Shure Demise experienced a breakout performance in her marathon debut at the 2015 Dubai Marathon, producing the fastest time ever recorded by a U20 athlete, clocking 2:20:59 to finish fourth. Amazingly, Demise ran without drinking water during her debut record – something she has modified over the past three years to ensure she is staying hydrated. 

Name: Shure Demise

Country of origin: Ethiopia

Standout races: Though Demise didn’t stand out at the 2015 Boston Marathon, she came in eighth in her first Abbott World Marathon Major and capped an impressive 2015 with a win at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2:23:37. Since then, she has fared well on the global stage, defending her title at the Toronto Marathon in 2016, finishing second in Dubai in 2017 and performing well at the 2017 IAAF World Marathon Championships, finishing fifth. She opened her 2018 season with a fourth place at the Tokyo Marathon.

More about Shure Demise: Her introduction to racing in North America was very, very cold. As a courtesy, race organizers bought her a hat and gloves to wear. She later recalled, "The weather part was very cold, that’s what I remember most. I had never worn a hat and gloves before (in a race) at that time. I will definitely have them in my luggage this time."