Alemu, Wami out as Ethiopia names provisional Marathon squad for Helsinki
Posted Monday, 20 June, 2005
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Elfenesh Alemu (fourth at the Athens Olympic Marathon), Ethiopian National Marathon record holder Gete Wami are the surprise omission as Ethiopia announced its provisional Marathon squad for the 10th IAAF World Championships to be held in Helsinki, Finland (August 6-14 2005).
But two-time Olympic 10,000m champion Derartu Tulu is in line to make her major championship marathon debut after making the squad, while there are a lot of fresh talent throughout the men’s squad as Ethiopia begins life without its established stars.
National Marathon team coach Zelalem Desta said that the technical committee of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) decided to drop Alemu after she repeatedly turned down invitations to join the National team training.
Alemu, the fastest Ethiopian women marathoner in 2005 with her 2:27.03 for second place in Boston and one of the world’s top female marathoners, will therefore miss the chance to make her fourth appearance at the World Championships.
Asked whether the selectors would reconsider Alemu, Desta said, “It would be difficult because she run in San Diego and it would be too close to recuperate for Helsinki since we are moving to the final stage of our preparations.”
Former World 10,000m champion and national marathon record holder (2:22 in Amsterdam 2003) Gete Wami is another high-profile omission from the team. Wami has completed two Marathons in the last eight months since the National Marathon gathered to start preparations for Helsinki (2:30 over a 76m downhill course in San Diego and 2:32 in Tokyo), but achieved her San Diego time outside the Federation’s qualification deadline of 14 May 2005.
Tulu poised for Marathon World Championships debut
With two of the country’s top marathoners out, Derartu Tulu is the most noticeable figure in the women’s team. Tulu has a season’s best of 2:31.58 for third place in Nagoya, which is only the ninth fastest Ethiopian time of the year, but Desta said her experience will be the essence.
“She has been running at the top for many years and now that she is doing the marathon, it will be important for the team.”
Aisha Gigi, second in Paris (2:27.36) is the fastest runner in the squad of eight women runners. The team’s youth comes in shape of promising runners like Mumbai Marathon champion Mulu Seboka (2:30.54), while Leila Aman, fifth in the 2004 Berlin Marathon, is another name to look out.
Melese and Negussie lead an inexperienced squad
As expected, Ethiopia’s experienced legion of Marathon runners including 2001 World Marathon champion Gezhagne Abera and National Marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie miss out on selection as they have not completed a Marathon in the qualifying period (January 2004- July 2005).
Instead, the selectors have gone for fresher legs this time around with Gashaw Melese, third in the 2005 Paris Marathon (2:09.22) and Addis Ababa MOHA Marathon champion, being the fastest of the nine-man team.
This year’s Boston Marathon winner Haylu Negussie is the athlete with the best pedigree in the squad after tearing apart the Kenyan vanguard in Massachusetts to record 2:11.43, an Ethiopian best on a challenging course.
A youthful-looking side is blessed with the talents of the likes of Ashebir Demissie (2.10:30), Dereje Guta (2:10.49), Shemelles Molla (2:10.51 in Xiamen), while 2004 Paris Marathon champion Ambesse Tolosa (2:11.42) is the most experienced member of the squad.
Final squad due mid-July
The team will continue to train together for the next month after the squad will be filtered down to a total of eight runners (four men and four women).
Ethiopian provisional Marathon squad for Helsinki
Men
Gashaw Melese (2:09:24- Paris)
Gadisa Shentama (2:09:46- Rotterdam)
Ashebir Demissie (2:10:40- Hamburg)
Dejene Guta (2:10:49- Dubai)
Shimelis Mola (2:10:51- Xiamen)
Dawit Terfe (2:11:02- Rome)
Ambesse Tolossa (2:11:41- Paris)
Hailu Negussie (2:11:45- Boston)
Medeksa Milkesa (2:12.10- Belgrade)
Women
Asha Gigi (2:27:38- Paris)
Leila Aman (2:24.54- Berlin)
Dure Tune (2:30:48- Los Angeles)
Mulu Seboka (2:30:54- London)
Derartu Tulu (2:31:58- Nagoya)
Askale Tafa (2:32:34- Rome)
Shitaye Gemechu (2:32:51- Phoenix)
Meseret Kotu (2:35:48- Turin)
Elshadai Negash for the IAAF
www.iaaf.org/news
Facebook 
Twitter
i