Ethiopians dominate the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach

Addis Ababa, April 30, 2023 (FBC) – Ethiopian runner Medina Eisa raced to a women’s world U20 5km best at the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany, on Saturday.

Medina narrowly denied her compatriot Senbere Teferi a third consecutive women’s 5km victory as she sprinted to a world U20 best of 14:46 to beat her rival in a photo finish.

Further demonstrating her versatility, 18-year-old Medina adds this latest victory on the roads to a CV that already includes a world U20 5000m win on the track in Cali last year and a second place finish in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst in February.

Senbere Teferi, who set the women-only world record of 14:29 at this event in 2021, made a move in the second half of the race, but her compatriots Medina Eisa and Girmawit Gebrzihair were ready to respond. The defending champion sprinted towards the finish line and raised her arms in anticipation, but Medina had chased her down and made it to the tape first, breaking it in 14:46.

Girmawit finished two seconds behind them, while Lemlem Nibret was fourth in 14:57 and Yalemget Yaregal fifth in 15:00 in an Ethiopian top five.

There was also a close finish in the men’s 5km as Ethiopia’s long-time leader Yomif Kejelcha was surprised by Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew in the final strides and had to settle for second place this time, after his win in Herzogenaurach last year.

Two-time world indoor 3000m champion Yomif Kejelcha was running solo by 3km – reached in 7:45 – but Balew never lost sight and he stormed past Yomif at the finish to win in 13:06.

Yomif clocked the same time in second, while Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera was third in a national record of 13:11 on his 5km race debut.

The women’s half marathon was won by Ethiopia’s Bertukan Welde Sura, making her debut at the distance. The 18-year-old, who finished fourth in the 3000m at the World U20 Championships in Cali last year, timed her kick to perfection and won a sprint finish against her more experienced compatriots Nigsti Haftu and Dera Dida.

Haftu finished second, clocking the same time as the winner, while Dida was third in a PB of 1:07:47, a couple of months after her Dubai Marathon win in 2:21:11.

Another rising talent won the men’s half marathon, 20-year-old Tadese Takele surging away from his rivals over the final kilometre to win in 1:00:04.

Waving to the crowds and celebrating on his way to the finish line, Takele went from fifth in this event last year – when he set his PB of 59:41 – to first, winning by three seconds ahead of Kenya’s Josphat Chumo and Roncer Kipkorir.