Bekoji, also known as the Town of Runners, is slated to host the second annual Great Ethiopian Run (GER) road race on May 14, 2023. Reports indicate that a road race and other activities will be conducted with the assistance of the Ethiopian Great Run.
Alongside the running competition, a walking and cycling tour of the Bekoji mountain range will be organized to promote the city as a tourist destination besides athletics, which is one of the nation’s greatest opportunities.
The large number of foreign visitors to the city allows travel agencies to collaborate on projects other than sports tourism.
However, Bekoji has not even held zonal competitions due to a paucity of adequate facilities.
According to the schedule, the U-15 athletes will compete in a tournament named after Tirunesh Dibaba. This year’s race is anticipated to attract more than 1,200 participants, including well-known athletes, locals from the neighboring area, and fitness runners from Addis Ababa.
Athletes from Eldoret, a town in Kenya renowned for producing long-distance champions, will also be invited. According to the organizer, the champions of the ethio telecom Great Bekoji Run will be invited to compete in the next round of the race in Eldoret.
The Executive Director of the Great Run in Ethiopia, Dagmawit Amare, stated, “This opportunity significantly benefits young athletes by providing them with the chance to develop their skills and compete on international stages.”
It is anticipated that this will strengthen connections between the two cities and increase tourism.
Derartu Tulu, Kenenisa Bekele, and Tirunesh Dibaba were all born in Bekoji, located in the Arsi zone of the Oromia region.
