A group of over 50 women who have survived cancer took part in the 2026 Safaricom Women First 5km, the 23rd staging of this annual joyous competition. The group of cancer survivors who have been training for the run are part of a women’s association called Negat (the Amharic word for ‘dawn’).
Sunday’s race is staged at its traditional venue in Bole at the newly renovated square next to Atlas Hotel. The square’s renovation offers more space for the thousands of women and girls expected at the event after registration closed last week with all 16,000 places taken. The race is one of the biggest women’s-only road races in Africa.
Every year the race which is staged around the time of International Women’s Day on 8th March promotes messages to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in the development of Ethiopia’s economic, cultural and social life. This year’s race message provided by DKT Ethiopia is “Live Smart Run Confident” and has been designed to create more awareness about the importance of family planning.
A strong field of around 150 elite female athletes competed for the cash prizes for the race’s top ten finishers with a winner’s prize of 100,000 Ethiopian birr, the highest-ever individual prize in the 23-year history of the race. And it was announced that the winner from last year’s women First 5km Birnesh Deseie won the race this year. Former race winners include Fantaye Belayneh, Medina Eisa, Senbere Teferi, Mamitu Daska and Aselefech Mergia who went on to achieve high honours for Ethiopia in major international races.
Last week the Women First 5km Race Ambassador Meseret Defar, a two-time Olympic 5,000m gold medallist, attended a warm-up event at Itegue Menem School where she encouraged students to be part of the competition and also make running a regular part of their lifestyle. “Mesi’s sub-35 minute challenge” aims to incentivise participants to run consistently throughout the year.
Sunday’s race again included a special Icon Women category for women in prominent positions in Ethiopian society. Kekron Asfaw, the 2nd time winner of the Icon Women race category, is one of many who speak of the sense of camaraderie experienced by participants at the race: “From the moment I first joined this event, I knew it was an experience I never wanted to miss. The sense of unity and camaraderie that pervades the atmosphere here is truly the heart of this run.”
