Gari Robi and Legese Lemiso in the steeplechase at the 2011 Addis Ababa Champs (© Bizuayehu Wagaw)
A 3000m/5000m double by young athlete Etenesh Diro was the highlight of the 28th MOHA Addis Ababa Clubs Athletics Championships which ended today (12) after seven days of competition in the Addis Ababa stadium.
There were also dominant performances by steeplechasers Roba Gari (men) and Sofia Assefa (women), while Addis Ababa stadium records were smashed in the women’s 400m and women’s 200m as the official track season kick started in Ethiopia.
Diro takes surprise double
The performance of the championships belonged to youngster Etenesh Diro. Two years after emerging on the domestic season as part of the Ethiopia’s small contingent at the East African Youth Championships held two years ago in Addis, Diro showed promise here competing against some of the country’s promising young talent.
Diro was dominant in both the 3000m and 5000m, but the way she took her victories could not be more different. Shadowed by her teammate from the Defense Forces sports club Ababel Yeshaneh for much of the 3000m race, Diro needed a superior kick in the final stages of the race to take a narrow victory - 9:21.83 to 9:23.43 - with Alemitu Haroye a distant third in 9:30.99.
But she was commanding in the 5000m taking the lead halfway into the race before crossing the finish line in 16:22.18, more than eight seconds behind the second placed Haroye, who also doubled like Diro, with Tigist Mamuye coming home third in 16:44.75.
Gari, Assefa dominant in Steeplechase
The highlight from the final day of action came in the men’s 3000m where African 3000m Steeplechase bronze medallist and national record holder Roba Gari took a commanding victory. The 24-year clocked 8:40.50 to beat youngster Legesse Lemisso in the final stages of an entertaining race.
African championships silver medallist Sofia Assefa was equally impressive in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase taking victory in a new championship record of 9:57.83 ahead of world junior record holder Almaz Ayana and All-African Games bronze medallist Mekdes Bekele.
There were also exciting match-ups in the middle distance events that went the way of the favourites. African junior 3000m/5000m champion Emebet Etea beat World junior 1500m champion Gete Dima in a tactical, but exciting women’s 1500m race - 4:18.98 to 4:20.03. Yilma Gurara edged Sheferaw Wolle, fourth in the African Championships 800m, in a tight finish in the men’s 800m.
One national record, two stadium records broken
Fantu Megeso, a finalist in last year’s African championships, continued her improvement this year by improving the women’s national record over the 400m in the final day of competition. The 19-year old, who clocked 2:03.17 for the 800m in France last month, scorched 52.03sec for the 400m to improve Abaynesh Arega’s national record (53.53) held for nearly 20 years.
In another outstanding performance, Megeso also lowered Netsanet Getu’s stadium 200m record (23.93) held for eleven years to 23.87.
Aynalem Eshetu improved the women’s 10km race walk record held by Gete Koma from 51:50.80 to 49:00.52.
Elshadai Negash
with the assistance of Bizuayehu Wagaw
Selected Results
Men
400m
1. Bereket Desta (Defence) 46.19
2. Hagos Taddese (Defence) 47.39
3. Tamrat Teklu (Federal Prison) 47.67
800m
1. Yilma Gurara (Federal Police) 1:46.68
2. Shiferaw Wele (Defence) 1:46.70
3. Abiyot Abnet (Defence) 1:49.33
1500m
1. Abiyot Abnet (Defence) 3:43.05
2. Soresa Fida (Defence) 3:43.67
3. Yilma Gurara (Federal Police) 3:43.90
3000m Steeplechase
1. Roba Gari (Defence) 8:40.50
2. Legese Lemiso (Defence) 8:41.95
3. Ayele Getachew (Commercial Bank) 8:54.43
5000m
1. Abayneh Ayele (Defence) 14:10.87
2. Bayisa Atita (Defence) 14:13.03
3. Aweke Ayalew (Commercial Bank) 14:18.80
10,000m
1. Workneh Tesfa (Federal Police) 29:35.50
2. Dereje Tadesse (Defence) 29:38.65
3. Brhanu Megersa (EEPCO) 29:44.70
Women
400m
1. Fantu Megso (Federal Prison) 52.03 NR
2. Mantegbosh Melese (Defence) 54.41
3. Aalem Gebregziabher (Defence) 54.61
800m
1. Alem Gebregziabher (Defence) 2:10.62
2. Tenaye Lemi (Commercial Bank) 2:11.19
3. Emebet Fekadu (House Agency) 2:12.12
1500m
1. Emebet Etea (Defence) 4:18.98
2. Gete Dima (Defence) 4:20.03
3. Bizunesh Asfaw (Commercial Bank) 4:21.61
3000m Steeplechase
1. Sofia Assefa (Commercial Bank) 9:57.83 NR
2. Almaz Ayana (Defence) 10:09.12
3. Mekdes Bekele (Federal Prison) 10:22.42
3000m
1. Etenesh Diro (Defence) 9:21.83
2. Ababel Yeshaneh (Defence) 9:23.43
3. Alemitu Haroye (Commercial Bank) 9:30.99
5000m
1. Etenesh Diro (Defence) 16:22.18
2. Alemitu Haroye (Commercial Bank) 16:31.60
3. Tigst Mamuye (Defence) 16:44.75
10,000m
1. Tsega Gelaw (Defence) 33:50.37
2. Ababel Yeshaneh (Defence) 34:09.93
3. Meseret Taye (House Agency) 35:18.52
10,000m Race Walk
1. Aynalem Eshetu (Federal Prison) 49:00.52 NR
2. Bekashign Aynalem (Defence) 51:15.67
3. Adanech Mengstu (Federal Prison) 53:27.93