Career Highlights
- Member of Team USA for 2023 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships
- 2019 USATF 10 Mile Champion
- 2022 USATF Marathon Champion
- Winner, 2022 California International Marathon
- 8-time NCAA All-American
- Finished in Top 4 at NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2013, 2014 and 2016
Family
Born in Eritea, Zienasellassie moved to the U.S. as an adolescent with his family, which
settled in Indianapolis. Inspired by an older brother, he started running in eighth grade, and liked how
the sport helped him fit into a new community. At North Central High School, he won seven state titles –
four at 3,200m and three at cross country – and won Nike Cross Nationals as a senior. At Northern
Arizona University, he became a 4-time All-American in cross country, and in 2016 – the year he became
a U.S. citizen – he led NAU to its first NCAA team title before finishing as NCAA runner-up at 10,000m on
the track. He competed for NAZ Elite in 2017 and 2018, then rejoined the group in October 2022 after
being coached for about 18 months by James McKirdy. Zienasellassie won the 2022 California
International Marathon in 2:11:01 in his debut at the distance.
Has three brothers and four sisters … He and his wife, Samrawit, have two sons, Eisey and Isaak … The
U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon will be his fourth race at the distance.