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26 November 2006
Ethiopian 20km champion Deriba Merga completed a memorable year with victory in the men’s race at the 2006 TOYOTA Great Ethiopian Run on Sunday.
The 22-year old, who had taken domestic victories in the Nazreth world cup 10km and the Ethiopian 20km championships, sprinted past compatriot Tadesse in the last 500m of the race to cross the line in 28:18.61.
Victory for the NIKE Global Athletics club recruit was a massive improvement on his third place finish from last year’s race, but the credit also goes to Tola who gave the Defense club runner a very close race.
After a traditional nervy start to the race, a leading group of eight runners distanced themselves from the rest of the field with four Kenyans also vying for a chance to upset the formbook.
The pack dwindled down to six runners by the fifth kilometre as Tola took the initiative to set a punishing pace that split off the pack. Three more runners were further dropped when the runners neared the punishing uphill at the 5km kilometre with Tola leading Merga and Eshetu Wondimu.
With two kilometres left, Tola and Merga dropped Wondimu to set up a two-horse towards the finish. Both runners tried to move away from each other towards the end, but when Merga pulled away with half-a-kilometre left, Tola had little chance of catching up.
Merga eventually finished three second ahead of Tola, who also improved on his Ethiopian championship 10000m bronze medal with a second place finish. Wondimu edged Tilahun Regassa to finish third. Henry Sugut was the fastest non-Ethiopian in 9th.
“I knew that I had what it takes to take victory,” said a delighted Merga after the race. “I have trained better and systematically compared to last year and that has been the difference.”
Results:
1. Deriba Merga (Defense) 28:18.61
2. Tadesse Tola (Prisons) 28:21.89
3. Eshetu Wondimu (Aysha) 28:34.57
4. Tilahun Regassa (Entoto Terara) 28:34.77
5. Kidane Gemechu (Ethiopian Youth) 28:39.89
6. Wegayehu Girma (Aysha) 28:44.45
7. Gadissa Gurmu (Geta Zeru) 28:46.29
8. Tola Bane (Muger Cement) 28:47.48
9. Henry Sugut (Kenya) 28:47.50
10. Demesew Tsega (St. George) 28:49.13
Fekadu takes surprise victory in women’s race
Little-known Belaynesh Fekadu was the surprise winner of the women’s race at the 2006 TOYOTA Great Ethiopia Run 10km road race this morning.
The Omedla sports club runner, whose only noteworthy international result is a 13th place over the 5000m in the Berlin golden league this year, powered ahead of Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui to win the race in a new course record time of 33:02.25.
Fekadu planned her race tactics superbly by first running behind a large leading group of nine runners after 3km and then maintaining a stranglehold on the proceedings when the pack dwindled down to five runners with two kilometres to go.
She then moved behind leader Chepkurui with a kilometre to go and sprinted past the Kenyan with 500m for an explosive finish.
Her victory is perhaps one of the biggest surprises in the sixth running of the competition with defending champion Genet Getaneh in 3rd and race favourite Bezunesh Bekele unable to handle the in-form runner.
“I did not plan for victory,” she said in her post-race comments. “This is my second race here and I am happy to have improved my 14th place finish from last year.”
Result:
1. Belaynesh Fekadu (Omedla) 33:02.25
2. Lineth Chepkurui (Kenya) 33:07.68
3. Genet Getaneh (Prisons) 33:13.19
4. Aheza Kiros (EEPCO) 33:24.57
5. Bezunesh Bekele (Ethiopian Banks) 33:26.09
6. Emebet Eta’a (Defense) 33:32.24
7. Dure Tune (Prisons) 33:41.07
8. Ayelech Worku (Omedla) 33:46.70
9. Teyiba Erkesso (Prisons) 33:48.85
10. Makeda Haroun (Prisons) 34:04.04