Kenyan Nathan Naibei will lead five compatriots in the 2006 TOYOTA Great Ethiopian Run 10km road race to be held in Addis Ababa on Sunday 26 November 2006.
The 20-year old, who finished second in last year’s corresponding race, will hope to go one better than he did last year where he pushed eventual race winner Ketema Negussie all the way to an Ethiopian all-comers 10km record.
Peter Muruiki, who also took part in last year's race and this year has improved his personal best for the 10,000m (27:38) at the IAAF Golden League meeting in Brussels, Matthew Koech, Henry Sugut, and Mike Kiprop complete Kenyan men’s challenge for this year’s race, while Standard Chartered Nairobi 10km champion Linet Chepkurui is the country’s sole representative in the women’s race.
Organizers have also announced that Morocco’s double Olympic 1500m and 5000m champion Hicham El Guerrouj; Sweden’s Olympic and World Heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft; and Ireland’s former Olympic 5000m silver medallist Sonia O’Sullivan will be the oversees VIP guests for this year’s race.
Around 25,000 runners are expected to start the sixth running of the 10km in three weeks time with a further 3000 children registered to compete as part of the Addis Ababa leg of the AIMS Children Series 2006.
Elshadai Negash for the IAAF
