Ethiopia top the medals table at the end of day one of the 16th CAA African Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, despite the absense of three-time 10000m champion, and defending champion Kenenisa Bekele.
Gebremarian who had disastrous outing at the 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh a month ago where he finished 17th, won in 28:17.11 with world junior XCC champion Ibrahim Jeylan (28:30.66) taking silver ahead of national champion Eshetu Wondimu (28:56.36).
It was Gebremariam’s first track victory on home soil since 2005 where he took a 5000m/10000m double at the 2005 Ethiopian Championships.
However, all the favourites have made it through to the semifinals in the 100m men and women.
Nigeria’s defending All-African Games champion Damola Osayemi won the women's Semi-Final 1 easily in 11.41 seconds followed by Senegal's Aminata Diouf in 11.46 seconds.
Ghana’s defending champion Vida Anim cruised through Semi-Final 2 the same time of 11.41 second, follwed by former Nigeria champion Gloria Kemasuode in 11.48 seconds.
Also through are South Africa's Geraldine Pillay (11.58) Nigeria’s Franca Idoko (11.61), Cameroon’s pair of Delphine Atangana (11.49), and Myriam Leonie Mani (11.59)seconds.
In the men’s 100m. World indoor 60m champion Olusoji Fasuba won Semi-Final 1 in 10.27 seconds with his closest challenger being compatriot's Uchenna Emedolu, who won Semi-Final 2 and South African Hannes Dreyer, who won Semi-Final 1 respectively in 10.36 seconds.
The championships continues today...