Uganda&rsquo;s Maxwell Rotich and Portugal&rsquo;s Mariana Machado raced to victory at the 26th &lsquo;Cross Internacional de Soria&rsquo;, the second leg of the 2019-20&nbsp;World Athletics Cross Country Permit&nbsp;series held in the outskirts of Soria, Spain, on a cloudy and cold Sunday (17).
In doing so, the 21-year-old Rotich secured the seventh consecutive victory in the men&rsquo;s race by a Ugandan, in the footsteps of compatriots Dickson Huru (2013), Timothy Toroitich (2014, 2015 and 2016) and Jacob Kiplimo (2017, 2018) while the reigning European U20 3000m silver medallist Machado, a late addition to the line-up, upset Bahrain&rsquo;s world marathon silver medallist Rose Chelimo by the narrowest of the margins.
<h3>Men&rsquo;s race &ndash; Africans keep Oumaiz at bay</h3>
Spain&rsquo;s Ouassim Oumaiz led during the early stages of the men&rsquo;s 10km event with the five Africans on show running comfortably at his shoulder - the Ugandan quartet of Thomas Ayeko, Toroitich, Rotich and Albert Chemutai plus Burundi&rsquo;s Thierry Ndikumwenayo.
The second 2000m circuit witnessed how Ayeko stepped up the pace to force his rivals to run in crocodile file behind with Oumaiz closing the group but it was the Spain-based Burundian who moved to the front on the third lap closely followed by Rotich. By then the tandem was some 15 metres clear of Chemutai, Oumaiz, Ayeko and Toroitich who had already faded back.
By the bell Rotich pushed hard with only the long-legged Chemutai for company while Ndikumwenayo was a lonesome third three seconds behind. Over the closing loop Rotich proved to be the strongest leaving Chemutai behind midway through the lap. Meanwhile a fast-finishing Ndikumwenayo overtook the Ugandan some 700m from home to secure the second spot, three seconds behind Rotich but four seconds ahead of Chemutai.
Meanwhile Oumaiz, the surprise winner in Atapuerca last weekend, had to settle for fourth on this occasion 12 seconds adrift of the winner.
&ldquo;I had scheduled to compete in Atapuerca last weekend but finally a visa problem prevented me from running there so I was eager to come to Soria and prove I&rsquo;m in fine form,&rdquo; said the winner, who was 27th at the World Championships last March. &ldquo;In addition I&rsquo;ve kept the Ugandan dominance here so I can&rsquo;t ask for more.&rdquo;
<h3>Teenager Machado outsprints Chelimo</h3>
The women&rsquo;s 8km event kicked-off quite conservatively with a large pack heading the race after the opening 2000m lap. It was Chelimo who ruled the race by then with Spaniards Teresa Urbina, Mar&iacute;a Jos&eacute; P&eacute;rez and Ana Lozano close behind alongside a late addition to the line-up in the guise of Portugal&rsquo;s Machado.
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Mariana Machado (r) edging Rose Chelimo in Soria</div>
&nbsp;
Shortly after the halfway point, Chelimo, the 2017 world marathon champion, broke away easily from the rest of the leading contenders and cemented a solid margin which seemed to be insurmountable with Machado, Urbina and P&eacute;rez fighting for the minor places on the podium, the Portuguese always at the forefront of the triumvirate.
By the bell, Chelimo, who had a below-par performance last weekend in Atapuerca where she had to settle for the 15th spot, led her pursuers by seven seconds. Yet, already inside the closing kilometre the gap between Chelimo and Machado, who had already dropped the Spaniards, decreased dramatically until the Portuguese managed to pip Chelimo inches before the finish line to pull off the surprise of the day.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe I&rsquo;ve just won a World Athletics permit ahead of the favourite Rose Chelimo,&rdquo; said the Braga-born Machado, who celebrated her 19th birthday earlier this week. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my second win this cross country season as I won in Palencia (Spain) two weeks ago so I&rsquo;m on the right path ahead of the European ~Championships to be held in my country.&rdquo;
The victor, who is coached by Sameiro Araujo, boasts lifetime bests of 4:10:61 (1500m) and 8:58:61 (3000). At last July&rsquo;s European U20 Championships, she bagged bronze in the 3000m and barely six hours later finished fourth in the 1500m. In the latter she missed bronze by just 0.44, obviously hampered by the 3000m effort.
Machado is the daughter of Albertina Machado, who placed ninth at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the 10,000m who recorded a career best of 31:52.04 for the distance.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
Leading results Men (10km) 1 Maxwell Rotich (UGA) 29:16 2 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI) 29:19 3 Albert Chemutai (UGA) 29:23 4 Ouassim Oumaiz (ESP) 29:28 5 Thomas Ayeko (UGA) 29:46 6 Timothy Toroitich (UGA) 29:51 7 Nassim Hassaous (ESP) 29:54 8 Toni Abad&iacute;a (ESP) 30:01 9 Fernando Carro (ESP) 30:11 10 Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) 30:11
Women (8km) 1 Mariana Machado (POR) 27:49 2 Rose Chelimo (BRN) 27:49 3 Teresa Urbina (ESP) 28:01 4 Ana Lozano (ESP) 28:05 5 Mar&iacute;a Jos&eacute; P&eacute;rez (ESP) 28:11 6 Azucena D&iacute;az (ESP) 28:14 7 Cristina Espejo (ESP) 28:18 8 Diana Mart&iacute;n (ESP) 28:19 9 Dunia Mahassin (ESP) 28:26 10 Estela Navascu&eacute;s (ESP) 28:31
&nbsp;

