“It is a big loss to English Football. It devaluates the premier league as the best league of European football.” said the BBC commentator when one of England’s football all time great strikers Thierry Henry left Arsenal to join Barcelona, the luckiest side to sign him. The twenty nine year old French international Henry had been the main component of Arsenal’s glory days under his mentor Arsene Wenger. He happened to be the only player to score more than twenty goals in five successive seasons. For many, Henry’s move meant the start of a new era Wenger may be to follow in tow Sesk Fabregas. It may be a dooms day for the Gunners that switched to the best venue that is Emirates just two seasons before.

Haile astounds Ostrava meet

For any one asking why world all time long distance great Haile Gebreselassie dose not hang up his running shoes ,the 34 year gave an emphatic answer by is setting a new world half marathon record in Ostrava, Czech Republic Haile appears set on becoming the first ever Ethiopian to win three Olympic gold medals.
In the 46th Zlata Tetetra Gspike IAAF Grand Prix held in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Wednesday evening where up for grab were automatic qualifying places for the 11th IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Haile once again proved unstoppable
Haile was running his first race since he dropped out of the Flora London Marathon in April and added 184m to the one hour world record, running 21,285m at the end of the hour. His record also improves the previous best by Mexican Arturo Barrios in La Fléche, France, held since 30 March 1991.On route, he also shaved more than 30 seconds off the world 20,000m record to 56:25.98.
In the women’s 5000m, Meseret Defar, who re-entered the race after initially withdrawing, did not quite live up to expectation, but still managed another fast time on the way to a memorable victory. The 23-year old clocked 14:30.18, the 11th fastest time in the history of women’s 5000m, to win the race from compatriots Gelete Burka (14:31.20) and Meselech Melkamu (14:33.83), who both smashed personal bests.
As a result, Meselech now moves up from 6th to third in the Ethiopian season’s list for the women’s 5000m. Meseret still tops the list ahead of Burka, with Tirunesh Dibaba now down to fourth. But Tirunesh’s placing on the list has no significance since she is an automatic qualifier after winning the world 5000m title two years ago.
In the men’s 5000m, Tariku Bekele, in his first year as a senior, continued his impressive track form with a second place finish behind Australian Craig Mottram. Youngster Abraham Cherkose recovered from an early-season injury to finish third. Gebregziabher Gebremariam (6th), Markos Geneti (8th), Maeregu Zewde (9th), Ali Abdosh (12th), and Tadesse Tola (17th), were the other Ethiopians in the race.
As a consequence of the performances in the squad, there is a minor shake-up in the hunt for Osaka solts. Tariku Bekele still leads the way, ahead of Abraham, Gebregziabher, and Markos. Markos could move into an automatic qualifying spot should Gebregziabher choose to contest only the 10,000m.

Dawit crowned Awasa city circuit champion, Awasa’s son Gabriel breaks down

It was the grandest ever city circuit race that brought together the highest number of participants as 21 race cars roared amidst a huge crowd lined up along the road sides and city squares.
Sponsors for the event, MOHA Soft Drinks, Shell Ethiopia, MOENCO and General Mercantile must be proud of the event. Awasa, capital to the Southern Region, passed the day wild with in excitement. “The association did every thing possible for the success of the Millennium’s closing city circuit but we never dreamt it would end up so dramatic and exciting” remarked Ethiopian Motor Association Public Relation and Marketing Officer, Tsega Kumelachew, after the race. “It is very exciting and I want this to happen in every major Ethiopian town. Let us all come together and back the Motor Association for this”, declared famous and the first Ethiopian woman racer, Rita.
Dawit Teshome, man of the pre-Millennium Awasa City Circuit dominated both his category and over all winners event to be crowned king. Dawit won his category in which seven racers took the line up. Taking an early lead he never looked back until the finishing line. In this 1050cc. category Afework Sisay and Pasero Ugo finished second and third.
Under the 1000 cc category six race cars showed up for the title fight of which veteran racer, and association official Mebratu’s son Robel claimed the flag followed by Anteneh Belachew and Jimmy Eshetu.
The 1300cc and above category title went to George Paulo, one of the famous City Circuit racers. George’s deafening Fiat 128 with a tremendous stretch run and swerves won Awasa motor fans thundering applause when crossing the finishing line, waving hands to his supporters. Manoli Mesfin finished runner- up in a Lancia – Prisma.
As expected earlier, the turbo engine title fight was between veteran racer Umberto Gula in his famous 7-up Opel- Astra and young Wladmiro Masero in his eye catching Toyota- Celica. Though at he start Umberto take the lead, it did not take long for Wladmiro to over take him and stay until the end. Of course, the city crowd gave the most reverberating support for home son Gabriel Tadesse in his Toyota-MR2. For starters, Gabriel was so admirable many remarked he is going to be Awasa’s golden boy in no time. Wladmiro Macelo won the category in style followed by Umberto Gula. Sadly, Gabriel quit the race due to for mechanical failure seven with laps to go.
The final show down among category winners involved seven cars out of which Pasero Ugo crashed out while Derese Tesfaye quit in mid race. After a fierce show- down between Dawit Teshome & Wladmiro Macelo, Dawit stood his ground as the best racer and retained his crown amidst acclaim from the excited crowd.
The association has announced at the award giving lunch on that Awasa City Circuit has become part of the association’s annual calendar of events.

