By M.C. HELSABECK | York Daily Record
YORK, PENNYSLVANIA – The 32nd annual White Rose 5-Mile Run went off without a hitch, and longtime race director Clay Shaw, who has been in charge of the last 29 races, announced that this was his final year at the helm.
The event drew a field of 212 runners. This year’s race featured a new course and a new base of operations at Sovereign Bank Stadium. The race covered much of the previous course’s terrain, but in reverse order.
The field had an international flavor as Ethiopian, Kenyan and Moroccan runners joined the field. As expected, they also dominated.
The men’s race was won by Worku Beyi of Ethiopia, who sprinted around the new course in a record time of 23 minutes, 26 seconds. Beyi got off to a fast start and cruised to the victory, easily outdistancing fellow Ethiopian Tesfaye Girma (23:47).
“I was leading all the way … and never looked back,” said Beyi. “I run for myself, so I never look back. If someone’s coming, well …”
And he shrugged.
As for Girma, he is used to racing against his countryman — and finishing behind him.
When asked if he thought he could catch Beyi after his fast start, Girma said, “no chance,” through his interpreter.
Abraham Ngetich of Kenya (23:55), Abiyot Abebe (23:57) and Elijah Kitur (24:00) rounded out the top five.
The women’s race was incredibly close. The first four runners, all Ethiopians, were separated by just four seconds.
Meskerem Legesse outkicked Buzunesh Deba and Muluye Gurma as the runners sprinted to the finish line at the Brooks Robinson statue in front of the stadium. Legesse clocked a 27:16, and her two pursuers finished one second behind.
“Sometimes we race together, and I usually beat (Deba),” said Legesse with a laugh.
Deba, who is married to men’s winner Beyi, smiled at her friend.
“She’s very fast, and my legs are tired, so that’s not good,” said Deba.
The top American runner was Michael McKeeman of Ardmore, who placed ninth overall in 25:35. Justin Krebs of York was the top local finisher, placing 13th in 26:28.
On the women’s side, Christine Ramsey of Baltimore was the top American, placing sixth overall in 30:24. Melody Parshall of Dover was the top local finisher, coming in eighth in 34:24.
Dianna Golden of York, 55, placed ninth in 34:35, shattering the age-group record by five minutes.
Jeff Miller of Lewistown was the male Masters (over age 40) winner in 26:24, and Dee Miller of Lancaster claimed that honor for the women in 34:08.
For full race results, see Page 5D.
As for the future of the race, Shaw said it is “likely” that the race will continue. He will no longer be the race director, but he will continue to bring in the elite athletes.
This race was also the final race in the York Hospital Running Series. Visit www.YHRunningSeries.com for final results.
NEW DELHI: Ethiopia’s Deriba Merga won the Delhi Half Marathon men’s race, setting a new race record of 59.14 mins. The women’s race was won by a fellow Ethiopian Aselefech Mergia clocking 68.16 mins.
[File photo] Deriba Merga wins in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nov. 16, 2006 (Jiro Mochizuki)
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Around 25,000 people participated in the fourth edition of Delhi Half Marathon that carried a prize money of $2.1 million.
Earlier, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna flagged off the half marathon at 7:30 am from Central secretariat ground at Vinay Marg.
Among the other dignitaries present on the occasion were Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) secretary Lalit Bhanot.
While the half marathon is best left to professional athletes, the major attraction of the event is the Great Delhi Run, which is expected to be participated by over 15,000 people including several celebrities.
–The Times of India
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ginbot 7 condemns the ongoing mass detention of Oromos by the Meles dictatorship
[pdf]
Meles Zenawi’s dictatorship in Ethiopia continues to use terrorism as a pretext to terrorize Ethiopians and silence political dissent. It is a familiar pattern that has emerged in how terrorism is being used by the Meles regime as an excuse to suppress freedom. A bomb goes of some where killing or injuring civilians and the regime says here is the proof. The regime discovers a cache of weapons and ammunition to furnish evidence to its claims.
