Photo: Petar Milošević—CC BY-SA 4.0
Merhawi Kesete
EritreaActive- Born
- Jan 1, 1986 (40 years old)
- Events
- Marathon · Half Marathon
Merhawi Kesete is an Eritrean long-distance runner born on January 1, 1986. He competes in road racing events, particularly the half marathon and marathon, and has represented Eritrea at the World Athletics Championships.
Kesete achieved notable success in 2015 when he won the Hamburg Half Marathon, setting a new course record with a time of 1:00:52. That same year, he also claimed victory at the Usti nad Labem Half Marathon in the Czech Republic. He competed in the men's marathon at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, though he did not finish the race.
As part of Eritrea's strong tradition of distance running, Kesete has established himself as a competitive road racer on the international circuit. His course record at Hamburg and multiple half marathon victories demonstrate his capabilities as an elite long-distance athlete representing East African running excellence.
As of Nov 13, 2026: Marathon 2:06:36 (#346 all-time), Half Marathon 1:00:52 (#766 all-time), 2026 season best 2:07:21 (Oct 18, 2026, Amsterdam (NED)) · Last competition: TCS Amsterdam Marathon, Oct 18, 2026, 2:07:21 · 40 years old
Personal bests
WA points calculator →Progression
| Season | Discipline | Result | Wind | Date | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Marathon | 2:07:21 | – | Oct 18, 2026 | TCS Amsterdam Marathon |
| 2025 | Marathon | 2:07:27 | – | Oct 19, 2025 | TCS Amsterdam Marathon |
| 2024 | Marathon | 2:08:05 | – | Oct 6, 2024 | Kosice Peace Marathon |
| 2023 | Marathon | 2:07:06 | – | Feb 26, 2023 | Osaka Marathon |
| 2022 | Marathon | 2:08:24 | – | Feb 20, 2022 | Zurich Maraton de Sevilla |
| 2021 | Marathon | 2:06:36 | – | Oct 17, 2021 | TCS Amsterdam Marathon |
| 2020 | Marathon | 2:10:36 | – | Jan 19, 2020 | Tata Mumbai Marathon |
| 2019 | Semi | 1:02:34 | – | Dec 8, 2019 | – |