Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia (357) running the 2003 World Cross long race in Lausanne (© Getty Images)
2002 World Junior 10,000m silver medallist Sileshi Sihine completed a remarkable 5000m and 10,000m senior double at the 23rd Ethiopian Athletics Championships which finished last weekend in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
Sihine, who finished second in the Total Great Ethiopian Run last November, destroyed the championships record at both distances beating among others Kenenisa Bekele and Gebre Gebremariam, who had beaten him so decisively at the World Cross Country Championships in Lausanne in March, where he had finished a distant seventh in the men’s long course race.
In the 10,000m final held on the opening day of competition (6 May), Sihine representing the Prison Corrections Club team out-sprinted Gebremariam to take the title in a time of 28:24.80, shaving an impressive 26 seconds off Assefa Mezgebu’s old record mark of 28:46.76, which had stood since 2000.
Then in the final day’s action (10 May 2003), Sihine scratched the previously unblemished season’s image of two-time double World Cross Country champion Kenenisa Bekele, taking the 5000m title in a time of 13:35.30, again slashing nearly 20 seconds off Haylu Mekonnen’s mark of 13:54.82 set in 1999. In doing so Sihine blew away Bekele in the last lap, with the latter who was competing for the Muger club, finishing second in 13:47.25.
Bekele, who was making his first appearance on the track since 2000, was hoping to make a smooth transition from the cross country, having repeated his double 2001 World Cross victories in Lausanne on 30 March, so completing the previously unthinkable feat of a double – double golden triumph.
However, Bekele found Sihine in particularly uncompromising mood, in what turned into a thrilling twelve and a half-lap race. 20 year-old Bekele looked to be moving comfortably as the last lap bell rang , but it was then that Sihin produced the decisive kick which he sustained into the finishing straight.
Bekele is now preparing for his 10,000m clash with four-time World and twice Olympic 10,000m champion Haile Gebreselassie in Hengelo, on 1 June. Sihine and Gebremariam will also be heading to Europe to compete at several meetings, as competition heats up for places in the Ethiopian squad for this summer’s 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Paris (23-31 August).
In contrast to Bekele, Ethiopia’s other two individual World Cross Country winners in Lausanne showed no sign of slowing down, recording impressive wins in their transiation from the dirt and grass to a formal athletics track. Senior women’s World long course champion Werknesh Kidane clocked a reasonable 32:52.52 to take the 10,000m, with Asha Gigi (33:39.14) and Ejigayehu Dibaba (35:36.81) coming in second and third respectively.
Tirunesh Dibaba, who had spurted away from Kenya’s Peninah Chepchumba to win the women’s junior World title in Lausanne, was equally impressive over 5000m taking the Ethiopian title in 16:01.48, ahead of last year’s double World Junior track champion (3000m and 5000m) Meseret Defar, who was second in 16:17.44, ahead of Eyerusalem Kuma (16:20.46).
There was success for Defar too, who took the 3000m title in a time of 9:17.90.
There were other records broken during the five-day event, which attracted athletes from all over the country. Banks club member Roman Abera broke the Ethiopian women’s Shot Put record with a throw of 11.60m, which bettered the 11.37m mark held by Debritu Tilahun since May 1997. While another championships record went to Defence Forces athlete Gulte Bekele, also broke the 3000m steeplechase mark by setting a time of 8:40.75.
There were also significant individual performances including triple gold medals for three Banks Club Athletes: Berhane Alemu (800,1500, and 4 x 400m men’s relay); Leaynet Alemu (100, 200, and 4 x 100m women’s relay), and Meskerem Legesse (800, 1500, and 4 x 400m women’s relay). Omedla’s Gezenew Meteku also took two titles, one in the men’s Long Jump and another in the Triple Jump.
Overall, the Banks Club took the Ethiopian Club title, while the Oromia region, birthplace of some of the finest Ethiopian distance runners, won the regional competition for the 7th year in succession.
Elshadai Negash for the IAAF
23rd Ethiopian Athletics Championships Official Results
NB. some results are missing BUT there were no Pole Vault events for men or women.
