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Belgian authorities have denied an Ethiopian athlete a visa for the Diamond League final leaving Ethiopia with only one competitor.
Ethiopia will have only one chance in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Diamond League final in Brussels on September 14 after one of its star athletes Sembo Almayew was denied a visa.
Almayew, the newly crowned 2024 U20 3000m steeplechase gold medalist had to withdraw from the competition leaving Lomi Muleta as Ethiopia's only competitor.
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The 18-year-old rising star’s absence will make the competition tougher for Muleta, who will face strong competitors from global steeplechase powerhouses such as Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi and Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai.
According to Almayew’s agent, Elite Running Team, the athlete failed to secure her visa in time due to new restrictions by the European Union (EU) on Ethiopian citizens.
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The visa denial has sparked outrage in Ethiopian sporting circles especially given Almayew’s stellar performance this year including a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
"We are very disappointed to announce that the newly crowned 2024 U20 3000mSC Gold Medalist, Sembo Alemayew of Ethiopia, will not be able to participate in next week's Diamond League Final at the Memorial Van Damme Meeting in Brussels due to a lack of visa," Elite Running Team said in a statement.
Almayew had been viewed as a strong contender in the 3000m steeplechase event having already established herself as a Diamond League Meet winner and a U20 national record holder for Ethiopia. However, despite her impressive accolades, she was unable to obtain the necessary visa to compete in Brussels.
"In April 2024, the European Union announced it will make it more difficult for Ethiopian citizens to receive European visas; in an attempt to leverage on the Ethiopian government, which is accused of failure to cooperate in taking back citizens found to be living illegally in the Schengen Zone," the statement added.
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The agent went on to express frustration at how these visa restrictions were affecting Ethiopian athletes, particularly young talents like Almayew.
"This situation is hurting the opportunities and lives of many athletes, and we strongly hope it can be solved as quickly as possible; so that situations like this do not happen to any more athletes going forward," the statement concluded.
With Almayew unable to participate, Ethiopia's hopes now rest solely on Lomi Muleta. She will need to perform at her best to compete against the race favorite, Winfred Yavi of Bahrain.
Yavi enters the race with an impressive personal best of 8:44.39. She will be aiming to shatter her world record and cement her dominance in the steeplechase event.
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Also competing is Uganda’s Peruth Chemutaic who holds a national record of 8:48.03. Chemutai has been in fine form, and many are eager to see whether she can reclaim the top spot on the podium.
Kenya’s Faith Cherotich, another promising contender with a personal best of 8:55.15, brings a youthful and strategic approach to the race, making her a potential threat to the established favorites.
From the USA, Valerie Constien is also set to compete, with her personal best of 9:03.22. While less experienced than some of her rivals, Constien has displayed incredible determination and could surprise the field.
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Germany will be represented by Olivia Gürth and Gesa Felicitas Krause, the latter being a seasoned competitor with a personal best of 9:10.68.
The absence of Sembo Almayew will be felt, as her presence could have added an additional layer of excitement and competition to the Diamond League final.
However, for Ethiopia, the focus now shifts to Lomi Muleta who will aim to challenge the top contenders and prove that Ethiopia remains a force to be reckoned with in the steeplechase event.
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