Yalemzerf Yehualaw is a running force to be reckoned with.

While this Sunday (2 October 2022) will mark the Ethiopian’s first London Marathon – and, in fact, her first-ever Abbott World Marathon Major – Yehualaw’s running CV is already something to behold.

In April this year she made the fastest marathon debut in history, having clocked a stunning 2:17:23 in Hamburg. At the time, this outstanding result was also the Ethiopian national record for the woman’s marathon.

And that’s not all. She is also the world record holder for the 10K road race, with a rapid time of 29:14 – set in Valencia in February 2022 – to her name. The Spanish city is clearly a favourite for Yehualaw, as she also became the second-fastest women of all time over 13.1 miles in October 2021, when she completed the Valencia Half Marathon in 63:51.

Off the back of these recent achievements, 23-year-old Yehualaw is now eagerly anticipating her first outing around London’s iconic 26.2-mile course.

She said: “It is the first time that I’ve come to London and I’m very happy to be racing here this weekend. When I was younger, I dreamed of winning big city marathons like London and Berlin.

“I watched the 2022 Berlin Marathon on Sunday (25 September) and was inspired by the fast times achieved by other Ethiopian athletes there. On Sunday, in London, I will try to be the winner of the race and get a new personal best.”

Yehualaw is still only at the start of her marathon journey and has no intention of slowing down any time soon. In fact, she is excited by the prospect of a long and fruitful career as an elite endurance runner.

“I started running when I was in high school,” she said. “My teacher told me I had a talent and that I could become a professional athlete. I then started training at academies and with a coach and it all went from there.

“I hope that I’ll be running for a long time and that I’ll be able to achieve new fast times.”

We very much hope so too. Her TCS London Marathon debut this Sunday 2 October will no doubt be a bold display of her talent, and something wonderful to witness.