EthioBlog

New York City Marathon women's winner Derartu Tulu, of Ethiopia, holds up a replica of the Empire State Building while posing for photos on the 86th floor observatory of the building, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

Ethiopia - Eritrea: Derartu Rings NYSE Closing Bell and Meb on Letterman's show

Ethiopia's Derartu Tulu who became the first Ethiopian woman to win the New York City marathon was honored at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday to ring the closing bell of the granddaddy of all stock markets. Derartu was joined by Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland, women's wheelchair winner and Mary Wittenberg, President and CEO of the New York Road Runners. Derartu takes a prize money of $130,000 for finishing first.

Derartu is the first African woman to win a Gold medal in the Olympics, when she clinched the gold medal in 10000m in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Eight years later she won another Olympic gold medal in Sydney.

In 2001, Derartu was a winner in the London and Tokyo Marathons.

Meb Keflezighi presents the "Top Ten Thoughts That Go Through Your Mind When Running The New York City Marathon."

American Meb Keflezighi, who was born in Eritrea, was a guest at Late Show with David Letterman.

New York City Marathon winners Derartu Tulu, of Ethiopia, left, and Meb Keflezighi, pose for photos on the 86th floor observatory of the Empire State Building, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

New York City Marathon winners Derartu Tulu, of Ethiopia, left, and Meb Keflezighi, pose for photos on the 86th floor observatory of the Empire State Building, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

Derartu Tulu, of Ethiopia, who became the first Ethiopian woman to win at the New York City Marathon on Sunday, poses with the Men's marathon winner Meb Keflezighi of the United States who was born in Eritrea, on the 86th floor observatory of the Empire State Building.

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To Some, an American Winner Is Not American Enough

As soon as Mebrahtom Keflezighi, better known as Meb, won the New York City Marathon on Sunday, an uncommon sports dispute erupted online, fraught with racial and nationalistic components: Should Keflezighi’s triumph count as an American victory?


Read Complete Article From The New York Times

Winner, Ethiopia's Deriba Merga, left, and third place winner, Kenya's Wilson Kipsang, center, pose on winners' podium with Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan, right after the New Delhi Half Marathon in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. Deriba Merga of Ethiopia retained the men's title of the New Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi

Deriba Merga of Ethiopia wins Delhi Half Marathon

Deriba Merga has always believed in the virtue of being patient. On Sunday, the Ethiopian runner showed why as he walked home with his
second consecutive Airtel Delhi Half Marathon men's title on Sunday.

An early-morning chill and a flat course proved the perfect foil as the 29-year pocketed $25,000 for his effort. Unlike last year, he did not set any course record but still finished eight seconds ahead of his nearest rival, compatriot Eshetu Wendemu. Merga came up with a timing of 59.54 minutes to Wendemu's 60.02. Last edition's runner-up Wilson Kipsang came third at 60.04.


Read More from Times of India

Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia wins the New York City Marathon

Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia wins New York City Marathon

Source: ING Marathon

Ethiopia's Derartu Tulu wins the ING New York City marathon today becoming the first Ethiopian woman ever to win at New York City marathon.

Derartu Tulu was more than halfway to the most unexpected laurel crown of her career, her 37-year-old legs churning over the Queensboro Bridge, when she turned to the struggling runner next to her and extended a lifeline.

Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia solidified her status as one of the greatest distance runners in history.

Tulu, the Olympic gold medalist at 10,000 meters in 1992 and 2000, outkicked Russia’s Ludmila Petrova in the final half-mile to win her first New York women’s title in 2:28:52.

“I knew I had better speed than those who were in the field,” said Tulu, a 37-year-old mother of two. “I did not come here necessarily to win. But I came here to be a strong competitor.”

Many expected Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe, the world record-holder and defending champion, to win a fourth New York title. But Radcliffe faded to fourth place because of an injured tendon in her left leg that had troubled her for two weeks.

“It was just tendinitis, fluid build-up in there,” Radcliffe said. “It’s just really sore.”

Tulu’s victory ended Radcliffe’s run of seven straight New York titles, including the marathon, NYC Half-Marathon, NYRR New York Mini 10K, and Fifth Avenue Mile.

The marathon’s 40th running drew a record 43,741 participants on a windy, occasionally misty day with temperatures in the mid-50s.

Read More from The New York Times

You can watch the video from Universal Sports

Ed's Note: On a personal note, I am very happy to witness Derartu's win in New York City today. I was cheering for Derartu just 200 yards away from the finish line in Central Park and was quite pleased and excited to see her in first place. Bizunesh Daba finished 7th. In the Men's marathon, Eritrean-American Meb Keflezighi won the race.

Ethiopia - Derartu Tulu seeks to win at ING New York City Marathon

Derartu Tulu
Ethiopia
Age: 37

One of history's all-time great distance runners, Tulu has excelled in track, road racing, and cross country. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist at 10,000 meters (1992 and 2000), and she won the 2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championship. She finished fifth in her debut marathon (Boston, 1997) and set her personal record of 2:23:30 when she finished fourth at the 2005 IAAF World Championships Marathon in Helsinki. Tulu is making a comeback; she finished fourth in 1:10:33 at the ING Philadelphia Distance Run half-marathon this September.

Two-time Olympic 10,000m champion Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia will race the New York City Maraton on November 1 for the second time.

Tulu, 37, won Olympic 10,000 metre gold in 1992 and 2000, and took bronze at the 2004 Athens Games.

She also captured World Championship gold at 10,000m in 2001 - the same year she finished third in the London Marathon.

Tulu has raced the New York City Marathon once before, finishing third in 2005.

She joins a women's field that features two-time defending champion Paula Radcliffe of Britain, 2000 winner Ludmila Petrova of Russia, who was second last year, Yuri Kano of Japan, Christelle Daunay of France and the reigning Boston Marathon champion Salina Kosgei of Kenya.