Copa Libratadors heats up,
Brazil lose to Mexico

In its ninety one years, forty second edition, currently on high swing Latin American Copa Libratadors soccer Championship cup final (the equivalent to European soccer cup final) appeared to be the most surprise packed tournament. Just at the very start of the two week, 12 nation cup final, things turned up contrary to the expectation of the soccer world.
To start from the very beginning, it is the first ever billion dollars worth soccer tournament of the world hosted by rising oil rich nation Venezuela.Bolivian president Hugo Moroiles and Soccer king Armando Diego Maradona as his most prolific honorable guests President Hugo Chavez exploited the occasion to a show off how Venezuela is doing . Two, new state of the art stadiums and seven renovated ones, the tournament is taking place in nine venues. Mexico and USA are invited guests.
Fourteen times champion Argentina and seven timer Brazil are hot favorites to dominate the tournament with Uruguay, Columbia and Chile as potential for some surprise while the rest are under dogs with a dream qualification to the next stage.
Surprise! Surprise! it started at the very opening when Peru crushed fourteen times champion Uruguay 3-0. A stunning defeat at the opening match, Uruguay all of a sudden appeared a side living on past glory while Peruvians went wild and hopeful to go further.
For his entire money splashed for the occasion, Venezuelan president Hugo Chaves blessed only with a 2-2 draw against twice coming from behind Bolivia.
So far the biggest surprise came in group two where Mexico with out seven starters tarnished five time world champions Brazil 2-0. Carlos Dunga, who was never blessed with artistic football as a player and still uncomfortable with talents the likes of Ronaldinho and Caca traveled to Venezuela with his so called young dreamers who are capable of taking Brazil back to glory. That was the 1994 world cup that he captained the warrior side to championship. Two first half goals, there is Dunga’s Brazil on the verge of Copa Libratadors cup final first round elimination. Chile, the other group favorites, defeated Ecuador 3-2.
Group “C also unfurled its surprise when Paraguay demolished Colombia to 5-0 score line with Rogue Santa Cruz the tournaments first hat trick. Two minutes after Colombia missed a penalty through Dominguez, the flood gates opened wide with out much effort. One of the two invited nations, U.S.A., tormented by Argentina to a 4-1 score line with AC Milan striker Hernan Crespo scoring twice. Aimer and Tavez added the remaining two to make the latest Gold cup champions USA, which came to the tournament with second stringers in danger of first round elimination.
Today Brazil encounters Chile for a do or die match. Lose or draw, Dunga will return home in humiliation that is a blessing in disguise for Brazil’s football. He may get sacked so early with his Second World War football. Mexico meets Ecuador as the hottest favorite to finish top of the table.
Tomorrow, Argentina entertains heartbroken Colombia while USA encounters Paraguay to decide its fate whether to go back home soon.

sport commentary

At sixes and sevens...

