| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Medina Eisa Kumanda |
| Nationality | Ethiopian |
| Born | (2005-01-03)3 January 2005 (age 20) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Long-distance running |
Medal record | |
Medina Eisa Kumanda (born 3 January 2005)[1] is an Ethiopianlong-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the5000 metres at the2022 and2024 World Under-20 Championships and silver in the junior women's race at the2023 World Cross Country Championships.
In June 2021, aged 16, Medina Eisa placed 10th in the5000 metres race at the Ethiopian Olympic trials ahead of the delayed2020 Summer Olympics inTokyo.[2]
In April 2022, she finished fourth in the event at theEthiopian Athletics Championships held inHawassa, running a time of 15:50.3.[3] She claimed the gold medal for thewomen's 5000 m at theWorld Under-20 Championships inCali, Colombia in August, clocking 15:29.71 ahead of compatriotMelknat Wudu and third-placed Uganda’sPrisca Chesang.[4][5] In October, Eisa won the Northern Ireland International Cross Country 6 km race held inDundoland, Belfast in a time of 21:07.[6][7]
In February 2023, she earned the silver medal in the junior women's race at theWorld Cross Country Championships, running 21:00 to finish seven seconds behind compatriotSenayet 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 the5 kilometres road race with a time of 14:46 for a win at the Adizero Road to Records event inHerzogenaurach, Germany. She beat her compatriotSenbere Teferi, women's only race world record-holder, in a photo finish.[10]
In July 2023, Eisa competed at theDiamond League event in London and ran 5000m in 14:16.54 to set a new world U20 record, beatingTirunesh 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 raceMontferland Run held in's-Heerenberg with a time of 47:40.
In February 2024, she set a new3000 metres personal best time of 8:32.35 inBoston at the2024 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.[13] She won the2024 Millrose Gamestwo 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 theAfrican Games.[15] In May 2024, she finished third in the 5000 metres at the2024 Doha Diamond League.[16] She won the 5000 metres at the2024 Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme inRabat.[17]
She competed in the 5000 metres at the2024 Summer Olympics inParis in August 2024, placing seventh in the final.[18] Later that month, she retained her 5000m title at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships inLima, Peru.[19] She was runner-up toBeatrice Chebet at the Barcelona 5km road race on 31 December 2024.[20]
She ran 14:25.92 to finish runner-up in the women’s 5000 metres race at theGrand Slam Track event inMiami on 2 May 2025, in a sprint finish with race winnerAgnes Jebet Ngetich.[21] She then also finished runner-up in the 3000 metres race at the event, in 8:23.08.[22] She won the 10km race at theGreat Manchester Run in England on 18 May 2025.[23] That month, she was named as a challenger again for the long distance category at the2025 Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia.[24] She placed sixth over 5000 metres at the2025 Prefontaine Classic on 5 July and won the 5000 metres at theLondon Athletics Meet on 19 July.[25][26]
In September 2025, she was a finalist over 5000 metres at the2025 World Championships inTokyo, Japan.[27]
| Grand Slam Track results[28] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slam | Race group | Event | Pl. | Time | Prize money |
| 2025 Miami Slam | Long distance | 5000 m | 2nd | 14:25.92 | US$30,000 |
| 3000 m | 2nd | 8:23.08 | |||
| 2025 Philadelphia Slam | Long distance | 3000 m | 6th | 8:48.26 | US$7,500 |
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.
