ADDIS ABABA, 29 November 2004 — Olympic distance medalists Sileshi Sihine and Tirunesh Dibaba were upstaged by little-known Ethiopian athletes in the 10 km Great Ethiopian Run yesterday.
Sihine, silver medalist in Athens over 10,000 meters, was overshadowed by Abebe Dinkissa in the men’s road race while Dibaba, winner of Olympic bronze over 5,000 meters, could not match Genet Getaneh in the women’s event.
Ethiopian Prison Service runner Dinkissa won the men’s title in a time of 29 minutes 56.1 seconds, ahead of second-placed Zenbaba Yigezu and Mearegu Zwede, in third.
Getaneh dominated the women’s competition with a time of 34 minutes and 18.93 seconds. Teiba Erkesa placed second, in 34:31.85, with Eyerusalem Kuma third, in 34:34.64.
The Great Ethiopian Run, organized by former quadruple world and double Olympic 10,000m champion Haile Gebrselassie, has helped launch the careers of several world-class athletes from the African country.
Kenyans Dominate Milan Marathon
In Milan, Italy, Kenyans Daniel Cheribo and Rita Jeptoo won the Milan Marathon yesterday.
Cheribo, 23, clocked a personal best 2hr 08min 38sec for his first marathon win, beating John Nada Saya’s event record of 2:08:57 set three years ago. Benjamin Kipchumba came in second with Enock Mitei finishing third to complete a Kenyan clean sweep in the men’s race.
Jeptoo clocked a personal best of 2:28:11 to win the women’s race. Italy’s Gloria Marconi was runner-up, while her compatriot Debora Toniolo finished third.
US Lose 4x400m Gold Over Harrison Doping Case
In Paris, the United States have been stripped of their 4x400 meters relay gold medal at the 2003 world athletics championships in connection with a doping offence of their runner Calvin Harrison, the ruling body IAAF said yesterday.
The IAAF said at their Monaco headquarters that France will be promoted from silver to gold, Jamaica get silver and the Bahamas bronze after the appeal deadline against a two-year-ban for Harrison had passed.
Harrison tested positive for the stimulant modafinil at the national championships on June 21, 2003, two months ahead of the worlds in Paris. He competed in Paris, but was then banned for two years this year by the United States Anti-Doping Agency because it was in fact his second offence following a positive test for ephedrine in 1993.
Swedish Running Legend Gunder Hagg Dies
In Stockholm, Swedish distance running legend Gunder Hagg died on the weekend, the TT news agency reported yesterday, citing his family. Hagg was 85 years old.
Hagg set 15 world records over distances from 1,500 to 5,000 meters 1941-1945.
But he never gained major international fame because there were no Olympics during World War II (1939-1945) and Hagg was then banned for life in 1946 for accepting payments from meet organizers.