Athlete Club Time
Men’s 100m
1. Tadele Alemu Defense 10.80
2. Tagay Yetayew EEPCO 10.83
3. Adem Amda Defense 10.84
Men’s 200m
1. Negussie Getchamo Prisons 21.84
2. Alemayehu Adem Banks 22.05
3. Uman Usman Defense 22.12
Men’s 400m
1. Alemayehu Adebo Banks 46.43
2. Habtemariam Ayehu Banks 46.48
3. Rayo Abate EEPCO 47.81
Men’s 800m
1. Berhane Alemu Banks 1:47.66
2. Gezhagne Alemu Prisons 1:48.32
3. Ashenafi Haylu Banks 1:48.34
Men’s 1500m
1. Berhanu Alemu Banks 3:47.57
2. Samuel Dado National 3:47.63
3. Daniel Zegeye Prisons 3:47.68
Men’s 5000m
1. Sileshi Sihin Prisons 13:35.30
2. Kenenisa Bekele Muger 13:47.25
3. Markos Guente Oromia Police 13:55.70
4. Dejene Berhanu Prisons 14:01.80
Men’s 10,000m
1. Sileshi Sihin Prisons 28:24.80
2. Gebregziabher G/Mariam Banks 28:45.40
3. Dejene Berhanu Prisons 28:52.10
4. Assefa Mezbegu Banks 28:54.16
Men’s 3000m steeplechase
1. Bulti Bekele Defense 8:40.75
2. Maru Daba Prisons 8:46.92
3. Tewodros Shiferaw Omedla 8:50.45
Men’s 110m Hurdles
1. Ubang Abaya Defense 15.40
2. Mehari Zerfu Omedla 15.78
3. Getachew Alemu National 15.85
Men’s 400m Hurdles
1. Ubang Abaya Defense 52.41
2. Getachew Aklilu Prisons 54.02
3. Getachew Alemu Omedla 54.24
Men’s High Jump
1. Jemal Ahmed Prisons 1.75m
2. Rahmeto Shehebo Defense 1.70m
3. Erbelo Tumisa Defense 1.70m
Men’s Triple Jump
1. Gezenew Meteku Omedla 14.86m
2. Berhanu Fekadu Prisons 14.76m
3. Solomon Benti Defense 13.42m
Men’s Shot Put
1. Tsegaye Woldesenbet Defense 13.20m
2. Sisay Mekonnen Prisons 12.77m
3. Bekele Gebre Prisons 11.22m
Men’s Discus
1. Tsegaye Woldesenbet Defense 36.93m
2. Bekele Gebre Prisons 35.98m
3. Mohammed Ali Prisons 32.87m
Men’s Hammer
1. Sisay Mekonnen Prisons 23.83m
2. Wondwossen Mandefro Prisons 23.32m
3. Mohammed Ali Defense 22.78m
Men’s Javelin
1. Abdella Taddesse Defense 64.74m
2. Anteneh Tameru Defense 59.95m
3. Diro Tola Defense 59.94m
Men’s 4x100m Relay
1. Defense 43.18
2. EEPCO 43.31
3. Oromia Police 43.42
Men’s 4x400m Relay
1. Banks 3:09.84
2. Prisons 3:11.74
3. Defense 3:14.81
Men’s 20km Walk
1. Ashenafi Mercha Prisons 1:36.05
2. Ayele Hitsan Prisons 1:39.41
3. Getachew Demissie Defense 1:44.45
Women’s 100m
1. Leaynet Alemu Banks 12.25
2. Atekelt Wubshet Banks 12.48
3. Mulu Diriba Prisons 12.67
Women’s 200m
1. Leaynet Alemu Banks 24.90
2. Atekelt Wubshet Banks 25.18
3. Rebcca Chenasha Banks 25.35
Women’s 400m
1. Netsanet Getu Prisons 55.10
2. Weyneshet Eka Banks 55.82
3. Rebcca Chenasha Banks 55.86
Women’s 800m
1. Meskerem Legesse Banks 2:03.40
2. Berhane Eposa Muger 2:05.25
3. Felegehiwot Shiferaw Prisons 2:05.78
Women’s 1500m
1. Meseret Legesse Banks 4:13.66
2. Mestawot Taddesse Banks 4:15.68
3. Meselech Melkamu EEPCO 4:16.02
4. Sintayehu Ejigu Banks 4:19.12
5. Kutre Dulecha Prisons 4:19.30
Women’s 3000m
1. Meseret Defar Banks 9:17.90
2. Etalem Kidane Omedla 9:22.60
3. Sintayehu Ejigu Banks 9:25.32
Women’s 5000m
1. Tirunesh Dibaba Prisons 16:01.48
2. Meseret Defar Banks 16:17.44
3. Eyerusalem Kuma National 16:20.46
Women’s 10,000m
1. Werkenesh Kidane Banks 32:52.52
2. Asha Gigi Omedla 33:39.14
3. Ejigayehu Dibaba Oromia Police 33:56.81
Women’s 100m Hurdles
1. Netsanet Bekele Banks 16.01
2. Aynalem Demissie Banks 17.95
3. Abaynesh Yeshewasew Prisons 18.00
Women’s 400m Hurdles
1. Fekerte Dagne Prisons 1:01.50
2. Tadelech Erwero Banks 1:01.55
3. Sisay Mokeru Banks 1:05.45
Women’s High Jump
1. Haymanot Bekele Prisons 1.46m
2. Hargewoin Mengistu Banks 1.44m
3. Mekdes Taddesse Prisons 1.40m
Women’s Long Jump
1. Emebet Tilahun Banks 5.33m
2. Tadelech Erwero Banks 5.30m
3. Weyneshet Eka Banks 4.99m
Women’s Triple Jump
1. Tadelech Erwero Banks 11.56m
2. Emebet Tilahun Banks 11.33m
3. Weyneshet Eka Banks 10.89m
Women’s Discus
1. Meseret Gebregziabher Banks 33.36m
2. Alemitu Lorenzo Omedla 31.86m
3. Debritu Tilahun Banks 31.50m
Women’s Javelin
1. Aynalem Tekabe Banks 42.12m
2. Abaynesh Sisay Banks 39.46m
3. Tadelech Regassa Prisons 36.79m
Women’s 4x100m Relay
1. Banks Club 48.36
2. Prisons 48.68
3. EEPCO 52.40
Women’s 4x400m Relay
1. Banks 3:48.36
2. Omedla 3:53.51
3. Oromia Prisons 3:58.16
Women’s 10000m Walk
1. Amsale Yacob Prisons 57:09
2. Desu Balcha Prisons 57:45
3. Hanna Haileselassie Omedla 1:00.01
Women’s 2000m Walk
1. Netsanet Getu Prisons 55:10
2. Weyneshet Eka Banks 55:82
3. Rebcca Chenasha Banks 55:86
