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Road races have
been part and parcel of the annual athletics calendar for
some decades now, but in Africa, they do not come much bigger
than the Toyota Great Ethiopian run, whose 5th edition took
place on 27 November 2005 in Addis Ababa, with the start and
finish in Meskel square at the heart of the capital.
Since its inaugural edition took place in 2001, the Great
Ethiopian run has established itself as one of the most important
races in the road racing calendar and regularly as the most
eagerly-awaited social gathering in Ethiopia.
This year’s edition was not different. Carrying on
with the tradition of ‘more participants each year’,
more than 26,000 participants took part in making the event
Africa’s largest 10 kilometers road race. Two innovations
for the 2005 event were a separate elite women’s race
with its own early start and a new course designed to accommodate
the increased number of participants.
The race has seen some of Ethiopia’s finest runners
take part in the previous four editions and there was no shortage
of elites again this time. Leading Ethiopia’s title
defense was defending women’s champion and course record
holder Genet Getaneh.
Kenya was represented by no less than eleven runners (eight
men and three women) as Kenya aimed to end Ethiopia’s
stronghold of the event.
Apart from the main elite race, there was a race between
twelve ambassadors based in Ethiopia. Mr. Myles Wickstead,
former British Ambassador to Ethiopia and one of the masterminds
behind the Great Ethiopian run project, won the title of three
consecutive years between 2001 and 2003 before concluding
his term of office in Ethiopia and his successor Bob Dewar
was determined to regain the British crown after losing to
Dutch Ambassador Mr. Rob Vermaas last year.
The 2005 great Ethiopian run was officially opened by the
world renowned Ethiopian athlete, Haile Gebreselassie and
the Romania women Gabriela Szabo
In the Ambassador’s race, victory went to the French
Ambassador Mr. Stephan Gompertz, who again foiled the attempts
of his British counterpart.
Off-road Ethiopia Tour in collaboration with Toyota, the
major part of the organizing committee can reserve tickets
for people who are interested in attending the 2006 great
Ethiopian run. Once the fixed date is set, it is possible
to combine it with tour package of the countries attraction.
Contact Address:
Off-Road Ethiopia Tour
P. O. Box 1766/1250, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mobile: +251-911-692494
Tel.: +251-116-297970
Fax: +251-116-297970 |
