Athletes join the fight against hunger

Ethiopian world champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba joined tens of thousands of other athletes on Sunday to launch a six-kilometer charity race through the heart of the capital, Addis Ababa, as part of the fight against hunger. "This is a race against hunger and one we must win," said Kenenisa, who was fresh back from victory in the 10,000 metres at the world championships in Paris, France. "If we are committed we can beat it," said the 21-year-old runner, who beat legendary runner and fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebreselassie to first place in Paris. He was joined by another rising star, Tirunesh, the youngest ever winner in the history of the World Championships at just 18 years old. The two runners led the thousands of participants, who each paid US$2, before pulling out on the orders of their coach because they were still recovering from the Paris games. "Although we did not run, it was a symbolic gesture for us," Tirunesh said. "We are here to show that we support the race against hunger. It is a noble cause." Tirunesh sprang to fame after beating some of the world’s greatest runners and winning the gold medal in the 5,000 metres in last month’s games. With its athletes winning seven medals - three gold, two silver and two bronze - Ethiopia placed third after the United States and Russia, and first among the African contenders. But despite the country’s prowess on the athletics track it is reeling from a famine which has hit 13.2 million people. It is also one of the world’s poorest countries, with more than half the population living on less than US$1 a day. National coach Dr Woldemeskel Kostre said many of his world champions had been very poor as children and were keenly aware of the plight of the nation. "My athletes have known poverty," the 61-year-old said before the start of the race. "That is why they are so keen to take part." The race began and ended in Addis Ababa’s Meskel Square – the centre of the city - where hundreds of would-be athletes train each day. The charity run was organised by the promoters of Ethiopia’s Live-Aid style concert under the name "Birr for a Compatriot", which was held in May and raised some US$1.5 million to combat the country’s drought. Organiser Salome Tadesse said she hoped to raise an additional US$20,000 from the run, which will be handed over to the government’s emergency arm, the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission. "We hope this will raise awareness about the plight of the country but also show we are fighting it and not just relying on aid," she said.