The 17th edition of the Great Ethiopian Run (GER) women’s 5km road race is to take place on Sunday in Addis Ababa. Over 200 elites athletes are expected to take part in the competition with 15,000 participants expected to show. The race is officially sponsored by Vodacom. The telecommunications giant will be the official sponsor this year’s race, The Reporter has learnt.

One of GER’s annual races, the 5km race has been one of the best pre-competition trials for new upcoming athletes. The first winner will receive 25,000 birr prize. Ethiopian long distance runner, Tsege Geberselama is one of the well-known athletes who will take part in the race, this year.

GER 5k road race has been staged with an aim of encouraging mass sports alongside inspiring women. This year’s message reads “With good nutrition she’ll grow into it,” by Nutrition International..

Meanwhile, Great Ethiopian Runs in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Children and Youth has targeted to collect sanitary pads from participants coming into the race, and distribute it to girls who do not have access.

In another news, Meserat Defer has been named the recipient of AIMS Inspirational Women Award.

The Association of International Marathon and Distance Races (AIMS) marked the first anniversary of the AIMS Women’s Commission on International Women’s Day, on March 8, 2020, by announcing Meseret Defar as the recipient of the AIMS Inspirational Women Award for 2020.

Meseret is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000m races in 2004 and 2012 as well as being a two-time World Champion in 2007 and 2013. Meseret has received her award at the pre-race press conference on Friday, March 13, in advance of the race that is proud to have Meseret as its Ambassador.

The first recipient of the AIMS Inspirational Woman Award was Namibia’s Commonwealth Games, Marathon gold medalist Helalia Johannes, who received the award after winning the 2019 Nagoya Women’s Marathon, the world’s largest women’s marathon.