Gete Wami races for USD 500,000 jackpot today Derebe, wins New Delhi half marathon

Former double Olympic medalist and currently Ethiopian marathon hot shot Gete Wami takes part in her life’s biggest ever athletics event in New York- USA today. The thirty four years old Gete who is on top of the table, is the hottest favorite to claim marathon’s biggest jackpot of USD 500000. Snatching away the top spot after her victory in Berlin marathon, Gete is one win away from the biggest ever prize money. More than 100 nations are represented in today’s show down and Kenyan Kiplagat and marathon record holder Britain Paula Radcliff are the fiercest challenges Gete faces today. “I am ready to win big event in New York to day. Then I will cancel any thing marathon to focus in Beijing Olympic” Gete remarked before boarding the plane bound for New York on Wednesday.     
Derebe Alemu is back in winning form claiming the New Delhi half marathon gold medal followed by fellow Ethiopian Atsede Habtamu who took silver.
In one of the season’s world athletics most challenging half marathon event Derebe surprised spectators as well as those highly favored to win the race.
Fifth place in the recent world half marathon event in Udeneze -Italy, Atsede Habtamu and Kenyan Alis Tim Bilil were hot had been hot favorites to win the race for their vast international experience in the event was far better than the ultimate winner. However lurking behind the twin hot favorites who took the lead from the very start assuming the title fight was between them, the winner Derebe stayed further third until the 18km mark from where she geared up her pace to take over the lead two kilo meters from the finishing line. Derebe took them by surprise for the two had been busy watching each other.
Once past the big guns in full confidence twenty four year old Derebe further steeped up her pace to cross the finish line in 70:30, bettering her previous best time by more than two minutes. In 70:36 Ethiopian Atsede Habtamu, the pre race hot favorite reached home second to claim the silver.
2005 France world cross country championship silver medalist and 2007 world youth 3000 meter gold medalist Tim Bilil took the silver medal coming third ten seconds from Derebe. The fourth place went to one of the event’s strong athlete Ukrainian Natalia Berkut in 71:14. Seasoned Ethiopian athletes Teiba Erkeso and Dere Tune finished sixth and eighth respectively.
With the only Ethiopian athlete Tsegaye G/Selassie coming tenth in 63:16, the Rwandan new athletics star Diodoni Desi won the men’s event clocking 60:43. The best ever time in the event’s history Diodoni’s victory was no surprise for his previous time of 59:32 in the distance made him the hottest favorite to win the race. The Kenyan Esak Machaina did his best to follow in the hot trail of Diodoni who split away from the pack six kilo meters from the finish. However the Rwandan top gun was strong that Machania settled for second place followed by Dixson Marwa of Tanzania.

Juventus entertains Inter Milan today for Italian derby

Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri told reporters on Saturday that he is confident his side Juventus, back from one season absence from the top league ready to win the Italian derby today. “We are in good form and at home” Ranieri stated. Having a loyal squad with the likes of Alesandro Del Piero, Buffon, Pavel Nedved and David Trezege, the Old Lady allies Juventus is performing well above their managers expectation they are currently fourth on the table conceding only one defeat so far in the season. Recovered from 3-1 defeat at the hands of Napoli , courtesy of Trezeget’s hat trick Juventus routed Empoli to 3-0 score line in mid week. The visitor defending champion Inter Milan undefeated in the season is also feeling confident to return home with the three points in the bag. Thrashing Genoa 4-0 in mid week Inter travels to Del Alpi with out club top scorer with seven goals Zelatan Ebrahimovich.
Though defending champion Inter appears a formidable side it is Italian super cup winner As Roma praised for its best entertaining football. Manager Spaletti has done his home work forming a side capable of challenging Inter for the season’s title. European top scorer of the season Franchesco Toti at the core of the side, Roma’s quest for the title seems feasible. An impressive 1-0 away win over European champions Ac Milan at san Siro followed a 3-2 derby victory over city rival Lazio travels to Empoli today to continue following the hot trail of the league leaders. “If Roma failed to catch up with Inter, the season might get as frustrating as last season” Ranieri told reporters.
The European champion Ac Milan seems to resign from the season’s title fight for it dwells 10th in the table sharing a place with Genoa. Only Brazilian Caca in world class performance, the Rosenari’s revival in the season appears a far cry. Recovering from a humiliating 1-0 home defeat by title contender As Roma, Milan hammered Sampdoria 4-0 in mid week two goals from Gilardino and one each from Kaka and Seedorf. Ac Milan entertained Torino yesterday at San Siro.
Twenty sides in the Italian serie ‘A’ Inter Milan leads the ten round league season with twenty four points followed by As Roma with 21 and juventus and Florentina third each with twenty points. The Italian derby today features spear headed leading league scorer with ten goals David Trezeget Juvenrtus Vs Inter Milan at stadio Del Alpi.

FIFA awards Brazil 2014 World Cup final
2011 women World Cup final goes to Germany  

Already five times record world champion the Latin American jewels Brazil get another chance of winning the coveted cup, this time as host nation to 2014 World soccer cup final.
More than half a century since hosting the world’s sport biggest event World Cup Final, Brazil has been chosen to take the tournament home following FIFA’s unanimous vote for there was no nation from the continent top bid for the cup final.
Though the last time the world beaters hosted the event in 1950 climaxed as one of world cup final all time amazing result for arch rival Uruguay defeated the soccer crazy nation at home in the famous Maracana in front of more than 100 thousand people. Of the many bad consequence of the saddest result Brazil decided to change the white jersey to the current yellow.
Half a century gone and Brazil master of world football with a record five times championship title awarding the cup final meant a record six time title if not seven winning the 2010 South African cup final. “Good for the Brazilians. They have contributed so many good memories to football throughout the years, plus having the world cup in a country full of hot women does not hurt either. I will be there but I have to get divorced first.” said a Brazilian supporter on a web site. Brazil needs 1.1 billion USD for hosting the cup final in current market. Guess what it is going to be in seven years time.
FIFA’s memorable meeting in Zurich not only blessed the men’s world cup record holders with a chance to make it again. It also gave the 2011 women world cup final to Germany the reigning champions. Winning the last two successive occasions Germany posed favorite to win for third successive time at home. Canada was the strong bidder to host the occasion referring her recent successful World Under -20 Youth championship. FIFA awarded the 2011 world cup final to European six times champion Germany . “I am looking forward to the 2011 world cup final” said two time FIFA world player of the year German captain Brigit Prinz who scored 100 goals in 170 international appearances.
FIFA’s Zurich general assembly also passed historical decision that is abolishing the rotation format for hosting world cup final. According to the new ruling once Brazil hosted the 2014 world cup final the selection is back to the old version that is by merit. The first nation to exploit the new ruling is said to be England the most likely candidate to host the 2018 world cup final. Had the rotation format stayed functional England would never think about it before 2024 world cup final. Now an open bid for any one to grab, England is the likely venue for the 19th world cup final.

Commentary

Don’t alienate giants

To my understanding the Youth and Sports Minister, Aster Mamo, is currently in awkward position following the failure of her half-baked effort to maintain law and order among Ethiopian premier league football clubs. Her Excellency, who had once told parliament that the reason for the Ethiopian national team’s failure to reach the African nations soccer cup final is because of the growing number of participating countries, came back to the spot light with an aborted effort that alienated the two major soccer forces of the country, Saint George and Ethiopian Coffee, from a meeting held at her office. As a major stakeholders holders in anything sport in the country the Ministry should have brought both EFF and club’s Union to a round table discussion as mediator would have helped the two heavy weight to work further than their own ego and work together for the common goal, that is, better Ethiopian football. 
Throwing away this golden opportunity, her Excellency called all concerned clubs except the twin giants. That is a carbon copy what Ethiopian Football Federation tried earlier. The obvious reason for alienating both clubs is that they do not belong to government institutions. This means it is hard to pressure these two clubs to comply with what ever the ruling from EFF executive body. In other words, since those clubs summoned to her presence belong to government institutions and budgeted from government purse she expected them to throw towels and ran fast to be back inline. What a miss calculation.  
Lets us say all those clubs complied and the league season starts. Does she know it is only when Saint George clashes against Ethiopian Coffee the stadium enjoys full attendance? Does she know every single player’s dream at local level is joining one of the two clubs? Doesn’t anyone tell her when any one of the other clubs defeats one of the two giants was as good as winning the league title? Is there no one around to tell her the stadium was as good as empty when Ethiopian Coffee moved to Abebe Bikila stadium two years ago? Is there no one to remind her that the leading investor in the country who sponsored CECAFA for three successive seasons, splashing millions of dollars, Sheik Mohamed Al Amoudi is patron of Saint George football club? Does she think those run away clubs did what they did with out the consent of the CEO of the respective clubs? Above all, does she believe things can go smooth minus Saints and Coffee? One thing she might forget is all those club executive committee members are amateurs and they are simply to go back to their regular duty if things fail to turn out to their liking. With all this important factors out of the picture her Excellency’s call of a meeting with out the major stake holders I think, is a grievous mistake with consequences hardly to be reversed. well, I still understand she has time to make up for the wrongs she did wrong that is call all clubs give an apology for those clubs alienated and try to strike a win/win solution. In doing so she could make a name for her self and the ministry. Above all, it would be a better future for the sport and a show case for the importance of compromise. What is expected of for her is to choosing the wisest and humblest way that is settling the dispute fair and square.            

Mitsubishi-Mercedes -Tennis tournament kicks-off

Sponsored by the only strong partners of Ethiopian tennis, Ethio - Nippon and Orbis Trading Company, the annual Mitsubishi-Mercedes-Benz Cup 2007 open Tennis tournament kicked off Saturday October 27, 2007 at its usual venue, Hilton Addis Ababa.
More than a quarter of a century sponsoring the annual event Ethio-Nippon and Orbis Trading Company helped many young tennis talents out of which more than dozen players are now representing Ethiopia at international level. Hilton Addis Ababa extending its best organizing excellence for such big events is a chosen venue for all tennis worshippers. The 27th edition of the Mitsubishi Mercedes-Benz cup 2007 open tennis tournament brings together more than 150 men and women participants in 17 categories including the national team squad. With the biggest money prize for the winners, the event attracts the very best of Tennis talents in the country, thus the ideal opportunity for those who love to watch the sport at national level. “The main objective of organizing the tournament is to promote and develop tennis sport in Ethiopia “the press release from Hilton Addis Ababa declares.
At the tournament’s opening day Saturday nine, on Sunday twelve all in all twenty three matches from three categories took place in two days time. The opening day biggest defeat (1-6) (0-6) went to Engedawork in his clash against well prepared Issac Paul. Tamiru Ambachew also defeated Ali A.R.Linz to (6-0) (6-2) score line. The clash between Abel and Addis was the opening day’s evenly contested match although Abel stood the better one. Most of Sunday’s clashes were between unbalanced adversaries that the score lines tell the entire story.
The second week of the fixtures started yesterday featuring twenty six matches in four courts. Today’s fixtures start at 8:00in the morning to stay until 2:00 Pm in the evening. As usual the event organizer Hilton Addis Ababa invites the sport fans to come and be part of the day’s program.