ADDIS ABABA: The national sport in Ethiopia is running. And after the strong showing at the Chicago marathon, Ethiopians are once again happy over the country's success. “It is just another great action for us as a country and shows we are a strong people,” one cafegoer told Bikyamasr.com on Monday as he read about the race. In Chicago, Tsegaye Kebede became the first Ethiopian man to win the Chicago Marathon by winning Sunday's 35th edition in a course record, with compatriot Atsede Baysa taking the women's title by a stride. Kebede surged in the final mile to win in 2:04.38 and defeat countryman Feyisa Lilesa by 14 seconds, with Tilahun Regassa third in 2:05:26 on his marathon debut to complete an Ethiopian men's podium sweep. “This is a great day for us, for Ethiopia especially,” Kebede said. Kebede's victory snapped a run of consecutive Chicago victories by Kenyan men at nine. The former men's course mark was 2:05:37 last year by Kenyan Moses Mosop. In a women's duel in doubt until the last second, Ethiopia's Baysa edged Kenya's Rita Jeptoo, the 2006 Boston Marathon winner, at the finish line. Baysa was given an official time of 2:22:03, a personal best by one second, with Jeptoo second at 2:22:04 and Kenya's Lucy Kabuu third, 38 seconds adrift. “I came to win this race,” Baysa said. “When I came upon the finish line, I knew I won.” Each champion received $100 000 for the victory, while Kebede took an extra $50,000 for setting a course record and Baysa won a $10,000 bonus for her time. For Ethiopians, after running success last summer in London at the Olympics, they are optimistic about their country's sporting future and believe they are the country to reckon with in long distance races.
