Posted: March 5, 2005

Athletics: Bekele Selected For Ethiopian World Cross Team

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Elshadai Negash

ADDIS ABABA (04-Mar) -- The Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) has entered Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele in both the short and long course teams as it named a strong provisional squad of 29 runners for the 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships in St. Etienne/ St. Galmier, France.

EAF’s newly-appointed technical director Dube Jilo confirmed that Bekele will in fact be running both races in France. "I can confirm that Kenenisa [Bekele] will run both races in France," he said. "But. we have until twenty-four hours before the competition to make any changes."

Bekele is winless in 2005 having lost two indoor races in Boston (to Irishman Alistair Cragg) and Birmingham (to countryman Markos Genetti). But he is on course for a fourth short and long course double in St. Etienne/ St. Galmier.

The squad announced by the Federation, however, does not include Olympic 10,000m silver medalist Sileshi Sihine who has failed to recover in time from a niggling knee injury and thus fails to make the Ethiopian team.

Ethiopian provisional team for the 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships in St. Etienne/ St. Galmier, France:

6km Junior Women:
Gelete Burka 
Hirut Mengistu 
Werkitu Ayana 
Alemitu Abera 
Azalech Masresha 
Belaynesh Zemedkun 
 
8km Junior Men:
Solomon Molla 
Tariku Bekele 
Kabtamu Reta 
Abdissa Dissassa 
Chala Leme 
Mekuria Tadesse 
 
4km Senior Women:
Tirunesh Dibaba 
Werkenesh Kidane 
Ejegayehou Dibaba 
Meselech Melkamu 
Bizunesh Bekele 
Derebe Alemu 
 
4km Senior Men:
Kenenisa Bekele 
Dejene Berhanu 
Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam 
Maeregu Zewde 
Mohammed Awel 
Abera Chane
 
8km Senior Women:
Tirunesh Dibaba 
Werkenesh Kidane 
Meselech Melkamu 
Gete Wami 
Merima Hashim 
Bizunesh Bekele 
 
12km Senior Men:
Kenenisa Bekele 
Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam 
Dejene Berhanu 
Abebe Dinkessa 
Eshetu Gezhagne 
Mekuria Tadesse