Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh smashed the world record to win the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on Friday, clocking 1:04:31 at the World Athletics Gold Label road race. Marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei was a distant second in 1:04:49, but her time was also inside the previous world record of 1:04:51, set by Joyciline Jepkosgei in Valencia in 2017.
Battling off a foursome Kenyan contingency Ababel crossed the line in 1:04:31 to take 20 seconds off the world record while Kosgei followed in a Kenyan record of 1:04:49. It was revenge of sorts for the Ethiopian, who had finished second at last year’s Chicago Marathon when Kosgei won in a world record of 2:14:04. Rosemary Wanjiru came through to take third place in 1:05:34, the fastest ever debut half marathon, and the next five women over the line finished inside 67 minutes.
“I didn’t imagine this result,” said Ababel Yeshaneh, whose previous best of 1:05:46 had stood as the Ethiopian record for a five-month period between 2018 and 2019. “I am a world record holder!”
Kandie, who won the Kenyan cross-country title just six days ago, caught Munyao with about three kilometers to go, eventually pulling away to win in 58:58, a personal best by 21 seconds. Munyao finished second in 59:16, just seven seconds shy of the PB he clocked in Santa Pola last month.
Mule Wasihun, who finished third at the London Marathon last year in 2:03:16, took third place in 59:47, closely followed by Alfred Barkach (59:49) and Vincent Kibor Raimoi (59:51).
Ababel Yeshaneh breaks half marathon world record
League leaders St George entertains Adama
Four wins in a row and at its best ever form this season St George entertains Adama Ketema which is currently in a chaotic situation following the senior players’ demand for their release paper on Monday at Addis Ababa stadium.
Just two draws and six wins in the last eight consecutive matches St George is back in to the league top spot for the first time since the start of the season. A 6-2 home victory over visitors Sidama Bunna followed by 4-1 away destruction of Welwalo-Adigrat in front of its frustrated home supporters, St George is expected to go for a huge victory.
Back from a 3-2 away defeat to Sidama Bunna followed by a shocking demand of release by the three star players: mid fielder Kenaan Markneh, striker Dawa Hutesa and defender Megnot Debebe, Adama Ketema appeared to be in a very difficult time to face St George with a fearsome striker that netted ten goals in the past two matches.
Being in a limbo between club officials and the players, Coach Ashenafi Bekele, appeared to be in a grave situation to decide the future of Adama Ketema once who were among the strongest regional sides in the premier league.
Seven wins, six draws and only one defeat St George tops the league with 27 points while Adama sits ninth with eighteen points from fourteen matches. Scoring twenty two goals while conceding eleven goals, St George is in command of mighty strike force as well strong defense line.
Okiki Afolabi’s hat-trick helped Mekele bounce back to reality
A crucial hat trick to help his side revive from two consecutive defeats to go past visitors Hawassa-Ketma in 5-0 win, Okiki Afolabi heralds his better late than never presence in style.
With goal machine Temesgen G/Michael absent from the roaster for the past seven weeks and missing a spot kick in the two-nil defeat to visitors St George, the Nigerian top scorer Okiki saved the day for Mekele steering the side to five star victory. Mulugeta W/Giorgis with the second and Seyoum Tesfaye’s injury time final nail on the coffin, the day ended in huge celebration for the defending champions.
Though the dreamed strike partnership between Amanuel G/Michael and Okiki failed to come true, the huge victory meant a lot for Gebremedihn and his squad inspiring to become the first regional side to win back to back premier league title.
A brace in a 2-1 victory over Sebeta and the winning goal against Sehul, here comes Okiki catching up the leading scorers’ chart with six goals. The Nigerian is now joint third leading scorer along with St George’ Getaneh Kebede, Sebeta Ketema savior Fitsum G/Mariam and Mekele’s Amanuel G/Michael.
“I am really happy and felt alive after handing my team a much deserved victory at the same time bagging a hat trick in front of home supporters” Okiki told reporters. “I will do my best to win the top scorers’ crown as well steer Mekele for back to back title” Okiki remarked.
Israeli Ethiopian soccer players ordered to meet Netanyahu or be benched
The Ethiopian-Israeli soccer league threatened its players that if they didn’t attend a ceremony with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the league final, they would be benched for the postseason.
Moreover, the league said, any team in which more than half the players skipped the ceremony would be ousted from the league.
It demanded that at least 80 percent of every team’s roster be present, and said that every player who didn’t attend would result in a point being deducted from his team.
Netanyahu attended the final in Gedera on Tuesday together with Gadi Yevarkan, an Ethiopian Israeli who was elected to the last Knesset as part of Kahol Lavan but recently jumped ship to Likud. The ceremony was to mark the 20th anniversary of the league’s founding.
But the fact that players will be appearing with Netanyahu just two weeks before the election is problematic, because the Culture and Sports Ministry, headed by a member of Netanyahu’s party, funds the league to the tune of 300,000 shekels ($88,000).
MK Pnina Tamano-Shata (Kahol Lavan), herself an Ethiopian Israeli, petitioned the Central Elections Committee against the league’s demands, saying Netanyahu and Yevarkan have no right to use a state-funded league for electioneering. But the committee rejected the petition after the association that runs the league said all its money came from donations – a statement that contradicts official Culture Ministry documents, which show that the ministry does fund the league.
The league is virtually unknown outside the Ethiopian-Israel community.
