Sena Gemechu and Rahel Embibel claimed victory at the Ethio Telecom Great Ethiopian Run Harar, the sixth and final race of the 2018 Ethiopian Calendar Discover Ethiopia Classics road running series, on Sunday, 19 July 2026.
Competing over a challenging 10-kilometre course around the historic walled city of Harar, Gemechu won the men’s race in 32:04.77, ahead of Mihret Awoke in second and Ibrahim Mohammed in third.
In the women’s race, Rahel Embibel crossed the finish line in 41:43.23, finishing ahead of Amran Shimuz and Aziza Mukhtar.
The Harar race concluded the nationwide Discover Ethiopia Classics circuit, which this year visited Debre Berhan, Hawassa, Jimma, Bekoji, Arba Minch and Harar.
A distinctive feature of the series is its collectible medal system. Rather than receiving identical medals, runners earned one puzzle-shaped piece of Ethiopia’s map at each race. The Harar event awarded the final section, allowing athletes who completed all six races to assemble a complete map of Ethiopia from their six medals.
Forty-three runners successfully completed every race in the series and received the fully assembled commemorative medal.
Beyond the elite competition, traveller participants who followed the entire Discover Ethiopia Classics circuit also competed in Harar. Yohannes Ayelign won the men’s traveller category, while Ribka Girma won the women’s division.
The event also featured youth development races, including a 1.5-kilometre race for athletes under 16 and a one-kilometre race for children under 11, highlighting the Great Ethiopian Run’s continued commitment to grassroots athletics.
The race attracted elite competitors alongside participants from Ethiopia and nine other countries, reinforcing the growing international profile of the Discover Ethiopia Classics series.
Organised by Great Ethiopian Run with title sponsor Ethio Telecom, the event was supported by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Tourism, Dashen Bank, Pepsi, Fab Soap, Top Water, Afran Hospital, Channel 1 Television and the Harari Tourism Commission.
The Harar event not only crowned this year’s series champions but also completed an initiative that combines competitive road running with cultural discovery across Ethiopia.
