A major controversy has erupted in global athletics after World Athletics confirmed that five women’s Under-20 world records set by three Ethiopian distance runners in 2023 and 2024 have been rejected or ruled unratifiable due to age-related eligibility issues.
The revelations were disclosed in the federation’s “The Month Ahead in Athletics – March 2026” newsletter and involve prominent young Ethiopian athletes Birke Haylom, Melknat Wudu, and Medina Eisa.
The decision means several standout performances that had appeared to rewrite the junior record books will no longer be recognized as official world U20 marks.
Haylom loses three world junior records
The biggest impact falls on Birke Haylom, who had been credited with three remarkable U20 world records across the mile, 1500m (short track), and 5000m.
Her 4:17.13 mile run at the Bislett Games in Oslo on June 15, 2023 had placed her among the fastest teenage milers in history.
Haylom also ran 3:58.43 for the 1500m short track in Boston on February 4, 2024 and later clocked 14:23.71 for 5000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on May 26, 2024—both times initially recognized as world U20 records.
However, all three performances have now been rejected after the Athletics Integrity Unit determined that her date of birth “has not been established to the satisfaction” of the governing body.
Without verified age documentation, the performances cannot be ratified as junior records.
Wudu’s record also rejected
Another Ethiopian athlete affected is Melknat Wudu. Her 8:32.41 run in the women’s 3000m short track in Boston on February 4, 2024 had also been celebrated as a world U20 record.
But like Haylom, the mark has now been deemed unratifiable due to unresolved age verification issues.
Eisa’s age corrected
The most dramatic case involves Medina Eisa, a two-time world U20 champion in the 5000m.
It has now been revealed that Eisa’s actual date of birth is 17 October 2002, not 3 January 2005 as previously recorded.
The corrected birth date means she would have been too old to compete in the junior category at the World Athletics U20 Championships in both 2022 and 2024—events where she won gold medals in the 5000m.
As a result, her stunning 14:21.89 performance at the Memorial Van Damme on September 14, 2024 will not be recognized as a world U20 record.
The ruling casts a shadow over one of the most dominant junior distance careers in recent years and has reignited long-running concerns about age verification in elite athletics.
A blow to the record books
The rejection of five world junior records in one decision is highly unusual and represents a significant shake-up in the U20 record lists.
It also underscores the increasing scrutiny being applied by World Athletics and the Athletics Integrity Unit to ensure that age-group records are supported by verified documentation.
Infractions that led to rejection of records
- Birke Haylom
- U20 women’s mile (4:17.13 – Oslo, June 2023) rejected
- U20 women’s 1500m short track (3:58.43 – Boston, February 2024) rejected
- U20 women’s 5000m (14:23.71 – Eugene, May 2024) rejected
- Reason: Date of birth could not be established to the satisfaction of the Athletics Integrity Unit.
- Melknat Wudu
- U20 women’s 3000m short track (8:32.41 – Boston, February 2024) rejected
- Reason: Age verification issues preventing ratification.
- Medina Eisa
- U20 women’s 5000m world record (14:21.89 – Brussels, September 2024) not accepted
- Reason: Corrected date of birth (17 October 2002) shows she was not eligible for U20 competition.
