Hmmm - it's all about Running!

hello annonymous blogger... thanks for the questions...

So, coming to the ranking, the position that I previously told you, refers to the ranking updated to March 25, 2007: of course things are have changed now after the big marathons results, which you can see from AIMS (link below). if you calculate them back I believe you will find the rankings at that time.

Regarding the ETHIOPIAN FEDERATION current year ranking, Shitaye is in position. 4 and Asnake in position n. 2 and they will partecipate to OSAKA IAAF WORLD CHAMP. in August.!!

Here is the ranking:

1 MELESE GASHAW 2h09,53 1 GETE WAMI 2h21,45

2 ASNAKE FEKADU 2h10, 27 2 MAGARSA TAFA 2h25,07

3 TESFAYE TOLA 2H10,45 3 DIRE TUNE 2h26,52

4 AMBESSE TOLOSA 2H11,15 4 SHITAYE GEMECHU 2h28,03

You can find also the world current year statitistics in the AIMS web site at this address:

http://www.aims-association.org/statistics/CurrentYearStatistics.htm

Gemechu is Ethiopian! As is Aznake... please see below...
WOMEN
2:23:12 Wei Yanan CHN 1 Seoul 18 MAR
2:23:48 Yumiko Hara JPN 1 Osaka 28 JAN
2:24:39 Mari Ozaki JPN 2 Osaka 28 JAN
2:24:43 Yuri Kano JPN 3 Osaka 28 JAN
2:25:08 Souad Ait Salem ALG 1 Roma 18 MAR
2:26:08 Xiaolin Zhu CHN 1 Xiamen 31 MAR
2:26:46 Hellen Kimutai KEN 2 Roma 18 MAR
2:26:52 Dire Tune Arissi ETH 1 Houston 14 JAN
2:27:19 Tafa 1 Dubai 12 JAN
2:27:25 Rose Cheruiyot KEN 2 Seoul 18 MAR
2:28:03 Shitaye Gemechu ETH 1 Treviso 25 MAR

MEN
TIME ATHLETE NATION RANK VENUE DATE
2:08:04 Lee Bong-ju KOR 1 Seoul 18 MAR
2:08:20 Viktor Roethlin SUI 1 Zuerich 01 APR
2:08:29 Paul Kiptanui KOR 2 Seoul 18 MAR
2:08:38 Laban Kipkemboi KOR 3 Seoul 18 MAR
2:08:45 Edwin Komen KOR 4 Seoul 18 MAR
2:09:36 Elias Kemboi ChelimoKEN 1 Roma 18 MAR
2:09:45 Daniel Njenga KEN 1 Tokyo 18 FEB
2:09:53 William Todoo RotichKEN 1 Dubai 12 JAN
2:10:12 Jose Manuel MartinezESP 2 Roma 18 MAR
2:10:23 Atsushi Fujita JPN 1 Oita 04 FEB
2:10:25 Jonathan Kosgei KEN 3 Roma 18 MAR
2:10:27 Philip Biwott KEN 3 Treviso 25 MAR
2:10:27 Fekadu Asnake Roro ETH 4 Treviso 25 MAR

Regarding the press, it is the press who writes what they write and of course we are unable to control the press... We always try to ensure that the data that we give them is accurate. Sometimes in the heat of the event the numbers can be quoted by anyone, but our official statement is that there were around 10,000 people participating in the event.

Hope this makes all clear... though I must inform you that we take the rankings at face value and I see that they are now two or three positions different from what we quoted... however, sometimes the results come late and the rankings change. The positions we quoted were in good faith, and I am sure that you will agree with me that a world ranking of 9 or 11 is fantastic and that runners coming to Zahle were truly of a world class standing.

thanks as always for your interest in our site... please identify yourself if you dont mind...
Mark