Teshome Mekonen

Marathon ace Teshome Mekonen never thought he’d be a professional runner. But the signs were there. As a child, he raced against his shadow or the rabbits in rural Tigray, Ethiopia. He began competing in high school and was willing to make the sacrifices that paid dividends come race day. Mekonen was granted US citizenship in 2022. He is now establishing himself as one of the best American distance runners with his relentless desire to improve. “Success has no end,” he says, “and failure is not final.”