The Great Ethiopian Run 2018, set to be held on November 18, will have 44,000 adult runners and 3,500 child runners, making it Africa’s largest running event.
ADDIS ABABA (Xinhua)–Africa’s largest road race, the Great Ethiopian Run (GER) will have a total of 47,500 participants on its 18th edition, an official of the GER company said on Saturday (6 October 2018).
Speaking to Xinhua, Hilina Negussie, GER’s Senior Sales and Marketing Officer, said the 10km race which will be held in Addis Ababa on Sunday, November 18, is part of GER’s efforts to promote healthy lifestyle and running among the Ethiopian public.
“The Great Ethiopian Run 2018 will have 44,000 adult runners and 3,500 child runners and for the first time feature a membership package for selected runners, offering pre-race physical exercise training programs and networking opportunities with other runners.” said Hilina Negussie.
Hilina said the Great Ethiopian Run expects to see 500 foreign runners at the 10kms race, with already 60 runners from China alone having confirmed they will participate in the athletics event.
Hilina further said in a bid to ensure there is no repeat of the tragic events of GER 2017 edition which saw two runners die of heart stroke, the athletics event organizers will deploy emergency medical services staff at every 500 meters of the run.
The 10km Great Ethiopian Run was started in 2001 by Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebreselassie as part of his efforts to turn running from an elite sport stars sports into a hobby of the masses.
About the Great Ethiopian Run
Great Ethiopian Run (GER), an event management company with the mission of staging mass-participation running events in Ethiopia, was started in 2001.
In recent years, GER’s focus has been on taking mass-participation races to all corners of Ethiopia; developing capacity in the office and event teams which are staffed by Ethiopians; and working with sponsors on a range of publicity campaigns.
Since its inception in 2001, GER has staged over 100 races in different parts of Ethiopia.
Source: Xinhua