Mogos Tuemay and Dera Dida raced to the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, at the 36th Jan Meda Cross Country Championships in Addis Ababa, a competition that served as an Ethiopian selection trial for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019.
The relatively unknown Moges produced the biggest upset of the day, beating rising 5000m star Selemon Barega by three seconds over the 10km course, clocking 31:16. Andamlak Belihu, a finalist at 10,000m at the 2017 World Championships and the silver medalist at last year’s African Championships, finished third, crossing the line just behind Barega, clocking 31:19.
Further back, Solomon Berihu was fourth in 31:24 followed by Bonsa Dida who clocked 31:28 to round out the top five.Dida, twice a member of the national team at the World Cross Country Championships, produced a convincing victory in the women’s 10km contest, clocking 35:50, five seconds ahead of Letesenbet Gidey, the U20 winner at the past two World Cross editions. Now 20, Gidey will contest the championships as a senior for the first time.
Further back, Zenebu Fekadu, who is less tested internationally, finished third in 36:18. Hawi Feysa, who was second in the U20 race behind Gidey in Kampala two years ago, was fourth in 36:20 with 20-year-old Tsehay Gemechu, this year’s 10km world leader at 30:15, finishing fifth, in 36:25. Nibret Melak took the men’s U20 8km race in 25:02, beating Tsegaye Kidanu by two seconds. Girmawit Gebregziabher, the 2018 African U20 cross country champion, won the U20 women’s 6km contest in 21:26, six seconds clear of Alemitu Taku.