Ahaza Kiros (right) is edged by Genet Getaneh at the 2005 Great Ethiopian Run (© Jiro Mochizuki (Agence Shot))
Ethiopian athletes took the senior men’s and women’s titles at the 2008 East African Cross Country Championships in Moshi, Tanzania on Sunday (24).
In the senior men’s race, Ethiopia’s Dereje Regassa continued his impressive cross country season with victory in Moshi. The 21-year old dominated the race to take a thirteen-second victory over compatriot Abiyot Girma with Jumanne Tnuwayi delighting the host nation with bronze ahead Kenyan Julius Kiptoo.
Ethiopia’s domination continued in the senior women’s race where Ahaza Kiros, ninth in the World Championships 10,000m race, made up for the disappointment of missing out on a top six automatic qualification spot in the Ethiopian national cross country championships at the beginning of the month by outsprinting compatriot Amane Godane in Moshi.
The 25-year-old, who is a former Great Ethiopian Run 10km road race runner up, clocked 27:42, two second ahead of Godana with Mantu Dasha completed the clean sweep of the podium places.
Elshadai Negash for the IAAF
RESULTS
Senior Women’s 8km
1. Ahaza Kiros (ETH) 27:41.9
2. Amane Godana (ETH) 27:43.9
3. Mantu Dasha (ETH) 27:44.9
4. Ann Cheptanui (KEN) 27:52.4
5. Alemitu Abera (ETH) 28:01.5
Senior Men’s 12km
1. Dereje Regassa (ETH) 36:32.6
2. Abiyot Girma (ETH) 36:45.5
3. Jumanne Tnuwayi (TAN) 36:53.0
4. Julius Kiptoo (KEN) 37:08.7
5. Isaya Beengwa (TAM) 36:53.0
