President Sahle-Work handed over recognition, prize to Olympians
Addis Ababa, August 14, 2024 (FBC) – At a ceremony held at the National Palace last night, Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde presented recognition and awards to the country’s delegation that competed in the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris, France.
During the award and recognition event, President Sahle-Work highlighted Ethiopia’s long-standing reputation for excellence in athletics, acknowledging the dedication and hard work of all the athletes and their coaches.
However, she also noted that Ethiopia’s performance at the Paris Olympics did not meet expectations and emphasized the need to address this issue in order to improve the country’s standing in future Olympic Games.
On the occasion, men’s marathon gold medal winner, Tamrat Tolla, was awarded the national gold Medal of Honor and a sum of 7 million Birr. Women’s marathon silver medalist Tigist Assefa, women’s 800m silver medalist Tsige Duguma, and men’s 10,000m silver medalist Berihu Aregawi each received 4 million Birr in recognition of their achievements.
Note that Ethiopia finished in the global standings at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by securing only 4 medals, including 1 gold, 3 silver.
The 34th Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles, the United States of America, in 2028.