Athletics Africa Magazine

World food programme Ambassador has also joined the bandwagon of athletes donating their kits to charity. World Marathon record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya who is the African Ambassador of the IAAF humanitarian project Athletics for a Better World has donated his 2005 New York Marathon winning vest and an autographed copy of his book Paul Tergat: 'Running to the Limit' to the IAAF. Meanwhile, 379 Dream Team members who pledged to raise funds and lobby for Ethiopia's orphans and vulnerable children through their participation in the 2005 Toyota Great Ethiopian Run raised more than $18,000 in last sunday's 'Run For Their Dreams', The Great Ethiopia Run's first ever sponsorship campaign. The Dream Team members were joined by 2000 members of youth anti-AIDS clubs from all regions of Ethiopia who had traveled to Addis Ababa for weekend of activities culminating in their participation in the UNICEF 10 K youth challenge.

Good to know that superstars are human afterall. I am always excited when successful people give back to the society to support humanitarian projects. World and Olympics champion Tonique Williams-Darling has joined the growing lists of athletes donating their winning kits to the IAAF athletes for a better world project . The darling lady from Bahamas, who won a highly competitive 400m final at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki last summer, donated her gold medal winning bodysuit to the Americas project Ambassador Debbie Ferguson following her 49.55 seconds win in Helsinki. The 29-year-old Williams-Darling was the revelation of the 2004 summer season during which not only did she win the Olympic title in Athens but she also won a share of the TDK Golden League Jackpot. Last week, Athens 2004 double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes donated her competition vest to the IAAF . The 35-year-old, who won an incredible 800m / 1500m double at the 2004 Games, presented a Great Britain and No...

Reigning World Half marathon champion Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania took home the $10,000 prize money on offer at the 4th MTN Lagos International Half Marathon today. The 19-year-old ran away from defending champion John Korir of Kenya to win in a new course record of 1:02:20, ending the Kenyan 3-year domination of the course . Korir, 25, equalled his former course record of 1:03:05 to place second while Joseph's training partner and fellow countryman John Yuda took the third position from the hordes of Kenyans and other local runners in 1:04:21. Joseph told reporters after the race: "When Korir did not want to respond when I asked him to take the lead, I thought then that I was going to win. "I was third in this race in 2002, so now I am very glad to win it."

One place you would not want to miss out of on saturday morning if you live in Africa's most populous city, Lagos would be at the national stadium in Surulere. Nigeria is not known for long distance running, but the advent of the MTN Lagos Half-Marathon three years ago has been a breath of fresh air, attracting increasing numbers of local runners, from fewer than 15,000 in 2002 to over 30,000 entries in 2005. Nigerian athletes, led by last year's revelation Wilson Eku (pictured in green top) are shaping up to challenge top foreign runners from Kenya and Ethiopia this time around. The race organised by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and sponsored by Africa's telecoms giant MTN is already tagged the "biggest and best Lagos marathon ever". A sure clash between three champions - Reigning world half marathon champion Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania, defending champion John Korir of Kenya, who set the course record of 63:05 in winning last year and Charles Kiama...

The recent state of doping allegations in the Nigerian Commonwealth Games camp, especially in Boxing and Weightlifting, is causing grave concerns for the officials of the Athletics Federations of Nigeria . The Federation's technical Chairman, Sunday Bada - a former national 400m champion, said they are embarking on an enlightment campaign for athletes and officials on consequence of doping preparatory to the Commonwealth Games 2006. These he said include a series of educational talks, symposia etc., and will form part of activities for the athletes during the Commonwealth camping slated for Abuja. Mombasa Agog Celebrations are continuing in the Kenya city as news of their choice by the International Association of Athletics Federation to host the 2007 World Cross-country Championships in Mombasa was received . Do you think Kenya hosting the World cross country championships in 2007 will improve the sport on the continent? Make your comments below.

I have been on the phone all day. An excited Kenyan friend of mine have been harassing me all day to share the good news with me. Like we have all been hoping for a major IAAF competition to come to Africa, so we can all get together on home soil. Well the news is that Kenya has now officially been awarded the right to host the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2007. The East African country, the most successful nation in the history of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, got the nod to host the competition for the first time after a vibrant audio-visual presentation at the IAAF Council Meeting in Moscow. So the port city of Mombassa would take the mantle after the 34 th edition next year on Fukuoka, Japan. Obviously we are over the moon here at AthleticsAfrica.Com and we wish the Mayor of Mombasa,Taib Ali Taib and all the member of delegation to the IAAF Council - Paul Tergat, Catherine Ndereba an others - Congratulations and a job well done. And for you, Salome, ...

The Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, was last week thrown into chaos following three days of civil unrest that left more than 42 people dead and hundreds injured . Now in the aftermath, the organisers of the 2005 Toyota Great Ethiopian Run , one of Africa’s largest road races - with 25,000 places sold out already - are worried about the conduct of the November 27 race. Event Coordinator Richard Nerurkar told IAAF freelancer Elshadai Negash: "For the time being, we are making preparations...We are naturally concerned at what has been happening throughout the town, but we hope that the situation will calm down in the coming days." Well, It would be a shame, if the race is put off. It's always rare to see Africa's top stars run on Africa soil, so this opportunity should not be missed. Meanwhile, several top African athletics stars have arrived in Nairobi, Kenya to attend 6th World Conference on Sport and Environment. The three-day (9-11 Nov.) conference is focusing on th...

Organisers of the 2006 Flora London Marathon next April sure know how to stir the hornets' nest. Yesterday confirmation of the ING New York City Marathon champion and World record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya and the defending champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa has raised the stakes considerably. Still smarting from his dramatic loss at the finish line to Tergat last Sunday in New York, the closest ever finish in the 36-year history of the event (at 2:09:30 to 2:09:31), Ramaala would not be willing to relinguish his London title as well, not least in that painful fashion. However, Tergat and Ramaala will have to contend in London with the two-time Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion, Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, who signed a three year deal with the London Marathon back in January 2005. The 32-year-old Gebrselassie, had earlier won the Amsterdam marathon in 2:06:20 last month Race Director Dave Bedford said: "This exciting rematch will be...