
Half marathon
1:09:54
Prague Half Marathon
Prague, Czech Republic
2nd
Half marathon
1:08:21
2018
Portugal Half Marathon
Lisbon, Portugal
1st
Half marathon
1:07:18 CR
· Personal bests
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
10,000 m
10,000 m
Distance
10,000 m
Performance
32:38
Location
Appingedam, Netherlands
Date
30 June 2012
Half marathon
Half marathon
Distance
Half marathon
Performance
1:07:18
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
Date
14 October 2018
Marathon
Marathon
Distance
Marathon
Performance
2:19:36
Location
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Date
26 January 2018
Ranked list
Distance
Performance
Location
Date
Notes
10,000 m
32:38
Appingedam, Netherlands
30 June 2012
Half marathon
1:07:18
Lisbon, Portugal
14 October 2018
Marathon
2:19:36
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
26 January 2018
References
Ethiopian Athletics Community Mourns as Marathon Star Yebrgual Melese Passes Away at 36
