World XC Champion Gebremariam dominates men’s 10,000m - Ethiopian Champs, Day 1

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Outstanding finishing by the recently-minted World Cross Country champion Gebregziabher Gebremariam was the highlight of the first day’s action at the 38th Ethiopian Athletics Championships (29 April- 3 May 2009) at the Addis Ababa stadium on Wednesday evening (29).

The 24-year-old, who last month won his first ever senior global title in Amman, Jordan, once again showed why he is unbeatable at altitude taking victory in 28:45.76 ahead from Imane Merga and Abebe Dinkessa.

Strong field, but Gebremariam in cruise control throughout

But this was not a run-away victory for the two-time national champion. A strong field of around 20 athletes had started the race and the likes of Dinkessa, Merga, All-African Games 10,000m silver medallist Tadesse Tola, Hunegnaw Mesfin (fourth in the World juniors last year), and half marathon specialist Tilahun Regassa had threatened to spoil a happy return to the Addis Ababa stadium for Gebremariam.

After a nervy start with various runners hitting the front in early stages of the race, Regassa was the first to show any kind of sustained front-running as he led a large pack after six laps and continued to push up the pace for the next three laps.

Tola then took over the front running duties and two consecutive 68sec laps later, the field was down to just six runners behind the Prisons Police club man. Regassa, Gebremariam, and Mesfin all hit the front in what looked like ambitious attempts to break-up the leading back, but each of them was quickly tracked and closed down.

With five laps of the race, Dinkessa made the first serious attempt at a breakthrough and reduced the pack to three runners with only Gebremariam and Merga following suit. Two laps later, Merga, who won the IAAF XC Permit meeting in Belfast, UK on 3 January this year, then tried to break-up his more experienced compatriots without any success.

At the bell, these three leading runners and Tola, who had made ground on the leading three, all stood a healthy chance of victory. But the experienced Gebremariam timed his kick perfectly with 200m left to extend his winning streak on domestic soil to 15 months. Merga beat Dinkessa in the scramble for second, while Tola and Mesfin took 4th and 5th respectively.

“I am delighted with the victory,” said Gebremariam after the race. “I knew I had the finishing kick and that is why I waited until the end.”

Elshadai Negash for the IAAF

RESULTS

Men’s 10,000m
1. Gebregziabher Gebremariam (Ethiopian Banks) 28:45.37
2. Imane Merga (Defence) 28:46.04
3. Abebe Dinkessa (Prisons Police) 28:47.14