Ethiopians in Boston closely follow Gebre Gebremariam

Boston, MA- Ethiopian celebrities don’t come much bigger than marathoner Gebre Gebremariam. This much is clear when he enters the Addis Red Sea restaurant.

The South End eatery serves traditional Ethiopian fare and draws diners who want a taste of home.

A couple of starstruck waitresses tentatively approach Gebremariam and say, “Selam,” hello in Amharic. At the far end of the main dining room, a group of Ethiopian coffee promoters recently arrived from the capital Addis Ababa spot Gebremariam and shout the same greeting. Before the night is over, the waitresses, the coffee promoters, and a handful of other patrons will pose for pictures with Gebremariam and wish him good luck in the Boston Marathon on Monday.

With a personal best of 2 hours 4 minutes 53 seconds, Gebremariam, 28, is among the favorites for the men’s title. He should challenge defending champion Wesley Korir from Kenya for the win. In his marathon debut, Gebremariam won the 2010 New York City Marathon, then finished third in the 2011 Boston Marathon six months later. He boasts a résumé filled with impressive 10,000-meter performances on the track (personal-best 26:52:33) and international cross-country wins, proving his speed, strength, and versatility. Read More