Sport

ONLF Army disrupts Ethiopian troops harassing villagers

January 22, 2012.

The Ethiopia Army started conducting its seasonal harassment and subjugation campaign against the civilian people in Ogaden.  Troops from Wardheer, Qabri-dehar and Dhegahbur regions started manoeuvring and harassing civilians in towns and villages around those areas. Read more…

Ethiopians dominate at Villa Lagarina XC

Afera Godfay leads an Ethiopian parade

January 16, 2012, Villa Lagarina, Italy (IAAF) – Ethiopia claimed a winning sweep at the 35th edition of the International EA Cross Country race in Villa Lagarina near Rovereto on Sunday (15). Kinde Atanau topped the bill in the men’s race and Berha Aftera Godfay won the women’s race.

The Vallagarina Cross organised by the local club Quercia Rovereto was held on a sunny day.

Atanau produced a strong last lap to beat his compatriot Haftu Fikadu by 11 seconds in the men’s 8Km race crossing the finish-line in 25:27. Ethiopia claimed the top-three spots on the podium with Mokashaw Kassa third in 25:43.

The East African country also dominated the women’s 5.5Km race. Afera Godfay confirmed her recent good form by taking the honours in 19:15 four seconds ahead of her compatriot Gidey Roman. Italian Agnes Tschurtschenthaler broke the Ethiopian domination by finishing third in 19:38. Read more…

Athletics: Kenyan Rotich, Ethiopian Megersa win Sabarmati Marathon 2011

December 26, 2011 (NDTV Sports) – Kenyan Philmon Rotich and Ethiopian Gadise Fita Megersa became winners in the men and women category respectively at the second edition of the Sabarmati Marathon in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Rotich timed 2hr 12min 02 sec to gain the first spot in the men’s category of full marathon, while Megersa took 2hr 38min 54 sec to reach the finish line in the women’s category. Both the winners were awarded Rs. six lakh each for winning the event.

The Sabarmati Marathon was flagged off by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday from the banks of the river Sabarmati here.

With over 9800 participants, including men, women, children, young and old, blind and differently-abled persons, the run received good response for its second edition with huge crowds lining up to cheer the runners along the 42 km route across the city.

The event was divided into three categories, namely 42-km full marathon, 21-km half marathon and 7-km dream run. Besides the registered runners, many school children also participated.

Enthused by overwhelming response, especially from the physically challenged, Modi said the annual event had added another feather to the city’s pride, reflecting citizens’ sportsmanly spirit and youthfulness. Read more…

Ethiopians dominate Bengaluru marathon, over 8000 particpate

December 13, 2011, Bangalore, India (Citizen Matters) – It was a massive show of participation from Bangaloreans at the Midnight Marathon of December 10th. The winners threw up no surprises. Here’s the rundown.

The winter chill of a December night did not deter over 8000 people geared up to run at the fifth edition of the Bengaluru International Midnight Marathon (BIMM) at Karnataka Trade Promotion Organization (KPTO), Whitefield on 10th December.

Apart from runners from India, BIMM saw international particpation as 18 runners from Ethipoia, Kenya and a few other countries took part. The Ethiopians dominated the marathon as they won most of the events.

In the closely-fought men’s full marathon of 42.195 kms, Yeshewa Abate of Ethiopia pipped fellow-countryman Alemayehu Negash to the first place with a timing of 2 hours 28 minutes and 28 seconds. Negash was a close second with a timing of 2.28.29 followed by Addisu Feyesa from Ethiopia again at 2 hours 31 minutes. Read more…

Tadesse and Assefa take Ethiopian Clubs XC titles

Feyse Tadesse leads women's race at 2011 Ethiopian Clubs XC Champs (Bizuayehu Wagaw)

Little-known Assefa shocks Bekele and Regassa

With marathoners Chala Dechasa, Azmeraw Bekele, and Tilahun Regassa and track runners Abera Kuma and Yetwale Kinde heading up the startlist, the senior men’s 12km was the main attraction of the day’s programme.

But none of the pre-race favourites were able to withstand 20-year old Belete Assefa, who despite his relatively-little international experience, struck victory against a top class field. Needless to say, though, his rivals did not make it easy for him.

