A group of veteran UK runners, most aged over 55, has arrived in Addis Ababa to compete in the Ethio Telecom Hawassa Lake Half Marathon (Hawassa Highland Half Marathon), scheduled for February 8, 2018 in Hawassa.
The team, composed of over-55 masters athletes from the United Kingdom, flew into Ethiopia this week and will spend the first nine days in Addis Ababa acclimatizing and training before moving to Hawassa for the race. They will later travel to Europe to compete in world masters championships in road, track, and cross-country events at various age-group categories.
Among the British contingent is Ben Reynolds, a world-class over-55 age-group runner who holds the 5,000-metre world championship title in his age category and also an over-65 marathon record of 2:47 hours. The group also includes two of the fastest over-60 English masters runners in the 5 km distance, making them serious contenders in the men’s masters divisions.
“This trip is about performance; that’s why I’m coming to Ethiopia,” said Steve Watmough, the group’s coach and organizer, referencing discussions he had with fellow runner Richard about the benefits of training and racing at altitude in Ethiopia. “When I told my friends about the plan, others wanted to join too,” he added.
Watmough said the group was excited to share training and racing culture in Ethiopia, “and also to see the culture and history of this amazing country.”
The race is being staged by the Great Ethiopian Run in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Ethio Telecom, Tebleb, Dashen Bank, Pepsi, FAB bottled water, Top Water, Haile Hotel & Resort, and Afro Hospital.
(Abdulrazak), the race’s mobility coordinator, welcomed the presence of the British masters group, noting that it sends a powerful message to Ethiopian runners.
“It is impressive to see over-60 runners competing at such fast times,” he said. “I hope seeing them will encourage Ethiopian masters athletes to keep pushing their own limits and to believe in what they can achieve.”
The organizers also stressed that the Hawassa Highland Half Marathon is not only a sporting event but also a major platform for tourism and international engagement, bringing together elite athletes and masters runners from across the continent and beyond.
The 14th edition of the Ethio Telecom Hawassa Lake Half Marathon will be held on February 8, 2018 in Hawassa, along the scenic lakeside roads. The event will feature a half-marathon distance race, with mass participation and elite/masters categories.
With the arrival of experienced international masters runners, the race is expected to be a showcase not only of speed but also of longevity and passion in the sport, drawing attention to Ethiopia’s growing role in hosting world-class running events.
