Four-time World Half Marathon champion Zersenay Tadese from Eritrea finished second place in 1:00:11 behind Kenya’s Wilson Kiprop 1:00:07 at the IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships in Nanning, China. Tadese gave his best to defend his title during a tight race against Kiprop. The Kenyan took the lead just a few metres before crossing the finish line.

New York Marathon

Meb Keflezighi’s chances of finishing first during this year ‘s New York Marathon have increased for the Eritrean-American runner.

Four-time Boston Marathon winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and three-time London Marathon champion Martin Lel will not run in next month’s New York Marathon due to injuries, reports AFP. Both Kenyans were expected to be among title contenders in the November 7 race.

Lel, who won the New York crown in 2003 and 2007, will miss the race because of a right leg injury while Cheruiyot, last year’s New York runner-up to Eritrean-born American Meb Keflezighi, was sidelined by a groin injury. Cheruiyot, 32, captured his most recent Boston crown in 2008 and Lel, 31, was fifth at the 2008 Beijing Olympic marathon.

Marathon world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, making his New York debut, and Keflezighi top the remaining field, which also includes two-time New York winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil and Kenyan Abel Kirui.

11 October 2010 – The provisional entry lists for the IAAF / SINOPEC World Half Marathon Championships which will be held in Nanning, China, on 16 October, are now available, as at 10 October.

The men’s field features Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea, who will be gunning for a fifth successive title. Last March the 28-year-old set a new World record over the Half Marathon distance, clocking 58:23 in Lisbon.

You can download the entry lists (PDFs) – entries by country and entries by event below or at http://www.iaaf.org/WHM10/news/kind=100/newsid=58490.html:

Nanning 2010 – PROVISIONAL Entry list – by Event

Nanning 2010 – PROVISIONAL Entry list – by Country

IAAF

In 2010 football was the name of the game on the African continent and history in the making with the first FIFA Football World Cup held in South Africa.

Football has become a “world religion” bringing nations together on the pitch and off the pitch. Who would have thought that alone supermarket giant Sainsbury’s would sell an African instrument, “Vuvuzela”, once used to summon distant villagers to attend community gatherings, over 50.000 times in the UK.

Africa is not only made out of South Africa and so football history continued to be written also in Eritrea, a small African state on the red sea, where the young nation hosted the CECAFA under-20 tournament. The CECAFA theme was Development and Friendship and took place in Eritrea’s capital Asmara from the August 14 to August 28.

Teams from nine African nations, including Eritrea, received a warm welcome by  Mr Tesfay Gebreyesas president of the Eritrean National Football Federation. Eritrea, the hosting country delivered a successful cup with organizers squeezing the best out of resources available, it proved again Eritrea can make it even during difficult times.

President of CECAFA Mr Leodegar Tenga praised the Government, Football Federation and the people of Eritrea for their hospitality. He continued on by saying

“This tournament will not only stimulate the development of football in this region, but it will also renovate social, economic development of our people and foster friendship”.

The tournament was overall packed and tickets for matches sold out, hotels were full with African nation’s contestants and streets were decorated with banners all over the place.

Eritrean fans were on the streets chanting “Eritrea, Eritrea Eritrea” full of excitement and roads packed with cars sounding there horn. Although, Eritrea came second behind cup winner Uganda and 4 players of the national team of Zanzibar had to be disqualified because of overage the cup was a major achievement for the team and Eritrea.

Shabait, Asmara, 28 August 2010 – The 5th CECAFA Cup under 20 tournament that was conducted here in Asmara concluded today with the Ugandan national soccer team as winner.

In the final matches that took place today between the Eritrean and Ugandan national teams, the two teams drew 1-1 in both the regular and additional time. In the subsequent penalty kicks, the Ugandan team beat the Eritrean team 5-3, thus emerging as the champion.

Also in the matches conducted earlier between the Kenyan and Rwandan national teams for ranking, the Kenyan team defeated its counterpart 1-0 and assumed the 3rd position.

In the course of the two-week tournament under the theme: “Development and Friendship”, the national soccer teams of Eritrea, Tanzania, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda and Zanzibar, as well as the invited Yemeni team took part.

By Dalmar Gure, Nairobi (HOL) – Six nations from all over Africa came together Sunday to commemorate the 19th Independence of Eritrea by representing their respective countries in Africa’s favourite sporting pastime, Football.

In a sport revered by millions of Africans, it is no surprise that since its introduction to the continent football has embodied strong political elements. Since the waves of independence in Africa began, football and freedom have become synonymous; therefore, it is only fitting that Eritrea, the last African nation to gain independence, celebrate by hosting a football tournament.

