Two Ethiopians defied all odds to emerge winners of both the male and female 21k category of the maiden International Millennium marathon race at the Independence square in Accra on Saturday.
The race which started around 6am began from the Independence Square through La theTrade Fair road, Burma Camp, El-Wak Stadium, 37 Military Hospital, National Theatre, Liberation Road, Rawlings Park, WATO Road, High Street and to the starting point saw about 15,000 local and international athletes participating.
The event earmarked to bring economic benefits and tourism to the country witnessed the presence of the greatest distance runner in history Haille Gabreselassie, President John Mahama, Accra Mayor Alfred Oko Vanderpuye, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Vincent Oppong, former CPP flag bearer Abu Sakara among other dignitaries gracing the occasion.
Ethiopian Tereta Debela Delesa beat Kenyan George Waiyaki Njoroge and the 2011 Accra Milo Marathon champion William Akuka in the male category, winning the ultimate prize of Peugeot car whilst the second and third received USD 3,500 and 1,500 USD respectively.
In the female division, Millicent Boadi of the Ghana Revenue Authority’s custom division came second behind Ethiopian Aeyle Inem with Martha Ronceria from Colombia occupying the third position. The winner took home a Peugeot car, with Boadi pocketing 3,500 USD, and Ronceria taking 1,500 USD.
Winner of the male category Delesa expressed his excitement to GNA Sports saying “I am happy to take the car and this is my second time of winning an international race. I had a tough competition from my competitors but my mission of partaking was to win and I trained very hard ahead of the event. My win in France motivated me to reach this far’’.
According to him, though the weather was not favorable, his hard work, determination and zeal pushed him to beat the other competitors and hopes to win more medals like their legend Gebrelselasie.
Gebreselassie said that ‘’I am very much impressed about the whole event and I believe Ghana has more talent to reach far in athletics with preparation. The winner is good and with his tactics, he can be like me in the future. The future is bright for athletics in Ghana and the continent and I believe there are athletes who can match Usian Bolt for honors’’.
Source: GNA
