The sporting world was reminded at the weekend why Ethiopia has the reputation for producing some of the best runners on Earth, when its athletes dominated the top positions in two separate competitive events, the 2005 Great Edinburgh Cross Country Run and the Cross Internacional de Italica in Santiponce, Seville.

The results of the Men’s 9.2km competition in Edinburgh on Saturday 15^th January, were indicative of just how tight a race it was. Dejene Berhanu came a close second, denied victory by just one second, with a finishing time of 27 minutes and 44 seconds, which fellow countryman Gebre Gebremariam taking third position one second later.

In the Women’s 6.2km, Tirunesh Dibaba successfully defended her Great North title by pushing Australia’s World Cross Country Champion Benita Johnson into second place, with a winning time of 21 minutes and 35 seconds. The four Ethiopians in the strong field – which also included Meselech Melkamu (who finished third in 21:44), Etalemahu Kidane (who finished fourth in 21:53) and Tirunesh’s sister, Ejegayehu Dibaba (who finished seventh in 22:35) – took turns with the lead during the first half of the race.

“The Ethiopian girls were very strong – all four of them. They’re fantastic runners and I’ve got a lot of respect for them,” Benita Johnson said of her competitors.

Tirunesh will follow her success in Edinburgh by competing in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham on February 18^th, where she will be joined by Olympic 5,000 metres champion Meseret Defar.

The following day saw even more success for Ethiopia’s athletes, with the Men’s and Women’s races in Seville won by Maregu Tarefe Zewdie and Werknesh Kidane.

Maregu, the reigning World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist, finished the Men’s 10.8km race in 31 minutes and 22 seconds, just six seconds ahead of fellow Ethiopian Abebe Dinkesa, who came in second.

“Winning an IAAF permit race is fantastic,” declared Maregu, before announcing his plans to compete in Elgóibar in Spain on Sunday 23^rd January, and then in the short race at the World Cross in France in March.

ENDS