One of the organizers of the tournament, Bellay Tekleab, said that he was happy to see such a great turnout and enthusiasm from both the players and spectators. “This is the first time we’re doing this (tournament) and we that this can become an annual event. Next year we hope to invite more teams and have more people come out and watch these kids play”

Players from Cameroon, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan participated in the round by round knockout tournament that was held at the Technical College in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

The first round saw Kenya be defeated by their Somali counterparts 2-1; a headline that has become all too familiar for both Kenyans and Somalis. Ethiopia barely edged past Cameron with a one – nil win. The third game of the first round saw Eritrea win a lop-sided victory over Sudan 3-0. The last scheduled game of the tournament was riddled with confusion as Eritrea Youth, a team that was taking the place of an India/Pakistan squad that failed to show up won by technicality as their opponents the Democratic Republic of Congo was also in absentia.

The Somalia team donning jerseys that read “Eastleigh Stars FC” continued their dominant play with a convincing 3-0 win over Eritrea; a win that would secure them a position in the finals. . Ethiopia and Eritrea Youth faced off for the other coveted position in the finals. Both teams displayed a balanced attack and even better defense. Eritrea Youth would emerge as the victor winning a nail biter 3-2.

The championship game pitted Somalia and Eritrea Youth against one another in a game that would ultimately come down to speed. To the surprise of the mostly Eritrean crowd, Somalia’s attack offense continued to bombard the Eritrean goalkeeper throughout the game. At the end of the first half, Somalia already had a commanding 3-0 lead. The second half saw much better defense by the Eritreans who conceded only a single goal. The final score was 4-0.

The Eritrean ambassador to Kenya, Dessale Berhane, one of the spectators of the tournament said that the day was not about winners or losers; but rather to share their special day with the rest of the countries. View more photos: http://www.hiiraan.com/images/2010/may/Eritrea_Day_Tournament/index.htm

MONACO (AP) — The IAAF has ratified two world records set by Zersenay Tadese. The Eritrean runner broke both the 20K and half marathon records in Lisbon on March 21.

Tadese ran the half marathon in 58 minutes, 23 seconds, breaking Kenyan Samuel Kamau Wanjiru’s mark by 10 seconds. Tadese also completed 20K during the same race in 55:21, which beat the previous mark of 55:48 set by Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie in 2006.

The IAAF also ratified a new world indoor record in the women’s 3,200 relay. A Russian quartet set a time of 8:12.41 in Moscow on Feb. 28.

A Canadian runner born to an Eritrean father and an Ethiopian mother wants to end the Kenyan domination of the Vancouver Sun Run. But realizing that ambitious goal, one of just several who could change the face of Canadian long-distance running, will have to wait for Simon Bairu.

Bairu, 26, from Regina, had a May 1 date in Stanford, Calif., at the Payton Jordan Invitational track meet, where he was attempting to break a nine-year-old Canadian record in the 10,000 metres, one of several Canadian running records that have stood the test of time, much to Bairu’s consternation. His ultimate goal is to evolve into a marathoner, take a run at Jerome Drayton’s hoary Canadian record, which has been on the books since 1975, and become the first Canadian to run under 2:10 in the classic distance race.

While Bairu’s schedule won’t allow him to recover in time for Sunday’s Sun Run, just eight days after his Stanford run farther down the coast, he aches to race in the mass 10K road event, the second largest in North America, probably as early as next year.

“I wish I had an opportunity to run more in Canada,” Bairu admits. “Hopefully, I’ll be up there [Vancouver] in the next couple of years.”

Bairu trains in Portland as part of the Nike Oregon Project, a high-performance camp set up to address the decline of American (and Canadian) achievement in running — middle-distance through marathoning — in an era dominated disproportionately by Olympic champions and world-record holders from Kenya and Ethiopia.

Eric Gillis, of Guelph, Ont., is also part of the leading edge in a revival of Canadian distance running. In January, the 30-year-old from the Speed River Track and Field Club (named for the river that flows through Guelph) ran 2:13:56 in his first attempt at the marathon in a race in Houston. It is believed to be the second-fastest debut marathon time in Canadian history. Athletics Canada set a standard of 2:14 to qualify for the Beijing games. No Canadian was able to make it to the start line.

Gillis trains with Reid Coolsaet, Canada’s top finisher at the 2009 world championships marathon, and he’ll be regarded as the Canadian favourite in the 2010 Sun Run,

which could be a mirror image of the 2010 Victoria Times Colonist 10K on April 25. Kenyans

Kip Kangogo, Willie Kimosop and Kibet Rutto swept the top three placings in that race with Scott Simpson of Victoria finishing fourth.

