Genzebe Dibaba wins 5000m in Shanghai Diamond League

London Marathon 2013: Tsegaye Kebede Wordofa of Ethiopia wins men’s race for the second the time, after victory in 2010

Winning feeling: Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede celebrates after winning the men’s race at the London Marathon 2013

April 21, 2013  (Telegraph) — If Mo Farah’s purpose in running the first half of the Virgin London Marathon was to advance his road-running education, then the double Olympic champion was given an object lesson by Tsegaye Kebede on Sunday.

Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa, wins Boston Marathon; Rita Jeptoo takes women’s race for 2d time

April 15, 2013, BOSTON - Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia took the title in the 117th edition of the Boston Marathon on Monday, winning a three-way sprint down Boylston Street to finish in 2 hours, 10 minutes, 22 seconds. Read more…

Ethiopia’s Regassa wins Rotterdam Marathon and Haile Gebreselassie wins half marathon in Vienna

It speaks volumes of the quality of a race when a 2:05:38 clocking can be classed as “disappointing”. Without taking anything away from Tilahun Regassa’s victory in today’s (14) ABN AMRO Marathon Rotterdam, anIAAF Gold Label Road Race, the organisers were hopeful that the 2:04:27 course record would be broken.

Expectations were a bit more conservative for the women’s race, so Jemima Jelagat’s winning time of 2:23:27 – crushing her PB by more than six minutes – came as a pleasant surprise. But regardless of what was expected before either races, Regassa’s run was the performance of the day.

Regassa lives up to sub-2:06 credentials Read more…

Paris Marathon: Boru Fayise Tadese breaks course record

April 7, 2013

Boru FayiseTadese

Paris, France (IAAF) - Ethiopia’s Boru Feyse Tadese set a world-leading time and women’s course record of 2:21:05 today (7) at the 37th edition of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, while Kenyan Peter Some was the surprising winner of the men’s race in 2:05:38.

With cool temperatures and sunny sky, the weather conditions were ideal for the start of the Paris Marathon at 8:30. The women’s race started very fast, as the leaders ran 16:44 at 5km, faster than the 17:01 by Ethiopian Tirfi Beyene ran when she broke the Paris Marathon course record last year (2:21:37).

After one hour, pre-race favourite Eunice Kirwa Jepkirui of Kenya – the fastest of the field with a 2:21:41 personal best – led from Ethiopian’s Merima Mohammed, winner in Houston this year with 2:23:37, Amane Gobena, winner in Seoul and Osaka in 2010, and Marathon debutante Imana Gutemi.

But it was another Ethiopian, World Half-marathon silver medallist Boru Feyse Tadese, who then moved into the lead and went through the half-way mark in 1:10:08 – the fastest ever intermediate time in Paris. Read more…

Muktar Edris Dominates Swiss 10K

Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris winning the 2013 Media Blenio 10km

April 3, 2013 (IAAF) — Ethiopian rising star Muktar Edris, the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championship 5000m gold medallist and third in the junior race at the 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships eight days ago, claimed victory at the 29^th edition of the Media Blenio 10km road race in Dongio, Switzerland, on Monday (1).

Edris clocked 28:10 at the traditional race in the small village in the Italian-speaking region of Canton Ticino,  beating his compatriot Imane Merga, 2011 World Cross Country champion and silver medallist this year Bydgoszcz, by 13 seconds.

The race is run over eight laps of 1.25km around the streets of Dongio.

In the early stages of the race, Edris went to the front of a leading group which was formed by himself, Merga and a trio of Kenyans: Kiprop Limo, Thomas Longosiwa and Wilson Kebenei who completed the first lap in 3:52.

Kiprop Limo lead through the second lap in 7:19, closely chased by Kebenei, Merga, Longosiwa and Edris in that order.

Limo, Longosiwa and Merga continued to push at the front as the third lap was completed in 10:52 before Edris threw down the gauntlet just before the half way point, breaking away from Merga and Limo. Read more…

Abraham Qaabato Kitla wins Jerusalem marathon

March 1, 2013, JERUSALEM (AP)– Abraham Kabeto Ketla of Ethiopia has won the third Jerusalem marathon, setting a record for the race. Some 20,000 runners took part Friday morning in the Jerusalem marathon, which was won by Abraham Kabeto Ketla.

Ketla finished in 2 hours, 16 minutes and 29 seconds Friday, beating the record by three minutes.

Luka Kipkemoi Chelimo of Kenya was second at 2:19:02. Vincent Kiplagat Kiptoo of Kenya finished third. Read more…

Defar and Farah Set Course Records in New Orleans

February 24, 2013 NEW ORLEANS (IAAF) — Olympic champions Meseret Defar Tola (born 19 November 1983 in Addis Ababa) and Mohamed “Mo” Farah, CBE (born 23 March 1983 in Mogadishu, Somalia) gave another glimpse of their future potential on the roads when winning the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans on Sunday (24), both athletes breaking the course records.

