Running for new legends at the Birds Nest

By Zekarias Woldemariam
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, August 5, 2015
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 Genzebe Dibaba.[China.org.cn]

The emerging Ethiopian athlete Genzebe Dibaba has expressed an ambition to win two gold medals at the 2015 Beijing IAAF Championship. According to the Ethiopian Amharic Daily Addis Zemen, Genezebe is so far set to run only in the 5000 meters women's race at the championship that will take place in Beijing's Birds Nest Stadium from August 22 to 30, 2015.

The 24 year old has gained a reputation for her marvelous performance in the 1500m and 3000m among other events. She has astonished the world as she broke the world records for the 1500 meters, 3000 meters and 2 miles indoor race all in 2 two weeks last year. She has also won the Laureus Best Woman Athlete award in Shanghai the same year.

Genzebe forged ahead with her campaign of breaking records this year too. Accordingly, she grabbed the 5000m indoor record early this year. Recently she also added another new record in the 1500m indoor race at the Monaco diamond league.

Though the Ethiopian athletics committee listed Genzebe for the 5000m women category, she aspires to run one of her favorite distances, 1500m, and win 2 gold medals. If things go according to her ambition, she will repeat the even more colorful victory at the birds nest stadium that her elder sister Tirunesh Dibaba achieved at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The renowned middle distance star Tirunesh Dibaba made history by winning the first gold medal for Africa from that Olympic Games. She also added another gold medal in the women's 5000 meters. In memory of the victory, the government of China has built a big hospital in the suburbs of Addis Ababa and handed it over to the government.

 Tirunesh Dibaba at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[China.org.cn]

Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital lies along one of the busiest highways in the suburb of Addis Ababa, reminding people about the historical achievement of Ethiopian athletes in Beijing. By linking the name of the athletic heroine with the host city where she made the spectacular deed, it shines out as one of the indications of the strong bilateral relations of Ethiopia and China.

Long distance running is considered as the business card of Ethiopia's national image. Ethiopia has had a long history of magnificent performances in international athletics championships and Olympics since the 1950s. Ethiopia started to participate in Olympic Games at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

At that time, the Ethiopian team didn't succeed in winning medals. But in most of the Olympic Games that followed Ethiopian athletes were able to go more than mere participation. They rather made legends for the country as well as the continent.

At the Rome Olympics in 1960 Abebe Bikila won the first gold medal for Ethiopia and Africa in the marathon. Abebe ran the marathon barefoot, breaking the then world record. He repeated the performance at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, though that time running with shoes.

Though he participated in the Mexico Olympics in 1968, he failed to make a hat trick as he interrupted the race mid-way due to muscle cramps. However, Ethiopia has succeeded in winning the Olympic marathon gold medal three times in a row as the other athlete in the race, ; Mamo Wolde was able to claim it.

The inspiration created by the success of these pioneering Ethiopian athletes was not easy. Ethiopia has produced many famous athletes with extraordinary performances in Olympics and athletic championships. Apart from marathons, Ethiopian athletes have been successful in middle distance run especially the 10k and 5k.

The country debuted in the 10k and 5k with Miruts Yifter, who was well-known for springing out of a pack of runners in the last 200 meters. He is especially remembered for winning double gold medals in the 5k and 10 k at Moscow Olympics in 1980. But the most extraordinary performance in the history of 10k and 5k was made by the legendary athlete Haile Gebresellasie. At the peak of his performance years, Haile held 15 world records winning the popular nick name 'the Emperor.'

At one point beating Haile became so unimaginable that if he is in a competition people would rather discuss about who will take the silver medal as they already conclude that Haile will take the gold. For many years Haile also lived up to people's expectations, sometimes even breaking new records. Haile has also done well in marathon events. He broke a world record at the Berlin Marathon and won the session two more times.

Ethiopia is well known for its women athletes too. Derartu Tulu repeated the history made by Abebe Bikila years before by claiming the first ever gold medal for Africa in the women's championship at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Another athlete, Fatuma Roba, also opened the way for many Ethiopia long distance runners by winning the marathon gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

She became an inspiration for many young girls, and the number of female runners mushroomed afterwards. Among them are the globally well-known the Dibaba Sisters who are also Derartu's nieces. In particular, Tirunesh and Gezebe have been raising the country's flag in many big events in the 10k, 5k, 1500, m and 3k.

Due to the large number of young and successful athletes that sprouted following these celebrities, enumerating all the elite athletes of the country would not be manageable in such a short piece. But in general, athletics have become a life blood of the country and the people. They have had a meaningful role in the economy of Ethiopia as many of the athletes earn a lot of money and invest in the country.

Seven years later, Beijing is calling back these legendary athletes to the 2015 IAAF World Athletics Championship. Once more it will host the athletes who will hopefully make many more remarkable victories that will put the name of the city in an unforgettable place in the chronicle of the numerous Ethiopian athletic figures.

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