The WOMEN’s FIRST 5km Run- Running Event for women only, which started in 2004, the same year as the Athens Olympics, to recognize the achievements of Ethiopia’s great female athletes will be held on March 10, 2019 this year. The run also aimed to support the changes regarding the role of women in Ethiopia’s economic and social life. The Olympic Gold medalist and the winner of the London Olympic 5000m, Meseret Defar, is the ambassador of this event. More than 100,000 girls & women aged from 5-75 have taken part in the 15 editions since the first in May2004. The Women First Run has grown to be the biggest women only run in Ethiopia and one of the biggest in Africa. This race to mark the international women’s day (March 8) has become a celebration of the overall contribution of women in our country’s development.
This year’s message “I Lead” has been chosen drawing inspiration from the amount of women leaders that are in high positions.
The 16th Edition of the Annual Women First 5km women only run will be held on 10 March, 2019 with a total of 13,000 women participants.
Women First
Burundian Shabalala Shabani joins Ethiopia Bunna
After surrendering the league’s top spot to arch rival Saint George in sloppy form Ethiopia Bunna signed a new striker from Burundi. Hussein Shabalala Shabani is expected to help French Coach Didier Gomes find some breathing space before an all out opposition is triggered from club supporters. “Ten goals in thirteen matches means Bunna is contending for a title with no strike force,” a club supporter suggested. “Even considering what the foreign strikers delivered so far, I am in doubt whether Shabani can make a difference,” he added.
With a current marketing value of 90,000 £, the attacking midfielder who played for Baroka FC in South Africa, Tanzanian sides Rayon Sports and Amagaju FC and Flamb de L’Est in Burundi, the 28 year old Shabani’s record as a striker is hardly impressive yet the coach appeared to be happy. A member of the 2014 CHAN Cup final held in South Africa, Shabani played for his country on 15 occasions but scored no goals. Add to that his two goals in eight appearances at CAF Champions League and ABSA Premier international fixtures, “The Brownies” hope of emerging as string title contender could stay on hold.
Recently, Bunna sacked two of their foreign players for below par performance. But even the remaining two foreigners 250000 Birr a month Ghanaian Kalusha AlHassan and DRC international Suleiman Lokwa each with just two goals, are not delivering what is expected of them thus the rationality of signing Shabani yet to be seen. Abubakar Nesru is Ethiopia Bunna leading striker with five goals four from the penalty spot.
Zelalem leaves Debub Police
Hottest favorite to relegate at the end of the current season Debub Police parted ways with Coach Zelalem Shiferaw just four months in to his one year contract. Zelalem joined the club late in the players’ transfer market thus he built a squad out of second fiddlers.
Defeated in all home games except a 1-0 win over bottom of the table Dedebit and two away goals less draws with Diredawa and Sehul-Shere, last season’s Super League champion Debub Police collected five points from 13 matches thus second from the bottom a point clear. One of the most traveled Coaches Zelalem who last year left Dire Dawa in shabby form only to join Woldya on its way down to relegation, took over at Debub Police in September signing a one year contract.
But things went sour despite signing old horses the likes of Mulualem Regassa and foreign players including two from Nigeria two weeks ago, Zelalem appeared to be once again on the run from a likely side to go down. “Pressure was there for my resignation but I waited until it came from the club. When I saw the green light from the club, I agreed to resign,” Zelalem told Soccer Ethiopia.
What is amazing about Ethiopian Football is a rumor Zelaem is going to join another Premier League side at the start of the second round. “He is already in a scouting mission to sign players for his new side for the second round” an insider told Capital Sport.
Kenenisa and Ruti Aga lead elite fields for Tokyo Marathon
Multiple world and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele heads the men’s field at IAAF gold Label road race in the Japanese capital on 3rd of March 2019. The Ethiopian set a national record of 2:03:03 when winning the 2016 Berlin Marathon, but he has struggled in some of his races since then. He failed in finish in Dubai in 2017 but rebounded to finish second in London in 2:05:57 three months later.
He then withdrew from the Berlin Marathon later that year before returning to action at the 2018 London Marathon, where he finished sixth in 2:08:53, but recorded another ‘DNF’ at the Amsterdam Marathon in October 2018.
Bekele’s last race in Japan was at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, where he won the 10,000m – one of his six global titles at the distance. He is one of five men in the field with PBs faster than 2:05. Fellow Ethiopian Birhanu Legesse ran 2:04:15 in Dubai on his debut at the distance last year and will contest his third career marathon in Tokyo.
Dickson Chumba, the Tokyo Marathon winner in 2014 and 2018, will defend his title. The Kenyan, who has a lifetime best of 2:04:32, finished inside 2:05 in both of his Tokyo victories. He also finished third at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions of the race.
Ethiopian Ruti Aga is the fastest runner in the women’s field in 2:18:34. Three other women in the Tokyo field have sub-2:20 PBs: Ethiopian duo Feyse Boru Tadese and Yebrgual Melese plus Kenya’s former world half marathon record-holder Florence Kiplagat.
