News08 May 2006


Ethiopian Championships – Final Day

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Markos Geneti (ETH) in action in the men's 3000m heats (© Getty Images)

Markos Geneti won a nail-biting 5000m final on the fifth (7 May) and final day’s action at the 27th Ethiopian Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa 3-7 May 2006.

Genetti, who won a bronze over 3000m in the 2004 World Indoor Champs but failed to make any impact in the 2006 indoor season due to a niggling knee injury, won a fantastic race yesterday in a tight sprint finish from Ali Abdosh in a time of 13:46.73 with Tariku Bekele finishing third.

Although the race was devoid of big name stars like Kenenisa Bekele, Sileshi Sihine, Abebe Dinkessa, and Gebregziabher Gebremariam, the race got off to a fast pace set by Geneti and Abdosh who led a lead group of seven other runners quickly away from the rest of the field.

By the 5th lap, it was Abdosh, fifth in the short race at last month's World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, who made the first attempt to distance himself from the rest of the field. But he was caught by Geneti who dictated the pace of the race from then on with just Abdosh, Tariku Bekele, Maeregu Zewde, and Solomon Tsige in hot pursuit.

Zewde and Tsige were the next to drop away, and with two laps to go, Geneti made another massive surge and while Abdosh seemed to take notice, Tariku Bekele could not keep up. There was nothing to separate Abdosh and Geneti at the bell and they battled side by side down the finishing straight with Geneti, 21, getting the edge.

“I ran with pain in my legs but could have gone faster,” said Genetti after a 56-second final lap. “I am slowly returning to my best and I am happy with the outcome of the race.”

M. Bekele wins first ever women’s steeple

History was made in the Ethiopian Championships this year as the women’s 3000m Steeplechase was held for the very first time and produced a runaway winner in Mekdes Bekele. The 20-year-old from the Prisons-Police club also produced a reasonably fast time of 9:24.38, a performance too fast for her nearest rival who finished sixty-six seconds behind.

In the men’s corresponding event, Eskyas Sisay defended his Ethiopian title with a last-gasp victory over African Junior 3000m bronze medallist Nahom Mesfin.

Elshadai Negash for the IAAF


27th Ethiopian Athletics Championships

Day Five

RESULTS

MEN

1500m
1. Kumsa Adugna (Prisons) 3:43.49
2. Yehualashet Tadesse (Prisons) 3:44.44
3. Ashenafi Kiros (Defense) 3:45.26

5000m
1. Markos Geneti (Oromiya Prisons) 13:46.73
2. Ali Abdosh (Defense) 13:47.01
3. Tariku Bekele (Muger Cement) 13:51.22

3000m Steeplechase
1. Eskyas Sisay (Ethiopian Banks) 8:43.34
2. Nahom Mesfin (St. George) 8:43.76
3. Abraham Kabeto (Ethiopian Banks) 8:52.29

4x100m relay
1. Ethiopian Banks 41.43
2. Prisons 41.88
3. Defense 42.16

4x400m relay
1. Defense 3:14.44
2. Prisons 3:18.35
3. Ethiopian Banks 3:20.07


Women

3000m steeplechase
1. Mekdes Bekele (Prisons) 9:24.38
2. Netsanet Achamo (Negash) 10:30.68
3. Sofia Assefa (Ethiopian Banks) 10:34.85

4x400m relay
1. Prisons 3:50.52
2. Ethiopian Banks 3:54.64
3. Oromiya Prisons 3:55.52

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