(AFP) Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba has come from the back of the field to retain her world 10,000 metres title in a thrilling race in Osaka overnight.
Dibaba trailed by some 50 metres with three-quarters of the race run but recovered to power past Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse on the bell and finish in 31 minutes 55.41 seconds.
Abeylegesse claimed silver ahead of third-placed American Kara Goucher as Dibaba, who has not run the distance since her 2005 win in Helsinki, remained on course for her second consecutive 10,000m-5,000m world double.
The victory looked impossible as Dibaba, who later revealed she was suffering from severe stomach pains, stumbled over tumbling compatriot Mestawat Tufa to drop to the back of the field.
But in scenes reminiscent of the 1982 hit ‘Chariots of Fire,’ the Ethiopian shrugged off her pain and the sweltering conditions to surge back into contention.
“That was the toughest race I’ve ever run,” Dibaba said. “I’ve won a lot of races but I’ve never been challenged so much because of this stomach problem.
“If it hadn’t been a matter of representing my country, I would have dropped out.”
Tufa, who holds the fastest time this year, was forced out by her fall and Japan’s Megumi Kinakawa threatened briefly despite having to stop to adjust a loose running shoe.
Dibaba’s elder sister Ejegayehu faded after a strong performance to finish seventh in an eventful race which brought the first day of competition to a close.
It was Ethiopia’s fifth consecutive gold medal in the event stretching back to 1999.
In 2005, Dibaba became the first woman to hold both the 5,000m and 10,000m world crowns at the same time.
But this was her first 10km event since then and she has been hampered by a leg injury this season, running against coaches’ advice in Paris to get into shape for her twin title defence.
Dibaba, 22, has a fierce rivalry over 5,000m with compatriot Meseret Defar, the Olympic champion and world record-holder, whom she will also face here.
The 10,000m world record is held by China’s Wang Junxia, coached by the doping-tainted Ma Junren, who ran 29:31.78 in 1993.
In a giant move, the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP) company of India has decided to invest Rs 375 crore in Ethiopia to develop 10,000 hectares of tea plantation.
KDHP officials said while the new project would have a 70:30 debt equity ratio, some foreign private equity companies have shown interest to participate in the venture.
The participation of Tata Tea, which already holds 20 per cent equity in KDHP, would also be sought.
The debt component would be raised from Ethiopian banks which have shown interest in the project.
The project was initiated after Ethiopian ambassador visited the tea plantations of KDHP in Munnar, which are among the largest participatory management projects in the world, and asked company officials to explore the possibilities of setting up a similar project in Ethiopia, a traditional coffee country.
A team from KDHP surveyed several potential sites before identifying 10,000 hectares of land in the South Western Oromiya district of Ethiopia for the project.
The aerial survey of the land had been completed and reached KDHP just couple of days back, along with queries on the employment and economic generation potential of the project.
According to KDHP officials, the project would create direct employment for close to 10,000 people and accelerate export and economic development of the region.
The land, which is given on 90-year lease, will command a very nominal rent.
With the nominal rent and low cost of labour, the project should be able to produce 25 million kg of high quality CTC and orthodox teas in 10 years.
Since the country has no history of tea plantations, workers from India will train Ethiopian workers. The suitability of the land is testified by the proximity to Kenya and Tanzania, which are traditional tea growing countries.
The company is in the process of preparing a detailed project report.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Friday appointed Khalid Hussain its new ambassador to Ethiopia, presently serving as ambassador to Sudan since July 2004, says a press release of Foreign Office.
Khalid Hussain holds a bachelor degree of LLB and Masters Degrees in Economics and Political Science.
He joined foreign service of Pakistan on March 21, 1977 and held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad.
He served in Doha (1981-1983), Jeddah (1985-1988), Mexico (1988-1991), Abu Dhabi (1994-1997) and Tripoli (1997-2001).
Khalid Hussain served at headquarters as Section Officer (1978-1981 & 1983-1985), Director (1991-1994) and Director General (2002-2004).
The state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) on Friday signed six contracts with three Chinese companies, providing for expanding electricity supply services to rural towns and villages.
The contracts amount to more than 124 million U.S. dollars, said EEPCo General Manager Mihret Debebe.
The construction of a 400 kv Bahir Dar-Debremarkos-Addis Ababa, a 230 kv Tekeze-Endaselassie-Humera, a 230 kv Bedele-Mettu and a 230 kv Fincha’a-Gedo-Gefersa transmission stations and line installations are among the projects, Mihret said after a signing ceremony.
He said 85 percent of the funds have been secured from the Chinese government in loan, adding that the balance will come from government coffers.
Mihret said the projects should be implemented according to timetable and then contribute significantly to the country’s development endeavors.
The projects are due to complete within 18 months, he said.
Ethiopian eminent scholar and theologian Aleqa Ayalew Tamiru was buried on Thursday at Tekle Haimanot Church in Addis Ababa in the presence of over 15,000 people. Read the full report below in Amharic by an Ethiopian Review correspondent in Addis Ababa:
