Buze Diriba of Ethiopia Wins Women’s Elite Title of Bloomsday Run 2017

Buze Diriba sprinted across the finish line, several steps ahead of Mamitu Daska, to win the elite women’s crown at the 2017 Lilac Bloomsday Run.

By Whitney Ogdon (The Spokesman-Review) |

Buze Diriba had one last sprint left in her.

With the finish line just at the bottom of the hill on Monroe Street and Mamitu Daska only a half-step in front of her, Buze began to stretch her strides.

She made one final push before reaching the Monroe bridge, passing Mamitu Daska on the right.

For a moment, Buze looked back at Mamitu and flashed a smile at her fellow Ethiopian. After 12 kilometers of chasing the three-year Bloomsday veteran, Buze finally got her.

Buze Diriba sprinted across the finish line, several steps ahead of Mamitu Daska, to win the elite women’s crown at Bloomsday. Buze clocked in at 40:19, nearly a minute slower than Mamitu’s best time at Bloomsday.

“I’m very happy now,” said Buze Diriba, 23, while catching her breath after the race on Sunday.

It was Buze ’s first time taking on the Bloomsday course. Daska had visited Spokane for Bloomsday two other times. She won in 2012 when she finished in 38:26, much quicker than her 40:21 time she ran this year.

“It was a good race today,” said Mamitu Daska. The 33-year-old said she always enjoys running Bloomsday because of the steep hills and tight turns.

“The course is very difficult,” she said.

The group of 25 elite women certainly took a cautious approach to the hilly course. They took their time heading into Browne’s Addition along Riverside Avenue in one of Bloomsday’s slowest starts, according to race officials. There was almost no separation in runners as the pack of women finished the first mile in 5:44.

Read the complete story at The Spokesman-Review
——
See also: