Mamitu Daska wins 2011 Choice Women First 5km in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Mamitu Deska of Oromia Police set a new course record to win the 2011 Choice Women First 5Km race here yesterday, reported Ethiopianrun.org.

Choice Women First 5Km is one of the largest women’s only race in Africa, organized by Haile Gebrselassie’s Great Ethiopian Run organization.

It was a gallant victory for Daska, who is preparing for the 2011 Paris Marathon, to come from behind to win in a time of 15.44, the fastest time in the event’s eight-year history.

While Daska basked in victory, it was another disappointing race for defending champion Sule Utura, who dropped out after leading for most of the race. 2001 has so far not been easy for Utura, who continues to struggle in domestic competitions this year. This came just two weeks after she dropped out of Ethiopia’s world cross country trials at Jan Meda.

Around 9000 athletes took part in the 8th edition of the race with four-time Ethiopian world indoor 3000m champion Meseret Defar and Haile Gebrselassie on hand to award prizes to podium finishers.

Top Ten Results

1. Mamitu Daska (Oromiya Police) 15:44.16 CR
2. Meskerem Abera (Oromiya Region) 16:06.76
3. Tadelech Bekele (Worku Bikila) 16:07.74
4. Tsega Gelaw (Defence) 16:11.36
5. Fatuma Sado (Oromiya Police) 16:45.47
6. Almaz Ayena (Defence) 16:16.57
7. Shito Wudassie (Defence) 16:20.26
8. Bekelech Daba (Alpha Engineering) 16:21.64

9. Tsegereda Girma (Oromiya Region) 16:31.66