Despite his third-place result in Victoria, however, Rutto should be the man to beat in the elite division of this year’s Sun Run, which has been won by a runner with a Kenyan passport 13 times in the past 16 years. He ran the Victoria 10K with a slight calf injury, and just days after a 35-hour commute from Africa. Just 23, the runner from Iten, Kenya divides his time between training at altitude back home and his North American base in Waterloo, Ont. Sponsored by The Running Room, Rutto’s aim is to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London in the 10,000, then evolve to the marathon like Bairu and Gillis.

“There are so many Kenyans running fast right now,” Gillis says.

“You don’t always know their names or their histories, but you have to give them respect. Still, you just can’t say, ‘Oh, I’m in a race with a Kenyan, I can’t run with him.’ Even if they have fast track times, that doesn’t mean they’re not beatable on the road.”

Indeed, Gillis held off Kenya’s Josephat Ongeri to win the Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K race April 3 in Toronto. Matt Loiselle of Toronto, who was third in that race, is also entered in the 2010 Sun Run.

“Having Kenyans in a race is a little bit of motivation,” says the 25-year-old Loiselle. “They dominate the sport, but that’s the reason I’m coming to Vancouver. Good competition helps you to get better.”  (The Vancouver Sun)

Hamburg

More than 16,000 runners were participating at the 25th Hamburg Marathon competition in Germany. Beraki, Beyene Zerea from Eritrea finished third in 02:10:06 behind Kenya’s Wilfred Kigen in 02:09:22 (first) and Norwegian athlete Buta, Urige Arado in 02:09:27 (second) in Hamburg.

In the women’s race, another Kenyan Cherop Sharon won the race in two hours 28 minutes and 38 seconds – well over a minute ahead of second placed Biruktayit Eshetu Degefa of Ethiopia.

In the second Marathon competition today, across the English channel, thousands of spectators cheered on 35,000 runners including fellow Eritrean Zersenay Tadese at the the London Marathon 2010.

The event is said to be the largest single mass fundraising event in the world. Tadese finished the London Marathon seventh place in 02:12:03.

Cheered on by thousands of spectators on a cloudy Sunday 35,000 runners including the world’s top athletes started the men’s elite race in the world’s largest fundraising marathon event, the London Marathon 2010.

From the beginning of the race the men’s field kept a high speed with a group of  twelve front runners from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya leading the masses. Abel Kirui from Kenya and Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede lead the men’s race for a long time until Kebede increased his pace to leave Kirui behind.

Kebede who finished last year’s London Marathon second place is the third Ethiopian to win the London Marathon at 02:05:18. Second place goes to Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai from Kenya with a minute away of Kebede and third place goes Jaouaed Gharib of Morocco.

Having finished first at this year’ s Lisbon Half Marathon, Zersenay Tadese was not able to repeat his outstanding performance from Lisbon.

Gulfstream

London Marathon organizers fear that flight restrictions over Europe could hinder African star athletes to participate in this year’s Virgin London Marathon event scheduled to start in five days.

Race organisers have arranged a private plane to pick up athletes from Africa and fly them to London via Djibouti and Spain.

The move followed air travel restrictions over much of Europe due to volcanic ash after last week’s eruption in Iceland, increasing the risk that elite overseas runners would not be able to compete in Sunday’s race.

The specially arranged flight will first fly to Nairobi to pick up Kenyan athletes and then make a stopover in Djibouti to collect athletes from Eritrea and Ethiopia, according to an official from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

A Gulfstream jet from Egypt is supposed to fly today the routing Egypt-Kenya-Djibouti-Spain. Another jet is awaiting the athletes in Spain to bring them to London.

Boston Marathon

More than 26,000 runners were lining up for the Boston Marathon 2010. Pressure was high on New York City Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi and fellow American Ryan Hall as they were expected to give the United States its first men’s win since 1983.

After leading most of the first 10 miles Ryan Hall fell back letting Deriba Merga and Chala Dechase of Ethiopia move forward only to come back and regain the lead 15 minutes later.

Approaching route 128 and the Wellesley-Newton line the leading group of athletes was down to seven consisting of Meb Keflezighi, Robert Cheruiyot, Tekeste Kebede, Deriba Merga, Moses Kigen, Abderrahim Goumri and Gilbert Yegon at the 15-miles mark.

Shortly after the 20-miles mark Kenyan athlete Robert Cheruiyot and Deriba Merga and Tekeste Kebede from Ethiopia opened the lead increasing the gap between them and the remaining group.

Finally, Robert Cheruiyot finished first with a new course record of 2:05:51 followed by Ethiopian Tekeste Kebede finishing second 2:07:23 and Deriba Merga finishing third in 2:08:39. Ryan Hall finished fourth in 02:08:41 the fastest time ever by an American and Mebrahtom Keflezighi fifth in 02:09:26. Robert Cheruiyot will take home the Boston Marathon winning prize of up to $150,000.