Sports

Ethiopians dominate 2022 Rome Marathon as Adugna Dalasa, Fikre Bekele hit gold

Published

1 year ago

March 28, 2022

30-year-old Ethiopian, Adugna Dalasa has succeeded Kenyan Peris Jerono Lagat the previous champion to win the women’s category of the just concluded 2022 Rome Marathon in 02 hours 26 minutes 09 seconds.

It was a big show for the East African country as an improved course record was captured by Ethiopians Fikre Bekele with a time of 2:06:48 while in the women’s category, another Ethiopian Adugna Dalasa won in 02 hours 26 minutes 09 seconds.

The Rome Marathon is an annual marathon competition hosted by the city of Rome, Italy. The competition has also doubled as the Italian Marathon championships on two occasions; in 1983 and 1986.

To cap the exploits of Ethiopians at the race, Tadesse Temechachu finished in second place while Morocco’s Othmane El Goumri ended up in third place.

Ethiopia’s Adugna Sechale Dalasa won the women’s solo race.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopians Embassy in Rome has congratulated the athletes for making the East African country proud.

Congratulations #Ethiopia
2 Gold, silver and bronze medals for Ethiopia in Rome Marathon.
Thank you, Fikre Bekele, for the new record set and Tadesse for the Silver medal in Men's Race and Sechale and Tadelech for the Gold and Bronze medal in Women's Race.@mfaethiopia pic.twitter.com/oDbiytv5iP

— Ethiopian Embassy in Rome (@embassy_rome) March 27, 2022

Organizers of the Rome Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race announced an increase in the prize money purse for the 2022 edition to 202,000, with 40,000 going to the race winners. That’s nearly triple the amount awarded to the race winners compared with last year.

East Africans, particularly Ethiopians and Kenyans are notorious for winning long-distance races. Kenyan, Eliud Kipchoge won the marathon at the last Olympic and more recently the Tokyo marathon.

Related Topics:Ethiopia Featured rome marathon

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Sports

FIFA honours Osimhen after amazing season with Napoli

Published

21 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Following his record-breaking season with Napoli where he scored 26 goals to win the Serie A top scorer award, Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has been honoured by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

The world football governing body Tuesday presented Osimhen with a customized jersey and soccer ball for his “superb displays for Napoli in the 2022/23 season,” which led to Napoli winning the Scudetto after a 33-year wait, according to an official of FIFA, Gelson Fernandes, in a “special message” to the 24-year-old Nigerian forward.

“Victor Osimhen, you represent at the moment what football can do,” Fernandes wrote in an Instagram post.

“From Lagos to Napoli where people love you, you have suffered, but your love for football and determination have guided you.

“Keep going, keep pushing. Africa needs examples and millions are watching and dreaming.”

Osimhen became the first African to win the highest goal scorer award, while also becoming the first player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win both the Capocannoniere and the Scudetto in the same season, a record which has stood for 14 long years.

His horde of honours was also enhanced with a National Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic bestowed on him by former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Sports

Tunisian tennis star, Ons Jabeur zooms into French Open quarter-finals

Published

2 days ago

June 6, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Tunisian tennis sensation, Ons Jabeur took a step further in her quest to win the 2023 French Open Grand Slam when she defeated World number 36, Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-1 to zoom into the quarter-finals.

Jabeur, ranked number 7 in the world, and who only won her first WTA 1000 title at the Madrid Open last year, has since then been facing a downward slide coupled with injuries which saw her either missing out on some tournaments or crashing out in early rounds.

However, the 28-year-old who became the first ever African woman to reach a Grand Slam final last year, was at her best when she defeated Pera to move to the next stage on Monday night.

Though Jabeur was not at her fluent best and was herself broken three times in the first set and at the start of the second set, she still raced through the final six games, sealing victory in 63 minutes.

“I never thought about something was missing or I didn’t reach all four of them,” the African said after the match.

“Maybe it’s a good thing. It came and hopefully, we’ll set it to all semi-finals and then all finals,” she added.