Ethiopia shines in best ever African Athletics Championship

The 16th African Athletics Championship in Ethiopia- Addis Ababa hailed the best ever championship event in the history if the occasion. Though many including Olympic president Jack Rogga praised the event as the most successful, African athletics Confederation President Hamad Kalkaba said it for all announcing that the atmosphere at the stadium was as good as Olympic except it is an African only event.
Indeed it is the biggest and most colorful ever African Athletics Championship bringing together more than 700 athletes from 43 nations, about 400 media personalities, with a live broadcast in 73 channels, the appearance of world and Olympic champions the likes of Kenenisa Bekele, Maria Mutola, Meseret Defar, Tirunesh Dibaba, Nigerian Fasouba and Damola and above all the biggest crowed extravaganza with more than 30000 spectators at the stadium every day. “The crowed helped me perform more than what I believe I can” said the hammer thrower from South Africa in appreciation to the crowed. “We are proud of Ethiopian people and there is a lot we could learn from Ethiopia “ remarked AAC president Kalkaba at the championship closing ceremony.
When the four days athletics championship closed on Sunday South African ended the ultimate champion with twenty three medals followed by Nigeria and the event’s surprise package Ethiopia . Collecting 12 gold, 2 silvers and 8 bronzes South Africa came on top of the medal table with total twenty two medals. Nigeria finished second with 7gold,7 silver and 5 bronze a total of 19 medals. Dominating the long distance race Ethiopia collected 6gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze making a total of 15 medals.
Of the home success the 10000 meter medal sweep by both men and women squad stood the cream of the event while sudden change of mind Kenenisa Bekele’s heroic did in 5000 meter stands the most astonishing. The 3000 meter hurdle gold medal by Zemzem Ahmed is a new chapter in Ethiopian athletics history as Gelerte Burka’s 1500 meter gold medal pronounced Gelete’s full recovery from long time illness. The women’s 5000 meter event that featuresld and Olympic champion Meseret Defar, Meselech Melkamu and KenyanGrace Momani stands the all time African Athletics Championship greatest contention. Had the winner been from any other nation Ethiopian would have been heart broken for Meseret’s defeat. But when the winner is an Ethiopian the hard working Meselech Melkamu it happened to be a well come event every one at the stadium celebrated for Ethiopia has now two Meserets other than one. Meselech Melkamu’s victory is mother of all victories of the 16th African Athletics Championship. The silver medals by new comers Wude Ayalew in women 10000 meter, Mekdes Bekele in 3000 meter hurdle, Meskerem Legesse in 1500 meter and Asnakech Ararso in 20KM walking helped Ethiopia to win the third spot as well as heralding that they are on time as torch bearers. Ethiopia surpassed the expectation in every aspect from the organization to participation.
Neighboring Kenya finished third collecting 5 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze a total of 16 medals followed by Algeria 2gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze a total of seven medals.

What is the master guide line to Ethiopian football?

Reading about the English Football Association (FA) mission statement that unveiled on Tuesday followed by comment from national team manager Italian Fabio Capello, I wondered whether such a thing is known in Ethiopian football. Being around Ethiopian football for the last three decades, I have never heard of mission statement or a vision set to meet a realistic goal in a given time frame.
The English FA mission statement sets a goal to at least a semi final place for both senior men's and women's national teams in major competition by 2012. With all the resource, organization and other factors that England has, the FA did not rush to false promise or an opening for any other speculation. Capello commented on the statement saying that it is a grand shame and he promised that he has an abundant talent at his disposal to help England reach the goal better even before the set date. See how hand and glove they are the FA and the national manager.
To my knowledge the Ethiopian football federation has never announced its mission statement or for that matter I am not sure whether they have it. When the newly Ethiopian football federation executive body assumed office it didn't give any indication what the future looks like or what agenda they have to execute in the near or far future.
The recently unveiled national team head coach Abraham T/Haimanot did not tell us what his plan is for the coming two years of his contract. It would have been better if he gave his assessment on the current situation of Ethiopian football so that the federation could come up with big time frame in accordance with world football calendar. Rather than signing a simple two years contract may be it would have been better to say it until the next African Cup of Nation's. I am not so sure but I think I heard that the Ethiopian athletics federation does follow the international calendar dividing the duration in Olympic, World Athletics Championship and other events. I don't think the football federation has that trend to follow.
What is the master plan of the EFF executive body? What is Abraham's opinion about the national team? What is his plan for the near or far future? Is Ethiopia to qualify to world Cup? What can we expect to have a competent national team? Is that possible to have a booking in the next African Cup of Nations? Is EFF has a plan to the nation's first ever standard youth soccer academy well equipped to produce talents? Has EFF plan to pressure premier league clubs that it is must to have junior and youth teams?
What I think is that we must learn from English football association the benefit of having a mission statement completes with time frame and clear goal. A mission statement as ideal as the English FA, not the usual local tailored plan only good in the eyes of the boss and for annual report consumption. In this respect accountability is close to the very concerned ones. I have a gut feeling this may some how help Ethiopian football. EFF is expected to lead by example.