A frantic start and a mad jostling for positions in the early parts of the race did not make the early parts of the race a pleasant watching experience, but it soon became clear who had the biggest intention of crossing the finish line ahead when the field was wilted down to 17 runners by the first kilometre with all the major pretenders including Bekele, Dechasa, Regassa, Kinde, and Kuma all in the mix. Read more…

The agony and the ecstasy of Ethiopian marathoners

by Mohammed Ademo

Kingsbridge resident, Lemma, poses outside Central Park as his friend, Alem Ashebir looks on (MOHAMMED ADEMO/The Bronx Ink)

November 8, 2011 (The BronxkInk) – Fikadu Lemma braved the early November frost in Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday morning, pumping his legs, stretching his triceps, in a final half-hour push before his run in the world-class New York Marathon on Sunday.

“I am not nervous,” said the soft-spoken Ethiopian runner who has lived nearby in a Kingsbridge apartment for more than three years. Indeed, Lemma along with his two Ethiopian roommates, quietly trained for months, out of the media spotlight.

More attention has been paid to Ethiopia’s defending running champion, Gebre Gebremariam, and two Kenyans, Emmanuel and Geoffrey Mutai, who share a common name.

The Kenyans, who have increasingly dominated long distance races, vowed to not only win, but also to beat the record time. On Sunday, they did just that when Geoffrey crossed the finish line at 2:05:05, a New York Marathon record. Emmanuel followed 01:23 later, setting his own course record. The defending champ, Gebremariam, came in fourth. Read more…

Buzunesh Deba, a Bronx resident, could become the first New Yorker to win the city’s marathon

October 31, 2011

(The New York Times)  - Most mornings, Buzunesh Deba does as thousands of other running-mad New Yorkers do: she jumps out of bed, laces her sneakers and heads to the park.

And once she starts running, the questions from astonished strangers begin.

“They say, how come you are so fast?” said Deba, a tiny, bright-eyed 24-year-old who moved here from Ethiopia six years ago.

Deba is no casual weekend jogger. After finishing first this year in the L.A. Marathon and the San Diego Marathon, she is a contender to win the New York City Marathon on Nov. 6. Read more…

Tadese Aredo wins Venice marathon

October 26, 2011 (IAAF) – Ethiopia’s Tadese Aredo won the Venice marathon ahead of Kenya’s Simon Mukun and Kenyan Helena Kirop for women. In a close finish, Aredo held off Mukun in the closing stages to win by just six seconds with a time of two hours nine minutes 13 seconds. Aredo’s fellow Ehtiopian Debebe Wolde took third place on 2:09.57, with another Ethiopian, Desta Gebrehwet Gebremedhin, in fourth with a 2:11.55.

For women, the Kenyan Helena detached from the group (2h 23’37”) leaving behind the Ethiopians Harum Makda Haji(2h’27”20) and Jimma Fantu Eticha (2h 30’25”) . Note that Tadese and Kirop improved their personal best.

Tadese Tolosa Aredo scored his third win in three Italian Marathons after Florence 2010 and Padua 2011. Aredo narrowly missed his 2:09:02 PB but managed to win a hard-fought race against last year’s Venice winner Simon Mukun in a contest which remained undecided until the final two kilometres. The top three runners all dipped under 2:10. Aredo crossed the finish-line in 2:09:13 beating Mukun by five seconds. Ethiopian Debebe Wolde finished third in 2:09:56. Read more…

Ejegayehu Dibaba finishes second in marathon debut in Chicago

Running in her debut over the distance, Ejegayehu Dibaba finishes second in Chicago (Getty Images)

CHICAGO, October 9, 2011 (The New York Times) — Ejegayehu Dibaba, a silver medalist in the 10,000-meter race at the 2004 Olympics finished second (2:22:09) in her marathon debut here today, reported the New York Times.

The winner, Liliya Shobukhova of Russia crossed the finish line with a time of 2 hours 18 minutes 20 seconds. With the victory, she earned a $100,000 prize, qualified for the 2012 Olympic team and set a Russian record.

