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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3] She was the runner-up at the 2012 Seoul International Marathon, finishing just behind compatriot Feyse Tadese.[4]
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.
| Representing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 1st | 2:27:19 | |
| Paris Marathon | Paris, France | 1st | 2:25:07 | |
| Milan Marathon | Milan, Italy | 1st | 2:27:57 | |