Although rain was expected, athletes awoke to find cool, breezy and sunny weather for the 7am start. Defar, the 2004 and 2012 Olympic 5000m champion, ran stride for stride with USA’s Shalane Flanagan early on but surged dramatically at the seventh mile and ran away from the field.

Defar, competing in just her second ever Half-marathon, crossed the finish line in a course record of 67:25. Her time was just 14 seconds shy of the US all-comers record and makes her the fifth-fastest Ethiopian in history over the distance.
Read more…

Mohammed Aman Geleto wins 2013 Men 800m Inddor in Stockholm

Mohammed Aman Geleto (born 10 January 1994 in Asella, Arsi of Oromia Regional State) is a middle distance runner. Read more…

Genzebe Dibaba wins in Birmingham, UK (Video)

February 20, 2013, Birmingham, UK – Genzebe Dibaba (born February 8, 1991 in Bekoji, Oromia Region) of Ethiopia, the younger sister of Tirunesh Dibaba, raced to victory in the 1,500m at the British Athletics Grand Prix, an IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting here on Saturday, February 16, 2013.

Genzebe attempted to light up one of the biggest indoor meets of the year by breaking the world record but came up short by 2.5 seconds after a solo run from halfway.

She remained on target to beat the World mark of 3:58.28 held by Yelena Soboleva of Russia, until she tightened up in the last 100m to clock 4:00.84.

Genzebe was the 2012 World Indoor Champion for the 1500 m and holds the Ethiopian record for the distance with her best of 3:57.77 minutes. She represented Ethiopia at the 2012 Summer Olympics and has twice competed at the World Championships in Athletics (2009 and 2011). She was highly successful as a junior (under-19) athlete, having won two junior world cross country titles and one world junior 5000 m gold medal. (Watch video below)
Read more…

Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time

Sunday Mba of Nigeria scores a goal during the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations Final football match between Nigeria and Burkina Faso

February 10, 2013 (BBC Sprots) — The dominant Super Eagles made the breakthrough just before half-time when Mba clipped the ball over Mohamed Koffi and then volleyed into the far corner.

Burkina Faso almost equalised when Wilfried Sanou forced a fingertip save from goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

Ahmed Musa slipped as he looked set to score and Victor Moses almost poked home as Nigeria eased to victory.

It was a win that was fully deserved as Nigeria comfortably beat a tired-looking Burkina Faso, who struggled to make an impact in their maiden final appearance.

And perhaps it was one game too many for the Burkinabe, who had failed to win a single game on foreign soil in the Nations Cup before this tournament but shocked by going so far this time. Read more…

Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris and Afera Godfay Take the Cinque Mulini Honours

Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris winning at the 2013 Cinque Mulini race

February 4, 2013 (IAAF) — Ethiopia got a winning double at the 81st edition of the famous Cinque Mulini cross country race in the Italian town of San Vittore Olona, an IAAF Cross Country Permit Meeting, with 2012 World Junior Championships 5000m gold medallist Muktar Edris and his compatriot Afera Godfay taking the honours on Sunday (3).

Edris came out on top of a hard-fought battle over 10.3km with Kenya’s 18 year-old Albert Rop by just one second, 30:08 to 30:09. In the women’s 6.45km race, Godfay was a more decisive winner in 21:56, beating Kenya’s Eunice Kales by 16 seconds. Read more…

Tiki Gelana under pressure but retains Marugame Half-Marathon title

February 3, 2013, Marugame, Japan (IAAF) – Ethiopia’s London 2012 Olympic Games Marathon champion Tiki Gelana successfully defended her crown at 67^th Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon in 1:08:53, five seconds slower than in 2012, but was made to work surprisingly hard for her second victory on Sunday (3).

Gelana took off from the start and covered the first 5km in a swift 15:52, a minute faster than her opening split from last year and she continued to lead at 10km, which was passed in 32:19, still nearly 30 seconds ahead of her 2012 pace.

However, behind her, New Zealand’s Kim Smith had been less audacious and covered the first 5km in  16:07 and 10km in 32:25 before catching Gelana at 12km. Read more…

2013 Africa Cup of Nations: Ethiopia and Zambia are eliminated

January 29, 2013 (The Guardian) - Victor Moses converted two late penalties to give Nigeria a 2-0 win over Ethiopia on Tuesday and a place in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Chelsea forward scored the first past Sisay Bancha after 80 minutes and the second past the midfielder Addis Hintsa who had to go in goal after the keeper was sent off for bringing down Moses in the box.

Ethiopia had already used all three substitutes in their final Group C match and finished with 10 men for the second time in the competition after keeper Jemal Tassew was also dismissed in their opening match with Zambia. Read more…