Though breaking the seven-year-old 27-goal record appears no longer possible, the premier league top scorers’ race is gaining momentum with five players: Ali Suleiman, Menyelu Wondemu, Chernet Gugsa, Amanuel Erbo, and Yosef Tarekegne, who are the front runners.

Formerly with Adama, the Eritrean striker’s second season at Hawasa has been highly fruitful for both the club and the player. If it were not for Suleiman’s individual effort, Hawassa would have been in the danger zone considering the weak defense that has conceded 43 goals so far this season.

Ali has netted 16 goals, including a hat trick over Diredawa. Suleiman’s 16 goals have not only given him the leading position in the top scorers’ list but have also helped Hawassa to sit 10th in the roster, collecting 36 points from 27 matches.

Suleiman is also being closely watched by a number of clubs from Tanzania and Egypt. According to the latest news headlines, even one club from Scandinavian nations is close to winning the striker’s signature.

Menyelu Wondemu is turning water into wine for the premier league title contenders Mechal, banging in 13 goals, including a hat trick over Wolkite Ketema. Being in the right place at the right time is what makes Menyelu the most valuable player in the team, helping Gebrekristos Birra’s side secure three points even during times of bad performance. Three points behind the league leaders and three goals shy of the league’s leading scorer, Menyelu has dual purposes to battle for: the premier league title for Mechal and the top scorer’s crown for himself.

Chernet Gugsa of Bajerdar, Amanuel Erbo of Kidus Giorgis, and Yosef Tarekegn of Adama are the other target men in contention for the top scorers’ award. Each has banged in 11 goals, putting them all in the race, although it is uncommon in the league for teams to win by more than a one-goal difference.

Ethiopian Fereweyni Hailu, Leonardo Fabbri, Natalia Kaczmarek, and Andreas Kramer provided the standout performances of the Szewinska Memorial in Bydgoszcz, as meeting records took a tumble at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting.

Fereweyni produced a controlled run to take the women’s 1500m. The 2022 Sweden 1500m champion stayed close to the pacemaker through the early laps, then maintained the tempo on the final lap. Hall was close behind Hailu, and at one point moved onto her shoulder, but the world road mile silver medalist kicked on to win in 3:58.69 with Hall taking second in 3:58.96.

The first nine athletes finished inside the previous meeting record of 4:03.86, five of them setting PBs. There was a similar flurry of PBs in the men’s 800m. After a swift opening lap, Algeria’s Mohamed Ali Gouaned took up the running and held the lead for a fair stretch before fatigue set in down the home straight. Kramer, the world indoor silver medalist, then came through to take the win in 1:44.08, breaking a meeting record that had stood for 13 years.In the men’s shot put, Fabbri led throughout and improved as the competition progressed. The world silver medalist from Italy opened with 21.54m, which would have ultimately been sufficient to win, but then improved to 21.92m and 22.03m.

After a foul in round four, he unleashed his best throw of the day, 22.38m, in round five before ending his series with 22.28m. Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell was a distant second with 21.22m.

Yomif Kejelcha took a thrilling narrow win at the Ethiopian 10,000m Olympic trials held in Nerja, Spain.

The 26-year-old smashed his lifetime best by 18 seconds to clock a world-leading 26:31.01 after an incredibly tight sprint with Berihu Aregawi, who also improved his career best to 26:31.13. The third spot on Ethiopia’s team for Paris went to Olympic champion Selemon Barega, who was timed at 26:34.93.

In one of the highest quality 10,000m races ever, four men finished inside 26:40 and six men finished inside 26:50 for the first time. 17-year-old Biniam Mehary placed fourth in a world U20 record of 26:37.93, taking four seconds off the previous mark set 19 years ago by the late Samuel Wanjiru.

On a mild (21C), windless night and in a race with good pacemaking, Aregawi, Kejelcha, Barega, and Mehari went through the halfway mark in 13:17. One kilometer later, the last pacemaker dropped out of the race, and from then on the world 5km record-holder Aregawi pushed hard, trying to leave his rivals behind, but only the young Mehari lost ground in the ninth kilometer.

Shortly after reaching the bell, Barega began to fade, and the event became a two-way showdown between Aregawi and Kejelcha. The latter tried to overtake his compatriot on the final bend, but Aregawi managed to hold off his first attack; Kejelcha never surrendered, and finally, he edged ahead of Aregawi just 30 meters before the finish line.

In the women’s race, Fotyen Tesfay took an impressive victory in 29:47.71, putting her just outside the top 10 on the world all-time list. 2023 world cross-country silver medalist Tsigie Gebreselama was second in 29:49:33, ahead of world bronze medalist Ejgayehu Taye (29:50:52), who also set a lifetime best.