Askale Tafa

{{Short description|Ethiopian long-distance runner}} [[File:Tafa, London Marathon 2011.jpg|thumb|Askale at the 2011 London Marathon]] '''Askale Tafa Magarsa''' (born September 27, 1984) is an Ethiopian long distance runner, who has specialised in the marathon. Her sister, Tafa Megersa Mergertu, is also a marathon runner.<ref>Sampaolo, Diego (2014-04-06). [https://worldathletics.org/news/report/milan-marathon-jepkesho-kiprop-2014 Kiprop and Jepkesho score Kenyan double in Milan]. World Athletics. Retrieved 2026-05-22.</ref>

==Career== In 2005, she was third in the Rome Marathon. In 2006, she won the Milan Marathon and was second at the Berlin 25 km in 1:28.13. The following year she won the Dubai Marathon and was first in the Paris Marathon in 2:25.07. At the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka she earned a 22nd-place finish.

The year 2008 began with third place at the Dubai Marathon with a time of 2:23.23, finishing 41 seconds behind the winner. In the Boston Marathon, she was fifth. In the 2008 Berlin Marathon she finished second in a new personal best time of 2:21:31. She took part in the 2010 London Marathon and finished fifth, just behind her compatriots Bezunesh Bekele and Aselefech Mergia.<ref>Brown, Matthew (2010-04-25). [https://worldathletics.org/news/report/commanding-victories-for-kebede-and-shobukhov Commanding victories for Kebede and Shobukhova - London Marathon report]. World Athletics. Retrieved 2026-05-22.</ref> She was eleventh at the 2011 London Marathon the following year. She entered the 2011 Chicago Marathon, but was slower than her typical pace and finished eighth overall.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://results.public.chicagomarathon.com/2011/|title=2011 Chicago Marathon results|publisher=Chicago Marathon|access-date=2011-10-16}}{{Dead link|date=May 2026}}</ref> She was the runner-up at the 2012 Seoul International Marathon, finishing just behind compatriot Feyse Tadese.<ref>Yelena Kurdyumova and Sergey Porada (2012-03-18). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/loyanae-cruises-20537-to-shatter-course-recor Loyanae cruises 2:05:37 to shatter course record in Seoul]. World Athletics. Retrieved 2026-05-22.</ref>

She is currently a member of Marathon Elites Athletic Management Canada/Ethiopia and coached by her husband Tola Daba. Her husband Tola Debel Gudeta is also a long distance runner with a PB of 2:23 hours in the marathon and 1:03 in the 20 km.

==Achievements== *<small>All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise</small> {| {{AchievementTable}} |- !colspan=5|Representing {{ETH}} |- |rowspan=3|2007 |Dubai Marathon |Dubai, United Arab Emirates |bgcolor=gold|1st |2:27:19 |- |Paris Marathon |Paris, France |bgcolor=gold|1st |2:25:07 |- |Milan Marathon |Milan, Italy |bgcolor=gold|1st |2:27:57 |}

*2005 Rome Marathon 2:32.34, 3rd *2005 Berlin Marathon 2:28.27, 3rd *2006 Arizona Marathon 2:31.46, 2nd *2006 San Diego Marathon 2:29.47, 4th *2007 World Championships Marathon 2:38.01, 22nd *2008 Dubai Marathon 2:23.23, 3rd *2008 Boston Marathon 2:29.48, 5th *2008 Berlin Marathon 2:21:31, 2nd

==Personal bests== *Half marathon - 1:09:37 hrs (2008) *Marathon - 2:21.31 hrs (2008)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{World Athletics}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20151006171144/https://marathoninfo.free.fr/athletes/ethiopie/assale_tafa.htm Athletes Profile on marathoninfo.free.fr] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20081012021747/http://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/US/athletes/athlete/175/ World Marathon Majors :: Askale Tafa Magarsa]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tafa, Askale}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Ethiopian women long-distance runners Category:Ethiopian women marathon runners Category:Paris Marathon women winners Category:21st-century Ethiopian sportswomen