Ethiopian Olympic Committee

International Table Tennis Course successfully con

A technical course for coaches in table tennis has been held in Addis Ababa from April 17-23, 2007. The International coaching course for ITTF Level One Coaches was given to 28 trainees from the nine regional states and two city administrations. Olympic Solidarity, Ethiopian Olympic Committee and Ethiopian Table Tennis Federation as well as International Table Tennis Federation organized the course. According to the trainer Mr. Sylvain Chermette, “In the immediate future the country will not be a world leader in high level table tennis like Germany, but if motivation and passion count for anything, their progress will be rapid and standard of table tennis in the country will no doubt grow. The Ethiopian National Team was third at the African Table Tennis Championship in 2004 and could be regular claimant to African titles and medals in the next few years.”

EOC organizes Sports Medicine Course

Ethiopian Olympic Committee, in collaboration with International Olympic Committee, has recently organized a four-day Sports Medicine Course for National Coaches. The course attended by 27 coaches drawn from national sports federations took place from April 25-28, 2007 in Addis Ababa. Participants appreciated the course and called for its conduct at all regional states and city administrations. Mr. Zerihun Biyadigilgn, a senior instructor who offered the training, on his part lauded EOC for making all national coaches of all federations attend the course and urged the consolidation of the effort, while calling on the trainees to implement the knowledge they have acquired.

First Ethiopian Olympic marathon runner passes awa

The first Ethiopian Olympic Marathon runner, Seargent Bashaye Feleke passed away late last month due to poor health. The 91-year-old athlete represented Ethiopia at the 16th Melbourne Olympiad held in Australia in 1956. At this Olympiad, where Ethiopia took part for the first time, the marathon runner managed to stand 21st. Sergeant Bashaye is survived by his wife and seven children.

Melbourne Olympic (1956)

Our team which represented Ethiopia in the Olympic arena for the first time traveled for solid 16 days in military aircraft. The team took part in cycling and Athletics competitions. This initial contact was an eye opener for the forthcoming games .

Rome Olympic (1960)

The eleven- member Ethiopian team of Athletics and Cycling registered a shinning victory during these games. The bare-footed Abebe Bikila broke the marathon record and registered 2:15:16.2. His was the first gold medal for Ethiopia

Tokyo Olympic (1964)

Just recuperating from operation for appendicitis, Abebe Bikila was taken here to task by Japanese competitors. Even then Abebe broke his own record and won another gold medal thus enabling Ethiopia to consecutively possess two gold medals in Marathon .

Mexico Olympic (1968)

This was a landmark for Ethiopian Athletics. Although the de-facto Marathonist Abebe Bikila interrupted the race after a muscular strain, Mamo Wolde took in his feet and won the gold medal. The victory enabled Ethiopia to become the only country to win Olympic Marathon for successive games. Mamo Wolde. Besides his victory in marathon he won another silver medal in 10.000 meters.

Munich Olympic (1972)

At this venue, Ethiopia as usual demonstrated its good sportsmanship skill, especially in Athletics, and won two medals. Though the 40 years old Mamo Wolde stood third in Marathon , the upcoming Mirutse Yifter won a bronze medal in 10,000 meters race.

Montreal Olympic (1976)

Sports activities should obviously be free from politics. This fact is underscored by the Olympic Movement founders. “ OLYMPIC GAMES SHALL BE FREE FROM ANY RACIAL, RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL MATTERS .'' So goes the motto. Contrary to this, the New Zealand government established contacts with the apartheid South African regime. Thus Ethiopia , along with other African countries was obliged to boycott the Montreal Olympic.

Moscow Olympic (1980)

The Ethiopian delegates attending this event were about forty five. Mirutse, “The Gear Shifter” stunned sports fans by winning gold medals in both 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters races. Alongside Mohammed Kedir won Bronze medal in 10,000 meters and Eshetu Tura in the 3,000 meters Steeplechase.

LosAngles (1984) and Seoul (1988) Olymiads

These games were again boycotted by Ethiopia for political reasons. And this had a negative impact on the emerging young athletes as well as the ageing ones.

Barcelona Olympic (1992)

Even if the withdrawal of Ethiopia from the Olympiad arena had a negative impact on its sportsmen and women, as the Barcelona games revived the dying spirit, Derartu Tulu, a female Athlete won gold medal in 10,000meters while Fita Bayisa in 5,000 meters race and Addis Abebe in 10,000 meters snatched Bronze Medals.

Atlanta Olympic (1996)

The Atlanta Olympic Games were also fruitful for Ethiopian athletes. The magnificent athlete, Haile Gebre-Selassie, won gold medal in 10,000 meters. Whereas Fatuma Roba snatched another gold medal in Women's Marathon Gete Wami, another rising female athlete, also got bronze medal in 10,000 meters.

Sydney Olympic (2000)

During this Olympiad Ethiopia participated in Athletics and Boxing and the number of the delegates were fifty five.

Impressive results were recorded by athletes Haile Gebre-Selassie, Gezahegn Abera, Million Wolde and Derartu Tulu who won gold medals in 10,000 meters, Marathon, 5,000 and 10,000 meters respectively; whereas, Gete Wami snatched silver and bronze medals in 10,000 and 5000 meters.

In addition, Tesfaye Tola and Assefa Mezgebu also won Bronze medals in Marathon and 10,000meters.

Out of 199 countries who participated in Athletics , Ethiopia become 2 nd in team results after U.S.A.

Athens Olympic (2004)

Ethiopia participated in Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Athletics and Boxing.

In athletics, the results were impressive as usual. Kenenisa Bekele won gold and silver medals in 10,000 and 5,000 meters. Seleshi Sihin got silver medal in 10,000 meters.

In the female category, Meseret Defar earned gold medal in 5,000 meters, Tirunesh Dibaba won bronze medal in 5,000 meters and her elder sister Ejigayehu Dibaba got silver medal in 10,000 meters. Derartu Tulu also got bronze medal in 10,000 meters.

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