Boeing 787 Dreamliner accorded warm welcome at Bole Int'l Airport in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Aug 17, 2012 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- 

The first Boeing 787 Dreamliner of the Ethiopian Airlines on Friday landed at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which makes the Ethiopian the first African airliner to operate the B787 Dreamliner.

http://www.individual.com/storyrss.php?story=161949696&hash=4fbcddb4e719223c06e27b5cb3eb37ac

The Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing airliner in Africa, has become the first airline outside Japan to operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The Ethiopian will be flying the plane for sightseeing flight to Kilimanjaro on Saturday with a batch of about 270 people consisting of ministers, ambassadors, other VIPs, Ethiopian ShebaMiles Gold Members, and the media among others.

Receiving the Ethiopian crew and officials, Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, said as Addis Ababa is the political capital of Africa, the Ethiopian Airlines represents Africa and its deserves to have the B787 Dreamliner.

He also congratulated community of the Ethiopian Airlines, especially the leadership for the success of having the B787 Dreamliner.

Stating that the Ethiopian is the fastest growing airliners in Africa, the minister expressed his firm belief that it sustains the progress and growth in the future.

He said the government of Ethiopia would provide unreserved support to the airliner.

The airplane made the flight from Seattle to Ethiopia after a brief stop in Washington D.C.
Driba Kuma, Ethiopian Minister of Transport, noted on the occasion that the arrival of the B787 is a major milestone not only for the Ethiopian Airlines but also for African aviation industry.

Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ethiopian Airlines said, "I would like to congratulate Ethiopians residing in Ethiopia and outside Ethiopia, all over the world; this is the Ethiopian pride."
He revealed that there were many ups and downs till the Ethiopian receives the plane.

The CEO was speaking to the press last week and said that the Ethiopian had waited long to receive it.
"It is very interesting plane. We have waited long; but, having seen the airplane we think that it is worth waiting; it is a very good airplane, technologically advanced, quite different from the existing jet technology; and the entire population of the Ethiopian Airlines, the entire population of Ethiopia, and the people of Africa, all of us are excited to receive the first 787 next week here at the Bole Airport to be followed by a Dream Tour to Kilimanjaro," said Tewolde.

According to the Ethiopian Airlines, starting from Aug 19 the first Ethiopian Dreamliner will be operating on rotation basis to African destinations as well as international ones such as Dubai, Mumbai, Rome, London and Frankfurt.
Having made its maiden international flight to Cairo, Egypt, in 1946, the Ethiopian Airlines flies to 69 international destinations spanning four continents.


Copyright 2012 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY 
News Provided by 

Ethiopian women take all the golds 4 Ethiopia: Meseret Defar Gold for 5000m; Tiki Gelana for Marathon and Tirunesh Dibaba for 10,000 m

Meseret Defar wins Olympic gold 

Reuters | August 11, 2012

---

---

Meseret (left) and Tirunesh hug after their victory in the 5k heat qualifier (AP)

LONDON (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Meseret Defar sprinted past compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba on Friday to reclaim the Olympic women's 5,000 metres title she won in 2004.Dibaba, chasing an Olympic distance double-double after retaining her 10,000 title last week, had no response to Defar's turn of speed and faded to third as Kenya's world champion Vivian Cheruiyot overtook her before the line.
"It's a great day for me. Since 2008, I have tried everything as I wasn't able to win the Olympics," Defar, the bronze medallist from Beijing, told reporters.
"I have won two Olympic medals before and this is my third. I'm not sure I can do a fourth so this means a lot to me," added the 28-year-old.
Dibaba hit the front with four laps to go after a slow first half followed by Defar, Gelete Burka and the three Kenyans in the race who moved up on the outside.
The field started to string out as Dibaba began to test her rivals and at the bell, only Defar, Kenya's Sally Kipyego and Cheruiyot had gone with her.
But victory over in the longer race a week ago appeared to have taken its toll as Dibaba's usual searing final lap did not materialise and Defar remained on her shoulder ready to pounce on the home straight.
Defar crossed the line with her arms in the air before kissing a religious picture she had carried in her top and falling to the track weeping.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Olympics marathon: Ethiopia's Tiki Gelana wins gold

BBC | August 5, 2012

---

Tiki Gelana at the finish line (AP)

LONDON (BBC) - Ethiopia's Tiki Gelana won gold in the London 2012 women's marathon in an Olympic record time of two hours, 23 minutes and seven seconds.Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo claimed silver, five seconds behind, and Russia's Tatyana Petrova came third for bronze.
Freya Murray, a late replacement for injured Paula Radcliffe, was the best placed Briton, 9:07 back in 44th place.
Team-mate Claire Hallissey was more than 12 minutes behind in 57th, while Mara Yamauchi quit just before 10km.
In winning, 24-year-old Gelana took seven seconds off the previous Olympic record and she had the faster finish as she crossed the line ahead of Jeptoo.
Petrova set a personal best of 2:23:29, while Kenya's Mary Keitany - winner of the London marathon this year - had to settle for fourth after being dropped by the leading pack in the final stages.
"I'm not sure many people would have tipped Gelana," said BBC commentator and former Olympic 1500m silver medallist Steve Cram.
"She wasn't quite unknown, but to run in such a way was impressive. Gelana looked really relaxed until the last 200m-300m when she strained to reach the finish line.
"Once again, the Kenyans have had to play second fiddle to the Ethiopians, who were dancing with joy at the end."
Murray, 28, was the first Scottish woman to represent Britain in an Olympic marathon since Liz McColgan at Atlanta in 1996.
"It was a brilliant experience for me and, hopefully, a stepping stone to Glasgow 2014 [Commonwealth Games] and Rio 2016 [Olympics]," she said.
"I just had to keep fit and when I got the call last Sunday I was devastated for Paula but excited. I feel I have justified my selection."
Yamauchi, 38, was sixth in the 20008 Beijing Olympic marathon but has since struggled with injury.
She said: "I had a heel bruise that I thought I was able to run on. I was confident I could give it a go, but on the second corner it started hurting.
"I did my best and it is not good to drop out in your home Games.
"I didn't want my Olympic journey to end like this. I thought about withdrawing beforehand and had much higher hopes. Sadly it wasn't to be."

Ethiopia's Gelana wins women's marathon

LONDON (AP) — Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia won the women’s Olympic marathon in a race that began in heavy rain, saw the sun briefly come out and ended in another downpour.
Gelana finished in 2 hours, 23.07 seconds Sunday, holding off Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya by five seconds. Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova of Russia captured the bronze.
There were four runners in a bunched pack over the last three miles. But with the finish line ahead, Gelana made her move, grimacing as she surged to the front. With the rain falling, she kept glancing over her shoulder to see if Jeptoo was gaining ground.
Gelana coasted in and raised her hands as she crossed the line, soaking in the moment.
Shalane Flanagan was the top U.S. finisher in 10th place.