Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera tore up the script for the Muller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham, upstaging compatriot Yomif Kejelcha to break the long-standing world indoor 1500m record while Alemaz Samuel won Women’s 3000m.
Yomif Kejelcha, who last week came within 0.01 of the world indoor mile record at the Millrose Games, had announced his intentions to break the 1500m mark ahead of his race in Birmingham. But Tefera, the world indoor champion at the distance, had a plan of his own.
With the pacemakers having done their job, Kejelcha reached 1200m in 2:49.28 and was still on course to challenge the record, but Tefera was tucked close behind and looked ominously comfortable with the pace. The clock ticked through 3:03 as the bell sounded for the final lap and Samuel made his move, kicking past Yomif to take the lead and leaving his compatriot unable to respond. Samuel charged towards the line and stopped the clock at 3:31.04, taking 0.14 off the 22 years old record set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1997. Yomif finished second in an outright personal best of 3:31.58 while McSweyn held on to third place with an Oceanian indoor record of 3:35.10.
By winning the women’s 3000m earlier in the afternoon, Alemaz Samuel became the first confirmed World Indoor Tour champion of 2019, bagging a USD20,000 bonus and a wild card entry to the IAAF World Indoor Championships Nanjing 2020.
With a blistering pace in the final kilometer as the Ethiopian contingent of Almaz, Axumawit Embaye and Meskerem Mamo began their long drive for home, world U20 1500m champion Almaz, proved to have the best finish and won in 8:54.60, 0.37 ahead of Axumawit.
Tefera breaks world indoor 1500m record in Birmingham
Relegation battler Sehul-Shere appoints Samson Ayele
Former Harar Birra, Dashen Birra and Baherdar Coach Samson Ayele returned to the hot seat after long break this time taking a huge task of rescuing new comers Sehul-Shere from relegation.
Three defeats in a row and closing to bottom of the table new comers Sehuil Shere kicked Daniel Tsehaye from the back to bring in Samson from a relatively long break. A single win, a record eight draws and six defeats to sit 15th in the table with 11 points from 15 matches, one of Tigray region’s four representatives at the Premier League Sehul brought in much experienced Samson to help the side. The second round kicks-off in three weeks. Samson is lucky enough to have a breathing space in order to reorganize the team. A weak strike force and defense line, Samson faces a huge task but it will be rewarding if he can manage the team to safety.
The former Welwalo-Adigrat versatile player Asari Almeha, the first to join the club for the second round, Samson is expected to have the right to sign number of players for his survival campaign. Although saving Sehul appears a high hill to mount, luck is with Samson for many of the second round encounters against the big teams are in front of home supporters. Saint George, Fasil, Baherdar, Hawassa and Ethiopia Bunna are all to face Samson on its own turf.
Elias leaves AbaJifar, Henok Joins Ethiopia Bunna
Left to rot on the reserve bench former Ethiopia Bunna and national team mid fielder Elias Mamo parted ways with defending champion Jimma AbaJifar while former Sehul-Shere that now holds mid fielder Henok Getahnu landed a two-year contract with Ethiopia Bunna.
Frustrated for being forgotten, with only seven starts from 19 Premier League matches under Coach Zemariam W/Giorgis, Elias Mamo left AbaJifar in mutual agreement. Once considered an upcoming play maker orchestrating the mid field with Saint George, Elias played for Ethiopia NegedBank and Ethiopia Bunna before he joined the champions at the start of the current season. Blamed for being overweight and lack of inspiration, Elias was said to be not on good terms with Coach Zemaraim W/Giorgis and Technical Director Worku Dergeba therefore he left the club half way through his contract. Sources close to Elias told Capital the mid fielder is already in touch with other teams at the upper tier.
In other news Ethiopia Bunna appears to have discovered the right player to tackle the defensive mid fielder problem signing Henok who left Sehul-Shere in mid season after a mutual agreement. The former Adama and Jimma AbaJifar mid fielder had a good season start with Sehul but when some started pointing fingers at the team’s poor result, Henok decided to part with the team only to put pen to paper with Ethiopia Bunna in less than a month. The tall and heavy set Henok is expected to be the right answer for Didier Gomes’ who is currently under pressure from club supporters.
Miracle performer Alazar; popular choice at Debub Police
Fair Play award winner Gebrekristos Birara’s appointment in replacement of miracle performer with Premier League debutant Debub Police care taker Coach Alazar Melese left supporters in disappointment.
A single win and two draws in the past thirteen matches, Debub Police and Zelalem Shiferaw parted ways in mutual agreement therefore Alazar appointed stop-gap Coach until the end of the first round. But two wins out of two and Debub Police a step up the ladder to 14th in the table with 11 points, many got convinced that young Alazar to stay longer.
But to supporters’ surprise Dilla sacked Coach Gebrekristos Birara’s appointment at relegation struggler Debub Police calleda for disappointment from club supporters. Care taker Coach Alazar made a miracle winning two tricky matches a shocking 2-1 away win over Ethiopia Bunna and devastating defending champions AbaJifar to 6-1 score line. That is more than the total points in their 13 matches therefore supporters disappointment appeared to be sound for Gebrekristos’s recent record shows that he got sacked for poor results with Dilla while Alazar is an overnight hero slaying two giants.
With all variables stayed constant and the credit of success all goes to Alazar, supporters are in demand of long term contract to him. Gebrekristos’ huge credit of a real sportsmanship gesture of fair play that is saying no to a goal mistakenly given by the referee in favor of his side is something huge to appreciate. But handing the hot seat just for the sake of Fair Play appears to be illogical and likely to back fire soon if things in particular managing the players go wrong to Gebrekristos.
