Eritrea Dominates Junior, Women Road Races

Eritrean youngsters Biniam Hailu and compatriot Tomas Yosief win gold and silver in junior men’s category in a two-man sprint finish.

Eritrea Dominates Junior, Women Road Races

By Bonnie Mugabe | KTPress

African Cycling Giants Eritrea dominated Saturday’s junior and women road races to extend their medal triumphant at the ongoing 13th African Continental Road Championship.

The 13th Africa’s biggest annual cycling event got underway on Wednesday and will run through toFebruary 18 in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.

On Saturday, riders were in contention for junior men and women and elite women and U-23 category honours with the day ending in favour of the Eritreans as they won a total seven medals.

It was an all-Eritrean podium finish in male category and gold in junior women’s fray as the Eritreans stretched the medal haul for Africa’s top cycling nation to 13 medals, of which eight are gold pieces, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals respectively.

Eritrean youngster Biniam Hailu clinched gold in junior men’s category in a two-man sprint finish with compatriot Tomas Yosief. Both used one hour, 56 minutes and 43 seconds to cover the 84km distance. Hager Mesfin, also from Eritrea, finished third to win bronze.

In junior women’s road race, 17-year old Desiet Kidane of Eritrea bagged a gold to make it two gold medals on her name after winning the Individual Time Trial (ITT) accolade on Thursday. Ethiopia’s duo of Tsadkan Kasahun and Zayid Hailu finished second and third respectively.

The 2018 newly crowned champions Biniam replaces last year’s winner Hamza Mansouri of Algeria while Kidane dethroned Ethiopian Haftu Hailu Zayd who claimed last year’s title in junior women’s road race.

In the elite women and U-23 category which covered 84km, Eritrean Ghebremeskel Bisrat won the race in 02h46’31” followed by Ethiopian Beyene Tsega finished second with Eritrean Debesay Mosana bagging bronze medal in 02h46’38”.

In the women U-23 Road Race, Ethiopian Gebru Eyeru Tesfoam won the contest in 02h46’38”, followed by Eritrean Gebrehiwet Tigisti while Ethiopian Amha Selam bagged bronze in 02h46’46”.

After the third day of the African Continental Road Championship, Eritrea tops the medal standings with 17 medals including nine gold, three silver and five bronze medals.

Ethiopia is ranked second with 13 medals (three gold, seven silver and three bronze) while Rwanda is third with eight medals (two gold, four silver and two bronze).

Burundi has one gold medal in fourth spot followed by Namibia who have one bronze and Algeria with one bronze.

So far only six nations; Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Algeria and Namibia out of 23 countries in competition, have managed to win at least one medal. Some of the usual suspects such as South Africa, Morocco and Egypt are yet to win a single medal in Kigali.

The championship will conclude on Sunday with elite men’s road race.

Africa Continental Road Championship

Day Three Results

Women Junior Road Race (48km)

1. Kidane Desiet (Eritrea)01h32’26”
2. Kasahun Tsadkan (Ethiopia)01h36’05” 03’39”
3. Hailu Zayid (Ethiopia)01h36’05”

Men Junior Road Race (72km)

1. Hailu Biniam (Eritrea)01h56’43”
2. Yosief Tomas (Eritrea)01h56’43”
3. Mesfin Hager (Eritrea)01h59’42” 02’59”

Women Elite Road Race (84km)

1. Ghebremeskel Bisrat (Eritrea)02h46’31”
2. Beyene Tsega (Ethiopia)02h46’38” 07”
3. Debesay Mosana (Eritrea)02h46’38”

Women U-23 Road Race (84km)

1. Gebru Eyeru Tesfoam (Ethiopia)02h46’38” ”
2. Gebrehiwet Tigisti (Eritrea)02h46’38” ”
3. Amha Selam (Ethiopia)02h46’46” 15”

Medal Count

1. Eritrea: 17 (9 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze)
2. Ethiopia : 13 (3 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze)
3. Rwanda: 8 (2 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)
4. Burundi: 1 (silver)
5. Namibia: 1 (bronze)
6. Algeria: 1 (bronze)

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