Wami out of Great North

Illness has forced Ethiopia’s former World 10,000 metres champion Gete Wami to withdraw from the View From Great North Cross Country on January 4.

Wami, who decisively out-sprinted Paula Radcliffe for the gold medal on the final lap of their memorable clash in Seville three years ago, was scheduled to clash with her British rival and Derartu Tulu, current Olympic and world title holder at the distance.

But 28-year-old Wami, based in Holland with her naturalised husband and former international runner Geteneh Tessema, took the decision to fly back to Addis Ababa for further medical treatment.

The absence of this year’s Amsterdam marathon champion leaves fellow Ethiopian Tulu the task of taming Radcliffe in the six kilometres race taking place in Newcastle’s Exhibition Park.

“Gete’s been sick for the last couple of weeks and done no training whatsoever,” said Dutch agent Michel Boateng.

“She has seen a doctor here who cannot identify what is wrong.

“Now she’s returning to Ethiopia. We think it is a virus and she’ll have it checked out with her own doctor there.”

Wami’s absence will not make the victory hopes of Radcliffe any easier as Kenya’s Edith Masai is in the filed.

“Masai won this year’s world cross short course race over four kilometres so obviously will be very much at home running 6K in Newcastle,” said promoter Peter Elliott, Commonwealth 1,500m champion in 1990.

“She also finished runner-up to Radcliffe in the Commonwealth 5,000m.”

Boateng also confirmed Wami would miss the Belfast International Cross Country on January 11 where she was the biggest name for the Ulster race at Stormont Castle.