EDITOR’S NOTE: The celebration over Kenenisa Bekele’s win in the 5k turned into a protest by the 35,000 sport fans inside the Addis Ababa Stadium who chanted “Free Teddy! Free Teddy!” The live broadcast by state-controlled TV immediately switched to sport commentators when the protest started. Shortly after that, the notorious Federal Police, Meles Zenawi’s death squads, entered the stadium and the event ended without further incident.
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(AP) — World record holder Kenenisa Bekele held on to win the 5,000 meters in Ethiopia on Sunday at the African Athletics Championships.
The Ethiopian, who pulled out of Wednesday’s 10,000, won the shorter race in 13 minutes, 49.67 seconds. Isaac Songok of Kenya finished a close second 13:49.91, and Ali Abdush of Ethiopia was third.
Bekele’s younger brother, Tariku, traded places with Kenenisa Bekele throughout the race but finished fourth. The elder Bekele, who also holds the world record in the 10,000, pulled out of that event because he said he didn’t have enough time to recover from winning his sixth world cross-country title in Scotland in March.
Bekele said he had also planned to skip the 5,000, but eventually succumbed to pressure to compete before a home crowd.
“I had to change my decision to run because many people were asking about me, ‘Why didn’t Kenenisa run in front of his own country?”‘ Bekele said.
Songok took an early lead Sunday, but the Bekele brothers soon took over and led a five-man pack for the rest of the race. Songok, however, surged ahead in the last lap to take silver.
The 5,000 drew a mixed crowd of long-distance hopefuls, including barefoot runner Matjeane Masilo of Lesotho, who finished 11th in the 20-man race, and Abdinasir Sa’id Ibrahim of Somalia, who finished 17th.
“My practice is very hard because my country is in a war,” Sa’id Ibrahim said between gulps of air and swigs from a bottle of water.
“Sometimes I can’t make training because there is fighting.”
Bekele’s win confirmed Ethiopia’s domination of the distance events as the championships. The host country swept the men’s and women’s 10 000, and Ethiopians got two medals in each of the 5 000 races.
Ethiopian women also took gold and silver in the 3 000 steeplechase.
Zemzem Ahmed won in 9:44, and Mekdes Bekele – who is not related to the Bekele brothers – finished ahead of third-place Ruth Bosibori of Kenya.
South Africa won the most medals at the five-day event, taking 12 gold and 22 overall. Nigeria was next with 19 medals, including seven gold.
Ethiopia finished third in the medals table with 15 overall, including six gold, while Kenya had 16 with five gold.
18 thoughts on “Kenenisa wins 5k, sport fans demand ‘Free Teddy’”
I applaud both the athlets and the crowd for the victory and honoring teddy respectively.
Echi Bandira nech edilegna
Zarem akorat keneni kegna
What a glorious day to relay justice to the justice lovers, to remember one’s comrade among thousands of people in one’s own heart, and to warn the unjust government and to teach its political gangs the rule of law!
The 35,000 sport spectators in that big stadium in Addis Ababa expressed their emotional feelings for one of their beloved comrades, Teddy, in Kaliti prison, by raising their voices toward heaven, demanding the immediate release of him from the jail. As they were shouting and chanting, the Meles satanic force entered the stadium to silence the chanting crowd from singing ‘free Teddy! Free Teddy!’ The drama resembles like the one in the scripture when Jesus was approaching Jerusalem: “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’” (Luke 19:39-40) Meles Seitanawi sent his troops to the stadium to silence the people, but the truth remains that the people are still singing in their hearts and praying for Teddy, and Meles would never be able to stop the good feelings of the people toward their friend, Teddy.
gena antem tigebaleh
What a great win for Kenenisa! I’m glad to see he chose to ran in front of his home people! Does anyone have video of the race? I’d love to see it!
http://www.squidoo.com/kenenisa_bekele
YES YES i am proud of the athlets congra but also the crowd who rememberd teddy.
god bless ethiopia, teddy and the people
I do not get it . Teddy is accused of killing a young Ethiopian and you people want him to be set free? Are you all nuts? I can understand it was an accident, but he hit the poor kid and left him to die allegedly . Let the legal process run its course. If he had done the crime, no matter who he is should and must be punished to the full extend of the law. If not he should be free. To those of you who are making different excuses for him to be free at this stage shame on you. Which part of hit and run do not you get as a crime? You are on the way of the law. you should be charged of “abstraction of the law”.
