Gebrselassie leads Ethiopian victories in New Year races

1 January 2009 - Rainy conditions prevented Ethiopia's world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie from improving the world 8km best in Germany on Thursday, but the 36-year old was a comfortable winner of the race in Trier. The former two-time Olympic and four-time 10000m World Champion clocked 22.23 to take victory ahead of Kenyans Shadrack Lagat and Paul Kipkorir. Although he missed the course record held by Isaac by just two seconds, Gebrselassie won comfortably from Lagat with a 24-second victory margin.   "Coming into the last lap I was thinking it will be easy to break the course record," he told reporters after the race. "So I am surprised I did not break it. I tried my best. Excellent atmosphere, like in stadium, the course was full of people. The only thing they threw the celebration thing (confettis) into my face, that was tough.“   Ethiopia's East African Youth Championships 3000m silver medallist Emebet Anteneh finished second in the women's race, two seconds behind race winner Yelena Zadorzhnaya and three seconds ahead of Kenyan Caroline Chepkwony.      In Bolzano, Italy, world junior 5000m champion Sule Utura took victory in the annual BoClassic 5km women's race in 16.12 ahead of Sonja Roman of Slovenia (16:14) and French marathon record holder Christelle Daunay (16:17). But Imane Merga, fourth in the world championships 10000m race, finished second in the men's 10km clocking 28.45 to finish one second behind race winner Edwin Soi of Kenya.   And there was an Ethiopian double in the Austrian San Silvestre with Abera Chane and Asmerawork Bekele taking victory in the men's 6.1km and women's 5.1km races respectively.

 

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