Over 43,000 runners participated in Ethiopia’s 24th annual international 10km road race, setting a new record with nearly 5,000 more participants than last year. The race, held at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, was attended by distance running legends, including race founder Haile Gebrselassie.
Gebrselassie, speaking at the event on Sunday, emphasized the importance of attracting elite athletes from around the world while maintaining the race’s quality and atmosphere. “It’s not just about numbers, but about bringing top talent and keeping the race competitive,” he said.
The Sofi Malt Great Ethiopian Run, now awarded World Athletics Label status, featured prominent athletes, including Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, the newly-crowned world marathon record holder. It was her first time racing in Ethiopia, and she expressed her excitement about the experience and the enthusiastic crowd.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Asayech Aychew claimed victory with a time of 32 minutes and 13 seconds. In the men’s race, defending champion Binyam Mehari improved on his previous time to win in 28 minutes and 25 seconds. Both winners received cash prizes of 250,000 Ethiopian birr (approx. USD $2,000), part of a total prize purse of 1.3 million birr.