Ethiopia predict medal haul at African championships

April 23rd, 2008 | EthioPolitics.com |

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia have forecasted a clean sweep for their distance runners at next week’s African Athletics Championships.

More than 2,000 athletes from 43 nations will compete in Addis Ababa at the April 30-May 4 event, which will provide a good chance to warm up for August’s Beijing Olympics.

“All of our internationally-tested athletes … are expected to win gold medals in their respective fields,” said Ethiopia’s top athletics official, Dube Jillo.

“It’ll also serve as a test of endurance for our athletes to be selected for Beijing,” Dube, technical director of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Olympic champion and world record holder Kenenisa Bekele will lead the 10,000 metres squad, which also features Olympic silver medallist Sileshi Sihine, while Tariku Bekele heads the 5,000 metres team.

World champion Tirunesh Dibaba will compete in the 10,000 metres women’s event, while the 5,000 metres squad includes Meseret Defar — the Olympic and world champion at that distance.

The African Athletics Championships are held every two years.