Marhu Teferi


Marhu Teferi, also known as Teferi Marhu is an Ethiopian-born Israeli marathon runner who represented Israel at the 2016 Olympics in the Marathon. He has set Israeli records in both the half marathon and marathon. He will represent Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Early and personal life

Teferi was born in Ethiopia, and moved to Israel at the age of 14. His wife Selamawit Dagnachew, an Ethiopian-born Israeli citizen as well, is a mid- and long-distance runner who has also qualified to represent Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Running career

2015-17

Teferi is an Israeli half marathon champion, having won the title in December 2015, ahead of Berihun We've and Israeli Olympian Ageze Guadie.
Due to his 2:18.19 finish in the Rotterdam Marathon in April 2016, in which he came in 23rd, he qualified for the 2016 Olympics.
He competed for Israel at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the marathon, and finished 74th out of 155 runners, with a time of 2:21:06.

2018-present

In January 2018, Teferi finished in second place at the Tiberias Marathon. In August 2018, he ran a 2:13:00 and broke the Israeli marathon record, while coming in seventh in the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.
In February 2019 he ran the Seville Marathon in 2:10:11 in Seville, Spain. In April 2019 Teferi set a new Israeli half-marathon record at 1:02:05, winning a race in Berlin.
On 27 October 2019, Teferi ran the Frankfurt Marathon in 2:08:09 in Frankfurt, Germany, setting a new Israeli record and finishing in 6th place.
He will represent Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics.