Maldivian long-distance runner Shamha Ahmed has set a new national record in the women’s 10,000 metres at the Knight of the Tense Marathon in Hamburg, Germany.

Shamha clocked 40 minutes 41.83 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 42 minutes 08.62 seconds set by Mariyam Abdul Kareem at the 2019 South Asian Games. The achievement adds to her growing list of national titles, which include records in the 5,000 metres, marathon, and half marathon.

She set the 5,000 metres national record in May 2024 in Wassenberg, Germany, and earlier this year won silver at the Runtalya Marathon in Türkiye. Her career highlights also include a marathon best of 3:02:41 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon and a half marathon record of 1:26:42 at the 2023 Dhaka Marathon.

A former sprinter, Shamha represented the Maldives at the 2000 Sydney Olympics before making the transition to long-distance running. She went on to break the national 100 metres record in 2001 and, in 2015, became the first Maldivian woman to win an international athletics medal, securing bronze in the 10,000 metres at the Indian Ocean Island Games. Now based in Germany for training, she continues to compete internationally, setting the standard for Maldivian long-distance running.