Genzebe Dibaba made history in the Stade Louis II with a women’s world 1500m record of 3:50.07, surpassing Qu Yunxia’s mark of 3:50.46, set at the 1993 Chinese National Games. Kenyan Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto missed a chance to make history.
After world indoor 800m champion Chanelle Price had paced her through 400m in 1:00.31 and 800m in 2:04.52 the Ethiopian still had European champion Sifan Hassan for company as she passed the bell in 2:50.3. But she kicked on for a monumental win that eclipsed a mark many observers expected to have stood for at least another 22 years.
Six women ran faster than four minutes. Hassan clocked a national record of 3:56.05 in second, while Shannon Rowbury broke the North American record with 3:56.29 in third.
“I think Tirunesh will be happy, all of Ethiopia will be happy,” added the sparkling eyes ever smiling of her older sister, who recently gave birth to her first child.
Kenya’s Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Brimin Kipruto produced one of the great track performances of all time as he missed the seven-year-old world record by just one hundredth of a second.
A stupendous last lap of around 60 seconds was enough for the 25-year-old from Keiyo District to see off the lingering challenge of Kenya’s past and future Olympic champion, Ezekiel Kemboi and win in 7:53.64 – just shy of the 7:53.53 run at the 2004 Brussels meeting by Qatar’s Saif Saaeed Shaheen.
Genzebe breaks 22-year-old record while Kipruto misses a chance
Okikiola Affolabi takes home Ethiopian PL Golden Boot
Nigerian marks man Okikiola Afolabi won 2018 Ethiopian Premier League season’s top scorer award by a mile. Fellow Nigerian Samuel Sanumi and Ghanaian international Al-Hasen Kalusha shared the runner up spot while Ethiopian Getaneh Kebede and Addis Geday finished a joint third.
The 23-year-old Ibadan-Nigeria born Okikiola not only stood top scorer of the league season but thanks to his 23 goal tally Jimma AbaBuna became the second regional side next to two time champion Hawassa to be crowned Ethiopian champion.
With a 5-0 thrashing of Adama on Monday, AbaJifar claimed the coveted championship title in goal differences and Okikiola with four goals to his name was hailed an overnight hero of Jimma the classical town 350 Km West of Addis Ababa.
The giant striker is considered the major component in AbaJifar’s dream title campaign for he scored 23 out of the total 39 goals the team managed to bag throughout the season. Fast to adopt the country, the football as well his playing partners Akikiola was also the most popular player in Jimma busy hugging and bustling with the town’s football fans. “It is because of Boss Gebremedin’s effort that I could easily mingle with the squad and his tactic is most favorable for my style. I am lucky in every way to be part of AbaJifar’s football history.”.
Samuel Sanumi and Electric’s one man army Al-Hasen Kalusha ended joint Silver Boot winners each with 13 goals while Dedebit’s Getaneh and Sidama’s Addis Geday shared the Bronze Boot each with 12 goals.
What a threat as well opportunity for EFF President Issayas Jirra
Ethiopian Football Federation’s newly elected President Issayas Jirra ended a sitting duck for the abuse and humiliation from Saint George supporters during the season’s closing fixture on Monday at Addis Ababa Stadium. The defending champions won the day 2 nil but Jimma AbaJifar won the title in goal differences hammering in nearly half a dozen goals against visitors Adama
Just less than two months since assuming the Presidency, Saint George supporters that have no one but Issayas to turn their frustration to, called names, and performed shocking abuses as well as throwing items in to the tribune. With the opposition magnitude getting stronger the President slipped out early but only to stay in office for three hours before going home under protection.
Though the incident is nothing less than a show case to show the magnitude of hooliganism at its peak, it is also the sheer legacy of former EFF President Juneidin Basha and his cabinet that left office (half of them still members of the current EO) in total chaos.
The extension of the season is very boring to fans courtesy of Ato Abebe Gelagay: the then Organizing Committee head, the corrupt referees thanks to the Referee Committee chairman Lulseged Alemayehu, the tasteless competition handiwork of Technical head Zerihun Kekebo and the others, the season was so frustrating football fans could have gone even further. But all this abhorrence against a President elected just in the final stage of the season is unfair and totally unacceptable among football fans.
What is amazing above all is the existence of those sinners: Abebe Gelagay, Zerihun Kekebo, Alimirah Abdulahi and the member of the newly elected executive body. These very people are accused of being major actors in the worst ever EFF executive body yet here they are for a second chance. God knows where to they are to lead the already in death bed Ethiopian Football.
But Issayas did not go to Jimma to watch his former team AbaJifar rather he appeared at Addis Ababa Stadium to honor Saint George while sending Vice President Colonel Awol to Jimma. He could do nothing better than that and hardly to be responsible either for Saint George’s title loss or AbaJifar’s gain. A saddening and frustrating experience for Issayas but also a showcase to how much the administration is in need of overhauling not a simple task. He has the mantel for the rebirth of Ethiopian Football and it all starts from here.
2018 Ethiopian Premier League Crown goes to Love City: Jimma
Saint George’s dream of a five Premier League Championship titles in a row turned in to an ugly nightmare, with newly promoted Jimma AbaJifar making history as the first ever Ethiopian Champion from Oromia region after 5-0 demolition of strong outfit Adama. “It is the second best thing for the Love City next to the Essayas Jirra’s election to the Ethiopian Football Presidency,” remarked an overjoyed supporter after the memorable showdown.
It was tense season closing as well title deciding fixtures for both AbaJifar and Saint George each with an identical 55 points and 19 goals. Abajifar took Adama in Jimma while Saint George faced visitors Hawassa in Addis Ababa. While AbaJifar fought like gladiators in front of the sellout crowd where Nigerian goal machine grabbed four in his name here in Addis Ababa under a pouring rain “The Horse Men” failed to break Hawassa’s diehard stance settling the result with a 2-0 score line Salahadin Bargecho missed from a spot kick.
At the final whistle it was all about dancing and singing in Jimma Stadium where as in Addis Ababa an abusive and humiliating chant from frustrated full house supporters against newly elected EFF President Essayas Jirra formerly President to Abajifar FC.
With Fifteen wins, ten draws and only five defeats Jimma AbaJifar was crowned Ethiopian Champion in its first ever season at the top tier collecting the lowest ever in a single season 55 points equal to runner-up Saint George but with superior goal difference that is 24 against 21 goals.
