Dawit Seyaum may be new to the 5000m, but the former 1500m specialist looked anything but inexperienced as she outkicked her fellow Ethiopians to win a high-quality race. It’s a second all-Ethiopian podium in Oslo! Telahun Haile has come out on top of the men’s 5000m in 13:03.51 ahead of Samuel Tefara and Getnet Wale.
The opening pace was steady, the first 1000m covered in 2:53.83 and 2000m reached in 5:52.33. Versatile Norwegian runner Karoline Grovdal held on to that lead for another 4500 meters, but then Dawit and compatriots Letesenbet Gidey, Gudaf Tsegay and Almaz Ayana started battling for the lead with one lap to go.
Almaz’s challenge soon faded, leaving Dawit , Gudaf and Letesenbet out in front. Dawit’s kick down the home straight was enough to break free from Tsegay and she won in 14:25.84. Tsegay, the Olympic bronze medalist at this distance, was second in 14:26.69 while world record-holder Gidey was third in 14:26.92.
There was another Ethiopian 1-2-3 in the men’s 5000m, though this time the 1500m standout was beaten by the 5000m specialist.
The pace was steady though never blazing quick, meaning most of the field was still in contention at the business end of the race. Two-time world indoor champion Samuel Tefera led at 3000m, passing in 7:54.39, but then sat back in the pack to save his legs for a potential fast finish.
He made his way back to the front of the pack in the closing stages, but could not get on level terms with Tilahun, who kicked ahead and won in 13:03.51. Samuel Tefera held on for second in 13:04.35, just ahead of compatriot Getnet Wale (13:04.48).
Dawit and Tilahun led Ethiopian Men’s and Women’s 5000m sweeps
Ethiopian Letesenbet leads loaded 5000m field in Oslo
Multiple world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey will be out to achieve her first victory of the year following runner-up finishes in Eugene and Hengelo.
The Ethiopian, who holds world records for 5000m, 10,000m and the half marathon, takes on a handful of her leading compatriots in the 5000m, including world indoor 1500m champion Gudaf Tsegay, 2015 world champion Almaz Ayana and 2016 world indoor silver medallist Dawit Seyaum. Britain’s Eilish McColgan, who beat Gidey over 10,000m in Hengelo earlier this month, is also in the line-up.
Following a promising debut at the distance in Eugene last month, two-time world indoor 1500m champion Samuel Tefera will contest the second 5000m race of his career. The 22-year-old Ethiopian clocked 13:06.86 at the Prefontaine Classic to finish second to Berihu Aregawi. While Aregawi is skipping Oslo, three other Ethiopians with sub-13-minute PBs are in the field: Getnet Wale, Telahun Haile Bekele and Milkesa Mengesha.
Olympic silver medallists Keely Hodgkinson and Laura Muir will race over two laps of the track. The British duo has raced each other just once before, Hodgkinson getting the verdict on that occasion at the national championships last year. The 20-year-old goes into this race as the fastest entrant too, having clocked a season’s best of 1:57.72 when winning in Eugene last month.
Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, also aged just 20, goes into the race in good form too, having set a personal best of 1:58.28 for 800m and a season’s best of 3:59.19 for 1500m. Uganda’s world champion Halimah Nakaayi, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule, Britain’s Jemma Reekie and France’s Renelle Lamote will ensure the race is super competitive.
World-first systematic review shows positive economic outcomes in green government spending
In 2020, natural gas was trading at its lowest price in more than 30 years. This winter, many people will struggle to warm their homes. In response, some governments are considering ploughing taxpayer funds into fossil fuel extraction, reversing course on recent climate progress.
A new Oxford report reveals green government investments are demonstrably superior to dirty investment options; they can be faster, create more jobs and boost economic growth.
Brian O’Callaghan, lead author and head of the Oxford University Economic Recovery Project, asserts that green investment makes more economic sense and helps bolster energy security, he says, ‘We suggest, if governments are going to spend, green energy makes a far smarter investment than fossil fuel.’
Digitizing the education sector
Microsoft has collaborated with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education to implement a Higher Educational Management Information System supporting the successful digital transformation of the education sector.
The Ministry of Education of Ethiopia has a mission to ensure effectively, quality, and equitable education and training systems through building the capacity of the education sector at all levels. Facing an urgent need for comprehensive data and insights to ensure the success of the transformation process in the education sector, the Ministry sought to introduce country-wide education data analytics.
With no Higher Educational Training Management Information System (HETMIS), decision-makers were lacking relevant data to drive the right decisions, and the impact of the implemented strategies could not be measured. The education transformation process was in urgent need of comprehensive data and insights to ensure its success.
