Ethiopia’s Olympic Team Left for Paris

Addis Ababa: A delegation of Ethiopia national Olympic team arrived today in Paris, France ahead of the 33rd Edition of Summer Olympic Games that will be held from 26th July to August 11th 2024.

Upon arrival, the Olympic team which Led by the Ethiopian Athletics Federation President Derartu Tulu was warmly welcomed by a crowd of Ethiopian Diaspora and the staff of the Embassy of Ethiopia in Paris at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Ethiopia’s olympic team will participate in athletics, swimming, and boxing, with a total of 39 athletes representing the country at the prestigious event.

Some world-record holders and a reigning champion are among the athletes representing Ethiopia at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

The record holders and world champions team comprises the legendary long distance runner Kenenisa Bekele, women’s marathon record holder Tigist Aseffa, 3000M men’s steeplechase record holder Lamecha Girma, Tokyo Olympic 10000m gold medallist Selemon Barega, Gudaf Tsegay, among others.

Selemon Bar
ega will defend his 10,000m title while Gudaf Tsegay has been entered for a 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m treble as part of the Ethiopian team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Barega got gold ahead of Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo in Tokyo and he will be joined in the 10,000m in Paris by his compatriots Berihu Aregawi and Yomif Kejelcha, the latter having also been named for the 5000m.

World record-holder Lamecha Girma will go for his first global gold in the 3000m steeplechase after securing silver in Tokyo and at the past three editions of the World Championships.

Tsegay, the Olympic 5000m bronze medallist and world champion in the 5000m in 2022 and 10,000m in 2023, will be joined by world 1500m silver medallist Diribe Welteji in the shorter of the three events.

The marathon will feature world record-holder Tigist Assefa, Amane Beriso and Megertu Alemu in the women’s event, and Kenenisa Bekele, Sisay Lemma and Deresa Geleta in the men’s.

Ethiopia will also be participating in the Olympic Game
s boxing tournament after a 20-year absence. The last time Ethiopian boxers took part in the Olympics was in 2004 in Athens. Yadesa Lemma will represent the country in the boxing category.

Yadesa has been given the African quota by the International Olympic Committee Task Force following the withdrawal of Nigeria’s Omole Dolapo because of a left knee injury.

The 33rd Olympic Games are set to take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11, 2024, featuring a total of 10,714 athletes from 206 countries, including independent athletes competing under the umbrella of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Refugee Team. These athletes will compete in 32 sports.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency