Athletics season closing in Stuttgart ended with shock to Ethiopia

IAAF 2007 world athletics season closing meeting in Germany-Stuttgart showed that Ethiopia might not stay that long as the dominating power in men’s as well as women’s distance races.
Once the strong athletics force the Kenyans, who surrendered their supremacy to arch rival Ethiopia since the past two decades, appeared ready to an astonishing come back to world number one distance nation. Shocked at the humiliating result at Helsinki world athletics championship in 2005, Kenyan Athletics Federation vowed to work hard to regain the crown for distance races and came out successful in so short time that the world athletics governing body (IAAF) awarded a special prize in recognition of their effort following Kenya’s amazing runner up finish in Osaka world athletics championship.
At the world athletics wrap-up in Germany Stuttgart, Olympic and world 5000 meter champion Meseret Defar won the three thousand meter while Kenyans swept the 5000 meter women race. The twenty years old IAAF world best athlete of the season table leading athlete Meseret’s astonishing third international victory in three weeks time meant high score to her dream of becoming the first Ethiopian woman IAAF best athlete of the season.
In women’s 5000 meter show down Ethiopian athletics arch rivals Kenyans not only swept the medal table but also the fourth place followed by former world youth champion Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu.  Osaka 5000 meter silver medalist and the latest Kenyan distance race heroin Vivian Cheriot lead the way to the gold medal followed by her compatriots. Silvachebiot  Kibet finished second followed by Prisca Jeplating and Lenit Masay third and fourth respectively.
What is shocking to Ethiopian athletics is the truth that no one except Meseret Defar is there in the distance to battle our rivals in the coming athletics meetings. Meseret is alone among number of Kenyan young talents and it is just less than a year remaining for the dearly awaited Beijing Olympic. Kenyan’s had really done their home work in time for the Olympics.
The three thousand men’s hurdle gold and silver medals also went to Kenyans through Lidwin and Cheiriot Luwe respectively while Mo Fara of Great Britain finished third. Though the battle among the leading trio was one of the strongest of the meeting Kenyan Eyonis Jepicorir snatched the gold medal followed by Irish and Romanian athletes.
World fastest athlete and 100 meter record holder, Jamaican Assafa Pawel, came back in form to claim the gold medal, while Ethiopian-Bahrain; Meriam Yusuf Jemal won the 1500 meter distance in comfort.  Lashwan Mirit of America took the 400 meter gold medal.
Now, IAAF athletics season has come to an end, the remaining high light of the sport is that of crowning world best men and women athletes of the season.  Reigning world best athlete Jamaican Assafa Pawel appear to retain his crown with Ethiopian Meseret Defar to win the accolade for the very first time in the women’s event.

Banks win the Millennium mini soccer tournament in Baher-Dar

One of the run- away league clubs union members Ethiopian Banks FC won the historical Amhara Region Ethiopian millennium mini soccer tournament held in the capital Baher-Dar.
Part of the Amhara Region Ethiopian millennium celebration sport festivals the mini soccer tournament brought together five clubs four of which are from the Ethiopian premier league.
Invited to the occasion by the region’s Ethiopian millennium celebration secretariat one of the nation’s most popular soccer sides Ethiopian Coffee traveled to the capital as the hottest favorite to the historical championship title. Despite the absence of few of the clubs star players including the country’s top striker Tafesse Tesfaye, the host city’s soccer fans were behind Coffee until the last. However, already at pre season preparation under head coach Ashenafi Bekele Ethiopia Banks won the historical trophy finishing on top of the table. With two wins and two draws Banks collected eight points to finish on top followed by Ethiopian Coffee and Defense Force both collecting five points each.
Head coach Kifle Boltena who traveled with many young talents for a try said to achieve his multipurpose that are being part in the celebration as well as scouting the best ones to his side Ethiopian Coffee. At the tournament’s final show down with Mugher Cement FC where many of Kifle’s young talents performed well Coffee won 3-2 while Baher-Dar University went to 1-1 draw with Defense Force.
In addition to be part of the colorful millennium celebration party, the mini soccer tournament helped the premier league sides as an ideal occasion for pre season. Back from the Netherlands after a two week high level soccer coaching course, Kifle Boltena’s policy of higher attention for youth talents tested at Baher-Dar.  

