WOMEN FIRST 5km in Addis Ababa goes from strength to strength

23.03.2022

Start of the Race

Just short of 7,500 participants took part in the 2022 Safaricom Women First 5km race staged in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on Sunday 13th March 2022 , thus returning the race to its normal size following the two previous editions staged during the pandemic.

The popular women's-only run had been staged with 3,000 participants in 2020, just before the global lockdown, and had also gone ahead with reduced number s in March 2021. But this year it was staged amid great fanfare and was attended by Ethiopia’s President, Sahle-Work Zewde, Ethiopia’s first female Head of State and the highest ranking African woman on the Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

 

In her short remarks before the start of the race, the president said: "We have other important races to run such as developing our country and ensuring women get their rightful place. There is no time to lose.”

 

Eight serving foreign ambassadors also took part in the race. The Danish Ambassador Kira Smith Sindbjerg was the first ambassador to finish.

 

In the elite race the first prize was won by 22-year old Fentaye Belayneh who has a best time on the track of 14 minutes and 44 seconds. Belayneh repeated her victory from last year, winning in a time of 15 minutes and 30 seconds, 11 seconds slower than her time last year which had equaled the course record.

 

She finished ahead of Mekdes Abera (15:33) and Kalkidan Fante 15:37).

 

Also in attendance at the race were two of Ethiopia’s most famous double Olympic champions Haile Gebrselassie and Meseret Defar. For many years Defar has acted as the Women First 5km Race Ambassador.

 

PARTNERS
LHV
Tallinna Linn
Nike
A. Le Coq
Tallink
Sportland
Kultuurkapital
MyFitness
Lauluväljak
Eesti Näitused
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