Mogos Tuemay wins the Jan Meda Cross Country (© EAF)
Mogos Tuemay and Dera Dida raced to the men's and women's titles, respectively, at the 36th Jan Meda Cross Country Championships in Addis Ababa on Sunday (10), a competition that served as an Ethiopian selection trials for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019.
The relatively unknown Tuemay produced the biggest upset of the day, beating rising 5000m star Selemon Barega by three seconds over the 10km course, clocking 31:16.
Andamlak Belihu, a finalist at 10,000m at the 2017 World Championships and the silver medallist at last year's African Championships, finished third, crossing the line just behind Barega, clocking 31:19.
Further back, Solomon Berihu was fourth in 31:24 followed by Bonsa Dida who clocked 31:28 to round out the top five.
Dida, twice a member of the national team at the World Cross Country Championships, produced a convincing victory in the women's 10km contest, clocking 35:50, five seconds ahead of Letesenbet Gidey, the U20 winner at the past two World Cross editions. Now 20, Gidey will contest the championships as a senior for the first time.
Further back, Zenebu Fekadu, who is less tested internationally, finished third in 36:18. Hawi Feysa, who was second in the U20 race behind Gidey in Kampala two years ago, was fourth in 36:20 with 20-year-old Tsehay Gemechu, this year's 10km world leader at 30:15, finishing fifth, in 36:25.
Nibret Melak took the men's U20 8km race in 25:02, beating Tsegaye Kidanu by two seconds.
Girmawit Gebregziabher, the 2018 African U20 cross country champion, won the U20 women's 6km contest in 21:26, six seconds clear of Alemitu Taku.
Bob Ramsak (with assistance from Carole Fuchs) for the IAAF
Leading results
Men (10km)
1 Mogos Tuemay 31:16
2 Selemon Barega 31:19
3 Andamlak Belihu 31:19
4 Solomon Berihu 31:24
5 Bonsa Dida 31:28
6 Abdu Fufa 31:29
U20 men (8km)
1 Nibret Melak 25:02
2 Tsegaye Kidanu 25:04
3 Milkessa Mengesha 25:07
4 Tadese Werku 25:07
5 Getnet Yetwale 25:16
6 Tesfahun Akalnew 25:20
Women (10km)
1 Dera Dida 35:50
2 Letesenbet Gidey 35:55
3 Zenebu Fekadu 36:18
4 Hawi Feysa 36:20
5 Tsehay Gemechu 36:25
6 Foten Tesfay 36:28
U20 women (6km)
1 Girmawit Gebregziabher 21:26
2 Alemitu Taku 21:32
3 Tsige Gebreselama 21:37
4 Meselu Berhe 21:38
5 Wede Kefile 21:40
6 Mizan Alem 21:50
Mixed relay
1 Oromia Region 23:04
2 Adama City 23:34
3 Oromia Water Works 23:35
4 Amhara Region 23:37
5 Oromia Roads 23:50
6 Sur Construction 24:00