Kenenisa I am proud of you for winning the 5K. Way to go brother.
Hi Elias,
What is Seifu fantahun( woyanne’s FM radio talk show host) doing here in America? He is the one who was insulting Teddy afro on his ” Lemin Yiwasha” Programme?
Zenawi and Nurit your days are numbered I tell you.You should be ashamed of your self you idiots.Tedy is not a killer your master is.Nurit what legal process are you talking about?Tedy is innocent , he said so himself besides who is weyane to judge Tedy ? The real criminals are playing leaders in Minilik palace. Nurit I’m sure you haven’t spoken when your butcher crime minister killed Innocent bystanders in a broad-day light on the streets of Addis Ababa three years ago and now in Somalya.Remember this there is no Justis and legal system in Ethiopia now but we are going to bring democracy and the rule of Law for the people of Ethiopia no matter what.
Yeah! Seifu Fantahun tried to root out teddy from the heart and mind of Ethiopian people.Now he is in america to spread out his vicious, jealous driven message. Nice try,Seifu!!
Who is Seyfu Fantahun and where in America is he? what was he doing to our people back home? what is he doing here now? My people, we have to exchange information so that those criminals don’t have a double life on our account.We have a right to expose them in our second home away from home.Keep flowing the good information please tell on them.
Nurit u moron weyane we wont him set free becouse we bilive he did not do it !
Death to Elias and all his diaspora pupies
Ethiopians demand justice not only for Teddy but the poor young man who was killed by the woyane thugs to frame Teddy. This type of silncing those trying to unite the devided nation by the criminal woyanes is not knew. Woyane killed Prof. Asrat, imprisoned the people’s leaders KINIJIT with fabricated charges, the lists gose on. Let us stopp it here!!! Do not forget woyane trying to divert our attention from the land that is unjustly given to Sudan.
TEDDY YOU ARE ETHİOPİAN HERO WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW DONT GİVE UP TEDDY GOD İS WİTH U WE PRYYYYYYYYY
How can he be there in America?
Is he trying to escape?
In 2005 during the killing of our innocent brothers and sisters by the woyanes, Seyfu Fantahun has been supporting the killers as if that they are doing the right thing.
Seyfu Fantahun, is the ear of woyane. He is one of the known ‘kadres’ of Meles. One month before Tedy’s arrest this man has been attacking Tedy through the Woyane’s FM 97.1 radio program. That was not the only time that he has been attacking Tedy but he was doing his hidden mission to block Tedy’s song not to be transmitted through any of the government owned Medias.
We need him to be here in Addis Ababa and to receive his wage from the hands of innocent Ethiopians that he has been laughing at.
People if you have anger, frustration and stress in your life you need to go to the GYM(safe place) and pump the iron. In here speak you truth and that is what I have done. Guess what you or your types do not intimidate me. Stop name calling/labeling that is so childish. I got no time for u so have a good life and take it easy. May love/
peace be with u.
No to dictatorship.
Those of you who support woyanes, don’t belong in the western democratic countries since you can’t even learn from the freedom you experience everyday. Even animals are more thoughtfull for their kinds than you LEMMA.
Freedom for Ethiopia!
Dear Lemma,
If we all diaspora people, with our beloved friend Elias, die, do you think Meles Seitanawi will share his power with you? You are that little rat ready to be eaten up by democracy cat.