Likina Amebaw, Jemal Yimer win 10km titles at Paris Festival of Running

Addis Ababa, April 7, 2024 (FBC) – Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw, Jemal Yimer, and Hagos Gebrhiwet were among the winners as athletes descended on Paris for the Festival of Running ASICS Speed Race 5km and 10km events on Friday.

Competition took place on an iconic 2.5km loop that started and finished at Palais-Royal in the shadow of the Louvre.

Ethiopia’s Amebaw and Kenya’s Loice Chemnung both dipped under 30 minutes in the women’s 10km, with Amebaw clocking a PB of 29:56 to win and Chemnung finishing just one second behind her.

“It was a very amazing race. It was a fast race – I ran under 30 minutes, so I liked it,” said Amebaw, who was recently confirmed as joint runner-up in the 2023-2024 World Athletics Cross Country Tour.

She also voiced her ambition to return to Paris to compete in the No.1 Olympic sport at the Games in August.

“I have got to work hard, and I hope I will be at the Olympic Games,” she said. “Now I will get ready for track competition.”

Less than three weeks after his Seoul Marathon win in a PB of 2:06:08, Ethiopia’s Yimer matched his 10km best, running 27:43 to win the men’s race, also by one second.

Kenya’s Hillary Kipkoech was runner-up in 27:44 and his compatriot Vincent Kibet was third in 27:48.

Ethiopia’s multiple world and Olympic 5000m medallist Gebrhiwet was racing a couple of weeks out from his African Games 5000m victory, which followed a 5km win in the rain at the Podium Festival in Leicester, UK. In Paris he won the men’s 5km in 13:24 ahead of Mohamed Ismael (13:32) and Adel Mechaal (13:34).

Meanwhile, another Ethiopian athlete, Gete Alemayehu, won Prague Half Marathon women’s race, a World Athletics Elite Label road race on Saturday.

This was much closer and after exchanging the lead from 15km, Gete Alemayehu eventually strode away from Kenya’s Jesca Chelangat to win in 1:08:10. Chelangat finished three seconds behind the winner, while Ethiopia’s Nigsti Haftu was third in 1:09:30.