The Meles regime, which is hated by the entire population, is effortlessly apprehending so called ‘terrorists’. This by itself is a good indication of how bogus the plots discovered by the security forces and the trumped up charges that are brought against innocent citizens.
The Meles dictatorship is known for forging documents, producing fake witnesses and conjuring up spectacular crimes, such as treason and genocide against any one, even peaceful human right activists. Seen in this context, the recent mass detention of Oromos under the pretext of foiling a terror plot is a complete farce. We believe that it is an attempt by the regime to gain the sympathy of the new U.S. president
In the absence of independent governmental institutions, and looking at the track record of the Meles dictatorship, it is incumbent upon us to reject any claim by the regime that is seeking to link the recent mass detention of Oromos with bogus terrorist plots.
Ginbot 7 condemns the attack on fellow Ethiopians of the Oromo ethnic group and calls upon all those who stand for justice take the same position.
We take this opportunity to remind Ethiopians on the need to stand united to bring an end to the atrocities of Melese’s regime that is destroying persons, families and communities through out Ethiopia.
Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice, Freedom and Democracy
www.ginbot7.org
By Bassma Al Jandaly | Gulf News
RAS AL KHAIMAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – The body of a 19-year-old Ethiopian woman has been lying in the morgue here for more than a month because the sponsor and the labour agency are haggling over the responsibility of repatriating the body home, Gulf News has learned.
The sponsor and the agency who brought the girl from Ethiopia who worked as housemaid to the UAE are also refusing to pay the cost of her visa cancellation and repatriation of her body.
Alemitu Girma Hailu, who came to work for a family in Ras Al Khaimah, fell ill after a few days of her arrival due to heat stroke.
She spent two months in the hospital in coma before she died on October 9. Her body is still at the morgue waiting to be sent home.
Alemintu is the eldest daughter of poor parents who sent their daughter to work here in order to support them in their hard life.
While the mother and the father of Alemintu are waiting to receive their daughter’s body, the sponsor and the labour agency are haggling over the onus of the cost of repatriation and the cancellation of the visa.
An official from Ras Al Khaimah Naturalisation and Residency Department (RNRD) said that the ministry of interior’s law clearly states that in the event of the death of the domestic worker it is the employer’s responsibility to repatriate the body of the deceased to the home country and repatriate his or her personal effects as soon as possible, in coordination with the concerned authorities in the worker’s home country.
“The cost of visa cancellation and obtaining departure permission is not more than Dh200 and must be shared by both,” the official said.
The official who refused to be identified said that he is aware of Alemitu’s case but neither the sponsor nor the agency were cooperating in the case.
“The woman’s body has been at the morgue since October 9, and we hope to sort it out before the end of the year,” he said.
Alemintu worked only two weeks for the Arab family in Ras Al Khaimah when she was admitted to Ebrahim Bin Obaid Allah hospital in Ras Al Khaimah for heat stroke, septicaemia and pneumonia.
For repatriation the deceased will have to be embalmed at Al Maktoum Hospital in Dubai and will cost about Dh1,200.
A temporary shroud will be provided by the hospital and a simple zinc-lined coffin can be obtained for Dh1,000 (optional).
The casket will cost Dh1,000. Airlines may charge about Dh2,000. Hence the repatriation cost (without the temporary shroud) is about Dh4,500.
Or should we say between Amare Aregawi and Al Amoudi?
It is not still known who is behind the attempt on Amare Aregawi’s life, editor of The Reporter based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. An opinion piece published today on the English Reporter indicates that the attack was perpetrated by a “private power,” not by the government.
The writer of the article chastised one local Amharic paper that it says had been mounting a condemnation on Amare before the attempt. The paper under the question, Ethio-Channel, owned by Samson Mamo, is close the tycoon Mohammed Al Alamoudi… Read more