Twelve of the sixteen Premier League clubs have formed an alliance to exert pressure on EFF and bring it back to its senses of duty and responsibility of public office.
According to the newly formed League Clubs Union headed by Saint George club board chairman Abnet G/Meskel, there is no question that current the EFF executive committee led by Dr Asheber has failed to deliver on what it promised at the start of its term. Of the very important points; failure to convene the annual national assembly and refusal to form a of league committee so that it can run the championships are the two most sensitive issues. Poor referee quality, unequal and blased treatment among clubs and suspending the season on a number of occasions are among of the 12 points submitted by the provisional league clubs union to Ethiopian Football Federation.
The latest grievance came from the Ethiopian national women’s squad in quest of the first ever Ethiopian Olympic soccer qualification in Beijing. Despite the heroic deeds in Morocco, no one from EEF came to the reception. Let alone a welcoming flower bouget, even hotel reservation was forgotten so that they passed the night in Harambe Hotel’s reception room floor.
Four clubs, namely Trans Ethiopia, Mugher Cement, Awasa Kenema and Air Force, declined to join the union with Defense Force yet undecided where to stand. The clubs appeared un convinced whether the points in question are strong enough to call for a boycott of the league season. The club’s stand is that, “Yes, there are a number of complaints we agree the federation failed to deliver, but we believe the best way to make things right is the legal way. That is, fulfilling ones obligation to carry on the league season while at the same time pressing the federation to perform accordingly.”
The federation on its part, called for the general national assembly for July 28 and with urged the clubs to carry on the league season. Apologizing for the delay of the formation for the league committee, the federation said it is in its final phase of draft preparation. EFF went on to accuse the clubs specially the heavy weights for incompetence in structuring their respective clubs in consideration of producing young talent for the nation’s football future. The federation should not be crucified for the decline of soccer standards, the executive committee’s president argues.
So far the ministry of sport and culture is acting wisely by calling the federation to act in time and come up a compromising solution. The federation should treat the clubs better ways and clubs must work hand in hand with the federation is the underlined statement of the ministry.
The public, well, many from the capital city are frustrated by the executive committee, especially by EFF President Dr Asheber W/Giorgis’ stubbornness. Thus, many suggest the committee is not competent and it is time they leave the office. “It is the worst ever soccer season in every aspect. Imagine what a laughing stock they will be to carry on the league season with the remaining six clubs.” Is Awasa Kenema to be declared champion of the season?” argue many of the sports critics.

Meseret tops IAAF athlete of the season table, Trunesh driving high to catch up

Crushing her own 5000 meter world record in Norway-Oslo, Olympic gold medalist Meseret Defar shot up IAAF best athlete of the season table to comfortable top spot.
The 23 year Old Meseret obsessed with crushing records on her way to become the first Ethiopian woman athlete to crown world athlete of the season is now leading the table with 1412 points. Muscling out American double world champion and reigning world athlete of the season Sonia Richards, Meseret leads the top spot in comfort with an eleven point’s difference. Slashing eight seconds down from her previous record in New York, helped the phenomenal Meseret to relegate Sonia who never took part in any athletics event recently. Setting a new world record in the season’s golden league athletics opening athletics meeting, Meseret had been considered as the hottest favorite to the one million dollar jack pot. How ever, the current world number one announced she is no more to take part in golden league meetings once she hanged the record high above the scale to no ones reach. Sonia Richards is now second on the table with 1401 points. Second on the table for long period Jamaican 100 & 200 meters star athlete Sharon Simpson relegated to third place with 1389 points followed by Michel Perry of U.S.America with 1385 points.
Ethiopian women athletes’ idol and double world cross country champion Tirunesh Dibaba settled for fifth spot twenty eight points down from compatriot and arch rival Meseret Defar. The hottest favorite to wrestle Meseret for IAAF top spot at the end of the season, Tirunesh collected 1384 points. Gelete Burka victory after victory in her recent successive international outings stood 27th with 1329 points follows by Birhane Adeare 37th, Gete Wami 43rd, Meselech Melkamu 55th and Ejigayenu Dibaba 85th. In the particulars 5000 & 10000 meters Meseret, Trunesh & Gelate are on top of the table.
In the Men’s IAAF best athlete table reigning world athlete of the season Assafa Pawell leads the table with 1499 points. World 100 meter record holder Jamaican Assafa is followed by U.S. American Tayseon Gaay and Jeremy Warner with 1430 & 1423 prints respectively. Olympic gold medal and world five cross country double champion Kenenisa Bekele stood his ground on fourth place collecting 1415 points. Not yet in the athletics season high swing, kenenisa is said to fully recover from the Mombassa world cross country hell to go on his crusade to crown IAAF world best athlete of the season for third time.