Don’t forget local sports

I wonder why not the popular Tuesday evening ETV sport’s talk show by Dawit Negussie, Hussein Abdulkeni and Ermias Amare fail to give enough attention to Ethiopian football as they do for foreign sports. I hear the good and the bad of European football every week but nothing serious about the local sport. It is so fascinating watching the talk show for their dedication and knowledge is clearly seen in the analysis they present. Though I am quite happy to watch the program I always feel disappointed knowing that Ethiopian sports needs more attention than European soccer leagues.
I have a gut feeling that the show’s presenters know deeply about the local sport but prefer to be salinent for the men around the sport are aggressive and ready to retaliate. Nevertheless they must come up with a way of how to serve their purpose that is, furnishing information for the sport loving public. If one seriously follows their program it is easy to understand how careful they are when it comes to local sport. It is like walking on a charged tight rope-careful not miss step. Except beating around the bush no way will they mention names however one is a sinner.
Sure I know it is dangerous to talk about local sport especially for what went wrong and about who did it. In a country which had been under communist rule for seventeen years and telling the truth or giving away information to media is a sin only punished by long term prison, it is hard to come up with the right information and then confront who ever behind it. Now days things are changed and I don’t think digging out hard information’s about the sport could trigger retaliation. I think inviting athletics coaches for interview and confronting them with the right argument is in no way a political or national security issue. Criticizing a national team coach’s tactical play or line-up, I don’t think is an issue that calls for a firing squad. Telling your audience that the national football is in danger and calling those authority concerned to your talk show to cross examine them couldn’t be a reason for your arrest. I assume that the Ethiopian national football team or athletics teams’ failure is a national issue and by no means a taboo to discuss about it.
My question now is that why don’t you dedicate more time for the local sport and why not you invite sport officials to appear on your talk show and raise issues that the public wants to hear. The departure of Jose Maurinho for sure is a big issue for world football. However for me, Maurinho’s sacking is much less important an issue than the confrontation between Ethiopian Football Federation and the league clubs union. Yes I want hear about Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger but not more than about Dr Asheber or Abnet G/Meskel.
Well in our country the very unusual trend is to discuss persons rather than issues. Thus people tend to assume that a critic is making a personal attack and better not come their way. In such a nation, telling the truth might be considered the cardinal sin. Add to that, the word accountability is no where in our dictionary; you might say why should we confront people who are under no obligation to give information. Some may not only harass you but even go for some physical abuse. Anyway, I say this is your profession and you should try as much as possible to guard it from the jackals. The bottom line; please try to give the lion’s share of your program to local sports. Note please, I did not say no to your foreign sport reports. 

5th women’s world soccer cup final today
Germany Vs Brazil

Most feared for their aggressive play, the Brazilian women national side encounters defending world champions Germany today for the fifth world cup final.
Tormenting twice world cup champions and highly qualified ball technicians U.S.A. to a hard to believe 4-0 semi final victory, Brazil meant business that is claiming their first ever women world soccer cup final title.
Conceding no goals on the way up to the 5th world women soccer cup final today, the defending champion Germany was the hot favorite until Brazil’s awesome 4-0 victory over America humbled soccer fans to second thought. With no one of the sides as under dog today’s cup final is considered the strongest ever in world soccer. Germany reached the semi final thrashing former world champion Norway to a 3-0 score line. Norwaxsfirst half own goal stirred the giants led by team skipper Prinze to add two more to make the score line a horrifying.
The win helped Germany to a new undefeated record of 523 minutes taking the accolade from the host nation China. “The team is coming in to near perfection” team skipper Prinze remarked after the astonishing semi final victory.
On the other hand the tournament’s most surprising side Brazil cruised past two time champions America to reach the cup final today. What is more surprising is Brazil won every single match of the tournament by scoring tons of goals. However the win over pre tournament favorites America stands tallest.
At the semi final match on Thursday, led by reigning FIFA women’s player of the season Martha who scored a pair, Brazil tarnished U.S. America to a 4-0 score line. “No one expected such a crushing defeat to the two time world champions”, said dumbfounded head coach Ryan.
Thus, today’s women world soccer cup final clash in the host nation China takes place between the two world soccer heavy weights Germany Vs Brazil. It sure is expected to be considered as one of the few best ever world soccer cup final clashes among those that really deserve the place. Germany is looking for its second title while Brazil their first ever.