ADDIS ABABA–Foten Tesfay of Messebo Cement and Hagos Gebrhiwet from Rehoboth International Athletics won, respectively, the women and men’s titles of the 18th edition Great Ethiopian Run (GER) International 10km road race on 18th November 2018. The race was held at Sidist Kilo Yekatit 12 monument, after the race is making a temporary shift from its usual place, Meskel Square, due to the 11th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union, is being held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In what was believed to be one of the most challenging competition in the race history, mainly because of its hill topography and the level of the athletes who are coming to compete both from here (local Ethiopians) and internationally, the winners said that, it is not easy to win the race, specially to win it for the second time.
Foten Tesfay, who won this year’s race in women’s category, was also the winner of the 2016 race. Fonten made it to the podium by clocking 33:54.03 on her way beating Tsehay Gemechu and Tsigie Gebreselama of Oromia Bank and Sur Construction, respectively.
Foten said to the reporters, “I am very happy winning this great race, for the second time, but it was indeed a very challenging competition.”
Meanwhile, Hagos Gebrhiwet, the wen’s event winner, who is also a second time winner, said that “today’s race was very challenging, in all aspects specially the topography, but winning such a big race at this time of the year will help to prepare well for the upcoming world championships in Doha.”
Hagos registered 28:54.03 to finish a head of Bonsa Dida from Adidas Development Program and Tilahun Haile of Hawasa Kenema. The winners received their winning medals from Haile Gebrselassie, Board Chairman of the GER, and this year’s guest of honors of the race, Ugandan World and Olympic Champion Stephen Kiprotich and Eritrea’s Olympic Silver Medalist Zersenay Tadesse. In addition, the top three winners in both men and women’s titles will receive their 100,000 birr, prize money, after they past clear their doping test.
The Great Ethiopian Run is Africa’s biggest annual 10km road race, which boasts 44,000 participants and more than 500 elite athletes.
Top thee results: Athlete name (club) – Time
Women’s title
- Foten Tesfay (Messebo Cement) – 33:54.03
- Tsehay Gemechu (Oromia Bank) – 33:48.08
- Tsigie Gebreselama (Sur Construction) – 33:52.08
Men’s title
- Hagos Gebrhiwet (Mesfin Industrial Engineering) – 28:54.03
- Bonsa Dida (Adidas Development Program) – 29:03.08
- Tilahun Haile (Hawassa Kenema) – 29:13.07