BY BETELHEM BEDLU
For a century, Ethiopian athletes have been dominating field and track competitions with a glittering track record in the world’s limelight. Ethiopian athletes have also been shining in middle and long-distance races holding a lead in one of the world’s most watched sporting events.
The legendary athletes, from Abebe Bikila to Derartu Tulu and Haile Gebreselassie, Ethiopian runners attested their knacks by competing and becoming indomitable contestants, scoring glittering successes, and honoring their country at the world of athletics tracks and fields.
Even these days, Ethiopia’s successive athletics communities have continued keeping their nation over the moon; standing tall in the athletics arena and making Ethiopia’s name reverberate across the horizon. For this reason, Ethiopia is known as home to enduring runners and talents.
In fact, dubbed Ethiopia’s traditional sport, athletics has long been the source of pride and heroism for the entire Ethiopian population.
The country has nothing short of miraculous achievement on the global stage and in hoisting the tri-colored Ethiopian flag in different cities and at different times. Home to favorable climate conditions, suitable topography, and uninterrupted talent, Ethiopia indeed came out to be a towering figure in the world of athletics fielding notable sportsmen and women who dominated the race not only once but dozen times. Suffice it to mention athletes Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba.
The gallant athletes, who have inked an unforgettable history though their sweat, have enabled their nation to shine on the world stage winning gold medals and accolades to the coffer of the country. Ethiopia’s athletics history replete with age-old success and triumphs continues till the present with new coming talent and charisma. The marvelous yet most revered success has turned the country’s image in the eye of the international community; also changed the bad reputation in which Ethiopia has been portrayed wittingly or unwittingly. The success of its athletes earned the country an acclimation and inspiration in Africa and beyond.
The remarkable stories have broken the glass ceiling that Africa cannot achieve what other continents can achieve in global competitions. Of course, Ethiopians have set an exemplary lesson to other African people engaged in other professions. If supported by hard work and determination, Africa, in fact, is well place to lead the world on various frontiers. And, Ethiopian athletes are undisputable proof in this regard.
The heroic deeds of Ethiopian athletes have been proved time and time again. This sparkling success has also been repeated in the World Athletics Championships, held in Oregon, US.
Upon the completion of the most-watched athletics track and field, Ethiopia finished 2nd in the rank list with 10 medals. This year’s contest marked a record achievement for team Ethiopia who won four gold medals with Ethiopian women runners winning three gold medals perpetuating the strakes of Ethiopian victories in the middle and long-distance races.
The country has written a living history ranking second among the powerful nations that have abundant resources and staggering technology.
Ethiopian women maintained their domination of the middle and long-distance races by clinching gold medals in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters, and also the marathon while winning silver and bronze medals in Footrace. Letesenbet Gidey, Gudaf Tesegay, and Gotytom Gebreslase have respectively won the gold medals in 10,000m, 5,000m and also at the marathon for their country.
The victory has in fact come amidst a turbulent year and myriads of setbacks facing the country. For quite a while now, good news has been in short supply in the country accompanied by a tsunami of misinformation and media propaganda.
In fact, the success of Ethiopian athletes proved naysayers’ wrong assumptions by coming out top on the world stage with demonstrable unity and solidarity.
Having won the 2021 Berlin Marathon a little less than a year ago, on her debut, the Ethiopian star continues to improve as was evident with her record time in Oregon.
Gotytom Gebreslase completed the feat in a championship-record time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, 11 seconds. After taking the silver medal in the women’s 1,500 meters at these World Athletics Championships, Gudaf Tsegay clinched a gold medal in women’s 5,000 meters. “I am happy about this result,” Tsegay said. This win is for all of Ethiopia, said Gudaf, according to the Oregon championship website.
World record-holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia won the women’s 10,000 meters in a wild finish in the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field.
The victory has far-reaching implications and is just beyond winning medals. The triumph has shown the world the other face of the country and brought unity among the Ethiopian people. Oregon Championship asserts that Ethiopians can emerge victorious against all odds. They even cultivated a new sense of patriotism and determination in the country unifying the people under one flag. Ethiopia may currently face different challenges but its victory is inevitable.
Putting the divisive rhetoric aside, Ethiopia has embraced good team spirit and unity proving internal and external adversaries wrong. With their victories, Ethiopia athletes have also shown the world that Ethiopia has all that it takes to turn calamities into opportunities. Yes! Ethiopia is beyond conflict and starvation. Good things are happening in the country even though the international media turn a blind eye to the positive success. The championship has opened a window of opportunity to reveal Ethiopia’s true identity to the world. By overcoming the challenges, the athletes exhibited the deep social fabric of Ethiopians and their defiance against all odds.
The athletes who came from different ethnic and religious lines have broken the barriers and unified their people. Ethiopian athletes do, in fact, run for the glory of their people and their country.
As witnessed in the sporting event, nothing can stand in the way of Ethiopians when the people are united and resilient. As the athletes conquered the challenges, Ethiopians will overcome internal and external problems by fostering unity and solidarity. And, the enthusiasm and patriotism that captivated Ethiopians from all walks of life will be repeated in other frontiers owing to the hero and herons of Ethiopian athletes.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 JULY 2022
