Hana Neri Sira participated in the women's under 63kg category and Yared Negusse Dechassa in the men's under 60kg category, and the project, aimed at developing the sport across the African nation, is supported by the German Government, the German Judo Federation and the IJF.

Judogi, the traditional judo uniform, from the Grand Prix, which came to a close on Sunday (February 22), will be donated to Ethiopia as part of the initiative, which was heralded by President of the Judo and Ju-Jitsu Association of Ethiopia Tsegaye Degineh.

"It is a real honour to be in Düsseldorf and to see so many great champions," he said.

"I am moved by the fact that among those athletes there will be two Ethiopians.

"Thanks to the great support that we have been receiving for many years, we are now able to participate in such a big competition."

Hannes Daxbacher, an IJF Military and Police commissioner who is leading the "Judo for Ethiopians" project, attempted to help Ethiopian judo a few years ago but there were no facilities and the judo students did not have the correct uniform, which the scheme aims to help change.

"Thanks to Hannes Daxbacher, we are able to help our Ethiopian brothers," German Judo President Peter Frese said.

"During the Grand Prix, we will collect judogi that will be donated to Ethiopia."

"If it looks small from our point of view, we know that it represents a lot for our friends.

"This is what judo is all about."

Multiple world record holder and double Olympic gold Haile Gebreselassie is arguably the most high-profile name in Ethiopian sport ©Getty Images



The partnership is set to help judo develop in the African country in what looks to be another attempt to help continue the progression of sport in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia's main sporting success has come in the field of athletics, particularly in the marathon as they boast one of the most stellar names in sport in Haile Gebreselassie, who has set more than 20 world records and won two Olympic and four World Championship gold medals.

Kenenisa Bekele, a world and Olympic champion, also hails from the African nation, while Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba have both won multiple gold medals in women's distance running.

The country won the 1962 African Cup of Nations football tournament and Ethiopia has sent representatives to compete at every Summer Olympic Games since 1988, winning a total of 21 golds in an overall haul of 45 medals.

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