ADDIS ABABA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A 12 km-relay race, which involved professional and amateur runners, was colorfully conducted on Sunday in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.
International Fast Highway (IFH) Engineering, a branch company of China Communication Construction Company (CCCC), has sponsored and co-hosted the relay race with the Great Ethiopian Run (GER), and the Addis Ababa City Roads Authority (AACRA).
The relay competition was held on the Lebu-Tulu Dimtu road section, which is part of the Addis Ababa-Adama toll motorway phase II outer ring road project being carried out by IFH Engineering/CCCC.
The competition has been held to celebrate the completion of the half Lay of Lebu-Tulu Dimtu section of the outer ring road project, with participation of elites, professional athletes as well as fun runners from different organizations grouped under six categories.
Ermias Ayele, Director for the Great Ethiopian Run (GER), told Xinhua that GER worked together with IFH/CCCC on the relay race to celebrate almost the final stage of the Lebu-Tulu Dimtu road section.
The contestants participated in two categories, professional athletes/elites from different clubs and also corporate/fun runners under six different clusters including, government organizations, businesses, embassies, hotels, FM radio stations, and gyms, according to GER Director.
Ermias noted that athletes from 25 clubs and fun runners from 60 organizations have taken part in the relay race held with messages in promoting road safety.
"Today, we are doing this relay; we are working with the IFH, which is International Fast Highway; it is a Chinese company, its mother company is CCCC. They are building this new road. The road starts here at Lebu and it goes to Akaki/Tulu Dimtu; this is a new road feeding to the Express Highway. So, this race is to inaugurate almost the final stage of the competition (the construction)," said Ermias.
With good number of participants in six different categories running together at a nice landscape, Ermias said the relay race was colorful and has more team spirit compared to other events.
Speaking on the occasion, Zhou Yongsheng, General Manager of CCCC Ethiopian Branch, said the event was a great day as it celebrated the completion of the half Lay of Lebu-Tulu Dimtu section of the outer ring road project.
He stated that the project was jointly financed by the Ethiopian Government and the Export-import Bank of China.
"With the commencement of this project on February 26, 2014, this section has been completed about 3 months ahead the contract period and the other half lay is expected to be completed about 9 months ahead the contract period," he said.
Stating that IFH is the branch company registered in Ethiopian since 2004, Zhou said that they have cooperated with AACRA and Great Ethiopian Run for hosting the annual relay races, for which also he pledged the company's future cooperation.
"This event is warmly welcomed by participants of Ethiopian and foreigners in Ethiopia," he said, "We appreciate our strategic partners of AACRA and Great Ethiopian Run to make successful for this event. And we undertake that we shall continue our cooperation on these relay races."
Handing over awards to winners, La Yifan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, noted that CCCC builds good roads here in Ethiopia while playing the role to bridge between the peoples of Ethiopia and China.
Stating that CCCC is one of the famous multinational corporations in China, the Ambassador reiterated the company has been building a lot of roads and bridges here in Ethiopia.
Speaking on the occasion, Fekade Haile, General Manager of the Addis Ababa City Roads Authority (AACRA), has hailed the performances of CCCC on the projects in the capital of the East African state.
(Source: xinhuanet)