Medina Eisa Kumanda (born 3 January 2005)[1] is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 5000 metres at the 2022 and 2024 World Under-20 Championships and silver in the junior women's race at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships.

Medina Eisa
Personal information
Full nameMedina Eisa Kumanda
NationalityEthiopian
Born (2005-01-03) 3 January 2005 (age 19)
Debre Markos, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Sport
SportAthletics
EventLong-distance running
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Ethiopia
African Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Accra 5000 m
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Lima 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 2022 Cali 5000 m
World Cross Country Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Bathurst Junior team
Silver medal – second place 2023 Bathurst Junior race

Career

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In June 2021, aged 16, Medina Eisa placed 10th in the 5000 metres race at the Ethiopian Olympic trials ahead of the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[2]

In April 2022, she finished fourth in the event at the Ethiopian Athletics Championships held in Hawassa, running a time of 15:50.3.[3] She claimed the gold medal for the women's 5000 m at the World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia in August, clocking 15:29.71 ahead of compatriot Melknat Wudu and third-placed Uganda’s Prisca Chesang.[4][5] In October, Eisa won the Northern Ireland International Cross Country 6 km race held in Dundoland, Belfast in a time of 21:07.[6][7]

In February 2023, she earned the silver medal in the junior women's race at the World Cross Country Championships, running 21:00 to finish seven seconds behind compatriot Senayet Getachew. With the one-two Ethiopia took gold in the team standings.[8][9] In April, the 18-year-old set a world U20 best in the 5 kilometres road race with a time of 14:46 for a win at the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany. She beat her compatriot Senbere Teferi, women's only race world record-holder, in a photo finish.[10]

In July 2023, Eisa competed at the Diamond League event in London and ran 5000m in 14:16.54 to set a new world U20 record, beating Tirunesh Dibaba previous world best mark at 14:30.88.[11] It was however not ratified as no anti-doping test was taken after the event.[12] In December 2023, she won the 15 kilometres road race Montferland Run held in 's-Heerenberg with a time of 47:40.

In February 2024, she set a new 3000 metres personal best time of 8:32.35 in Boston at the 2024 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.[13] She won the 2024 Millrose Games two miles in 9:04.39, the second-fastest short track time ever, but was later disqualified for cutting inside her staggered lane immediately after the race started, and thus not running the full distance.[14]

In March 2024, she won gold in the 5000 metres at the African Games.[15] In May 2024, she finished third in the 5000 metres at the 2024 Doha Diamond League.[16] She won the 5000 metres at the 2024 Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme in Rabat.[17]

She competed in the 5000 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in August 2024, placing seventh in the final.[18] Later that month, she retained her 5000m title at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.[19]

Personal bests

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Road

References

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  1. ^ "Medina EISA – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  2. ^ "2021 Ethiopian Olympic Trials: Gudaf Tsegay (14:13) & Getnet Wale (12:53) Among Six World-Leading Times as New Stars Emerge". LetsRun.com. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Ethiopian championships, Hawassa 28/03-2/04/2022". Africathle.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  4. ^ "RESULTS 5000 Metres Women - Final" (PDF). World Athletics. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  5. ^ Rowbottom, Mike (6 August 2022). "Hill sets World Athletics Under-20 Championships 100m hurdles record as Ethiopia dominate long distance on last day". Inside the Games. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  6. ^ "World U20 Champions Set for NI International Cross Country". AthleticsNI.org. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Northern Ireland International Cross Country Results". World Athletics. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  8. ^ Evans, Louise (18 February 2023). "Getachew grabs surprise U20 women's gold in Bathurst". World Athletics. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  9. ^ Henderson, Jason (18 February 2023). "Senayet Getachew sprints to under-20 women's world cross title". AW. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Sawe storms a 26:49 10km, Eisa sets world U20 5km best in Herzogenaurach". World Athletics. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  11. ^ Geula, Alex; Gault, Jonathan (23 July 2023). "Gudaf Tsegay Wins Classic 5,000 at 2023 London DL as Alicia Monson (14:19) Smashes American Record". Letsrun.com. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Spotlight on Rising Stars: Medina Eisa and Erriyon Knighton". World Athletics. 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2024. No anti-doping test was taken after the race which meant her time could not be ratified as a record, but it still counts for ranking purposes.
  13. ^ Gault, Jonathan (4 February 2024). "2024 NBIGP: Hobbs Kessler Beats Jake Wightman, Noah Lyles Makes Statement, & Elle St. Pierre Is Back". Lets Run. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  14. ^ Chakrabarty, Prasun (11 February 2024). "19 YO Ethiopian Denied Milrose Games Gold After Unfortunate DQ". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  15. ^ Onyatta, Omondi (18 March 2024). "Chepkoech Finishes Fourth As Ethiopians Clinch All Medals In Women's 5000m At African Games". Capitalfm.co.ke. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  16. ^ Collett, Jasmine (10 May 2024). "Daryll Neita and Molly Caudery in winning form in Doha". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Rabat/Marrakech Diamond League 2024 - Results". Watch Athletics. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Women's 5000m Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Eisa runs championship record to retain world U20 5000m title in Lima". World Athletics. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
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