With the support of the Ministry of Tourism and title sponsor Ethio Telecom Great Ethiopian Run will this weekend stage the second edition of the Great Bokoji Run in the town of Bokoji.
Situated 220km southeast of Addis Ababa in the Arsi Highlands, the town is known as “the town of runners” being the birthplace of many of Ethiopia’s great athletes including Olympic champions Derartu Tulu and Kenenisa Bekele and the Dibaba sisters.
At a press conference staged today at Ellili Hotel in Addis Ababa, the Ministry of Tourism will also welcome the mayor of Bokoji and coach Sentayeyu Eshetu who has been instrumental in developing athletes in the region.
The press conference is also an opportunity to share ideas on how more can be done to promote sport tourism in Ethiopia.
This weekend’s event programme comprises a hike on Saturday and a series of running competitions on the Sunday morning including some 2000m track races for young athletes taking part in the Tirunesh Dibaba Championships. The main elite and mass race will take place over a 12km course on asphalt and unmade roads.
On of the main aims of the programme is to promote local tourism as well as to continue to inspire young runners from the region to pursue athletics, imitating those who have gone before them.
Ethiopian Airlines is also playing its part and has arranged transport and accommodation for two young Kenyan athletes. Citizen TV Kenya, Kenya’s premier TV station, is also sending a TV crew to the event.
