Reigning marathon champion Shewarge Alene dies at 30, four months after Stockholm victory

Shewarge Alene, an Ethiopian marathoner and the reigning Stockholm Marathon champion, died at age 30 four months after winning the Adidas Stockholm Marathon, after collapsing during a training session and being taken to hospital.

Stockholm Marathon organizers posted a statement on social media saying Alene felt unwell during a training session and could not be saved. She had claimed the Stockholm title in May, finishing with a time of 2:30:38, and had shown strong form throughout the year. Earlier in January she had set a personal best of 2:29:34 at the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a mark that underscored a peak stretch in what athletes and coaches described as a breakout period.

Alene was one of the most decorated runners in modern marathon racing, having won 12 of the 27 professional starts she entered. Her training teammates described her as a determ ined athlete and a generous friend who encouraged others, and coaches said the running community had not only lost a great athlete but also a role model for young girls in Ethiopia. Her trajectory had included a rapid rise that drew attention from sponsors and race organizers around the world.

Her career involved time abroad as she pursued racing opportunities, including stints in New York and Mexico, before Ethio Runners noted she had recently returned to training in Ethiopia. One of her early breakthroughs came in 2010, when she reportedly borrowed a pair of shoes to break the Mount Washington Road Race road record, clocking 1:08:21. These memories highlighted a life spent pushing through barriers and expanding opportunities for runners from East Africa.

Adidas, the sponsor behind the Stockholm event as well as Alene itself, joined the running community in offering condolences and recognizing the impact she had on peers, fans and aspiring athletes. Officials noted that no cause of death had been publicly released and asked for privacy as family members processed the loss. The sport remains mean to come to terms with the sudden death of a star who had become a beacon for young athletes in Ethiopia and beyond.