News19 Nov 2004


Defar leads strong Ethiopian team set for Chiba Ekiden defence

FacebookTwitterEmail

Meseret Defar is congratulated by Tirunesh Dibaba after winning the 5000m (© Getty Images)

Three Olympic medallists are included in Ethiopia’s team of twelve runners that will take part in the annual International Chiba Ekiden in Japan on Tuesday 23 November 2004.

After winning both the men’s and women’s team titles in the last two years, the Ethiopian team looks very strong on paper for a third Ekiden double. The women’s team sees only one change with Sentayehu Ejigu replacing World 10,000m champion Berhane Adere, while in the men’s line-up only Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam and Markos Genetti maintain their place from last year’s team as selectors selected the team roster. 

Defar returns to road running

In the women’s team, Olympic women’s 5000m champion Meseret Defar makes her first competitive outing since winning the 3000m at World Athletics Final on 18 September. This year’s Ekiden will be only her third road race in the last twelve months after running a stage best of 15:43 for 4.467kms last year, and taking third place in Carlsbad in March.

As well as Defar, the rest of the Ethiopian women’s team looks quite formidable too with the inclusion of the Dibaba sisters Tirunesh and Ejegayehou, while Werkinesh Kidane makes her fifth appearance in the Ekiden.

World 5000m champion Tirunesh looks to have recovered from the injury that ruled out of Monaco in September and says that she is looking to the race with optimism. “I have been training well for the race and hope that I will get a good result,” a modest T. Dibaba said.

Sentayehu Ejigu and Eyerusalem Kuma complete the Ethiopian women’s team, which beat Kenya by more than four minutes in last year’s Ekiden.

Gebremariam leads the men’s challenge

Unlike the women’s team, selectors have shuffled the men’s squad to fit in last minute changes with only Gebregziabher Gebremariam and Markos Genetti keeping their place from last year’s side. Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele has opted to stay behind in Addis Ababa and focus on training for the cross country season, while Olympic silver medallist Sileshi Sihine has other racing commitments in Njimegen, Netherlands. Dejene Berhanu, who recently won the Great North Run in a course record time, is also missing.

In their absence, double World Cross Country silver medallist Gebremariam is given the task of leading a young and inexperienced team to a successful title defence this year. He takes part in his first race in finishing third in the 5000m at the World Athletics Final in Monaco on 18 September. 

Like Gebremariam, World Indoor 3000m bronze medallist Markos Genetti retains his place in the Ekiden team and hopes to bounce back from the disappointment of failing to make Ethiopia’s Olympic 5000m team.

After missing out on selection in 2003, Abiyote Abate returns to Ethiopia’s team in Ekiden. The 21-year old ‘Rental Houses club’ runner has been struggling for form in 2004 and hopes for better fortunes this time around.

Maeregu Zewde’s impressive form last year has gifted the 22-year old runner a place in the team. The Debre-Markos born runner took bronze in the short course race at the World Cross Country Championships in Brussels, Belgium in March and 5000m gold at the 14th African Championships in Congo-Brazzaville in July.

Abebe Dinkessa is another Ethiopian athlete looking to build on an encouraging season last year where he finished third in the 10,000m at the African Championships.

Addis Ababa Municipal 10,000m champion Abera Chane completes the men’s line-up for Ethiopia, taking part in his first race outside Ethiopia representing his country.

Elshadai Negash for the IAAF

Loading...