The 2022 Great Bokoji Run was staged with an initiation of Ministry of Tourism – Land of Origins in collaboration with Great Ethiopian Run and Ride the Rift. The race took place on Sunday 15th May, 2022 led by the message “Ethiopia is Running”.
The event was staged to inspire young athletes and to raise the profile of the town as a good tourist destination. The event comprised races classified in five categories including a cycling race:
1. Tirunesh Dibaba Young Champions: 2000 meters’ competition for 50 school children qualified for this race in competitions held prior to the race day
2. 7km elite competition: 150 elite athletes from Bokoji and Assela
3. 7km mass race: Around 1000 Bokoji and surrounding residents
4. Hike and run: Around 70 participants from Addis including international community
5. Children race: 50 under 11 boys and girls
From the Elite Men category the top 3 were Birhanu Tulu – 21:56:56, Chuchu Abebe – 21:58:56, and Dejene Hailu-22:13:33 respectively.
While from the Elite Women, Hawi Gudeta – 25:19:54, Keneni Dicha -27:12:23, and Meseret Harda- 27:43:00 were the top 3 respectively.
The winners of these races received prizes of 5000, 3000 and 2000 birr respectively plus a chance to take part in the Eldoret City Marathon next year (1st place winner of this race gets 35,000 USD) and the 2022 TotalEnergies Great Ethiopian Run International 10km.
The other main event of the race was the Under 15 Tirunesh Dibaba Young Champions Race where in the boys category Yobsen Shimeles, Tade Bekele, and Fekadu Mengistu and in the girls category Jemanesh Ketema, Hana Awgichew, and Fasika Girma secured the top 3 spots earning them a scholarship to the “Tirunesh Acadamy” and a certificate signed by Tirunesh Dibaba and the Tourism Minister Ambassador Nasise Chali.
Lamrot Genana, Tobsen Alemayehu, and Eman Ashenif were the top 3 of the under 11 race in the girls categoty while in
the boys category Riyad Yoseph, Amanuel Abyot , and Rabra Gobena finished in the top 3 respectively. All the under 11 winners received a certificate signed by Haile Gebrselassie.
Representatives from the Ethiopian Tourism Minister to regional representatives were among the guests at the race and took part in the prize ceremony.