Ejegayehu is the oldest sister of Tirunesh Dibaba, gold medalist in 5,000m & 10,000m races at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Her time makes her the second-fastest woman to run a marathon by a comfortable 27 seconds. (Paula Radcliffe of England holds the women’s world record with a time of 2:15:25 that she set in London in 2003.)

Shobukhova won in Chicago in 2009 with a time of 2:25:56 and again in 2010 with a time of 2:20:25. This year, she finished four minutes ahead of Ejegayehu Dibaba of Ethiopia. Read more…

Buzunesh Deba’s journey stretches from Ethiopia to the Bronx, and next stop is to win NYC Marathon

Buzunesh Deba runs with her trainer/husband Worku Beyi in the Bronx.

October 9, 2011 (NY Daily News) – It’s a few minutes after seven o’clock in the morning, and a little woman with big plans is deep inside the trails of Van Cortland Park in her home borough, churning out miles as if they were meters.

Later, she will work on her speed, running a 4:48/mile pace for five minutes, doing it eight times with three minutes recovery in between, and following it with 12 more reps at a 4:33 pace for two minutes.

Buzunesh Deba is about the size of a CC Sabathia leg, measuring 5-3 and 105 pounds, but underestimate her will at your own peril.

“She doesn’t want to go slow, ever,” says her coach/husband, Worku Beyi. “She always wants to go hard.” Read more…

Kenenisa Bekele sets season best in 10,000m

BRUSSELS, Sept 17 (Times of India): Double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele ran the fastest 10,000m of the season on Friday at the Brussels Diamond League meeting, clocking 26min 43.16sec.

The 29-year-old bettered the previous leading time of 26:46.57 set by Britain’s Mo Farah in Eugene in June.

Kenya’s Lucas Rotich (26:43.98) and Galen Rupp of the United States (26:48.00) took seconjd and third respectively.

Bekele, who won 5,000m and 10,000m gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, has endured a miserable, injury-hit season.

He was a no-show in heats for the 5000m at the world championships in Daegu after limping out of the 10,000m, in which he was also defending champion from Berlin in 2009.

Leenca DC wins Division-B Championship in Minnesota

Leenca DC or Lion of DC that represents DC and the newly established youth association in DC wins the 16th Oromo Sports Federation in North America (OSFNA) Soccer Tournament Division-B championship. The week long annual tournament was concluded on Friday July 23, 2011.

Representatives of ‘Leenca DC ‘ were warmly welcomed by fellow Oromo youth association members on Sunday July 24, 2011 at Oromoo Community Organization headoffice in DC.

Twin Cities’ Oromia 11 Stars – Champion of OSFNA 2011

July 23 (gadaa) – The 16th Oromo Sports Federation in North America (OSFNA) Soccer Tournament came to conclusion on the night of July 23 with the 2011 Championship going to the “Oromia 11 Stars” Football Club (O-11 Stars FC), based in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. The 2011 OSFNA Runner-Up went to the Ten Thousands Lakes (TTL). Read more…

Athletics: Maryam Yusuf Jamal wins in Monaco

Monte-Carlo – Ethiopian-born Maryam Yusuf Jamal (born Zenebech Tola) of Bahrain won the Herculis/Samsung Diamond League‘s women 5,000m race here yesterday.

World 1500m champion Maryam Jamal showed her best form for some time, triumphing over a strong field in 4:00.59. Read more…

Tesfaye Alemayehu defends Napa-to-Sonoma Half Marathon title

Tesfaye Sendeku Alemayahu

Napa, California – Tesfaye Sendeku Alemayehu of Ethiopia defended his Napa-to-Sonoma Half Marathon title here yesterday.

Alemayehu’s finishing time of 1:04.37 was well below the 1:03.58 course record he set here last year.

Christian Hesch of Hollywood (1:04.52), and former Napa-to-Sonoma half-marathon champion Sergio Reyes of Palmdale (1:04.53), came in second and third respectively.

Women’s Race

The top women’s finisher was Caroline Kirui, a 20-year-old runner from Kenya currently living in Auburn, California. Read more…