Uganda’s Maxwell Rotich and Portugal’s Mariana Machado raced to victory at the 26th ‘Cross Internacional de Soria’, the second leg of the 2019-20 World Athletics Cross Country Permit series held in the outskirts of Soria, Spain, on a cloudy and cold Sunday (17).

Rotich and Machado prevail in Soria

Endurance may be the key component when it comes to success at this discipline, but at the European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg, the Netherlands on Sunday (9), senior champions Filip Ingebrigtsen and Yasemin Can showed it also helps to have little speed.
They utilised impressive sprint finishes to send the senior titles back to Norway and Turkey respectively, their victories highlighting a splendid day of racing at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park, where the Dutch fans turned out in their droves.
Following Jakob Ingebrigtsen&rsquo;s victory in the U20 men&rsquo;s race, older brother Filip, a world bronze medallist over 1500m, kept up the family pride in the senior men&rsquo;s 10,300m contest. The 25-year-old ran at the front for much of the race alongside Kaan Kigen Ozbilen (the defending champion), Ozbilen&rsquo;s fellow Turk Aras Kaya and Belgium&rsquo;s Isaac Kimeli.
But the longer the race went on, the more it was clear it was playing into the hands of Ingebrigtsen, whose finishing speed is renowned. On the final lap he emerged from the wooded area at the front of the field with just Kimeli for company, but the Belgium was never going to have what was required to live with Ingebrigtsen, who surged clear in the home straight to win his first European cross country title in 28:49.
&ldquo;This is for sure not my distance,&rdquo; admitted Ingebrigtsen. &ldquo;I was trying to improve the weak side of my running, and this is one way of doing it. To come here and win the senior race with this level of athletes is something I didn&acute;t dream of before.&rdquo;
Kimeli took a splendid silver in second in 28:52, with Kaya taking bronze in 28:56 and helping Turkey to gold in the team race over Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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Another European Cross Country Championships triumph for Yasemin Can, this time in Tilburg</div>
&nbsp;
Yasemin Can lived up to her favourite&rsquo;s tag in the women&rsquo;s 8,300m race, leading for most of the race before holding off a spirited challenge from Switzerland&rsquo;s Fabienne Schlumpf to win by one second in 26:05. Norway&rsquo;s Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal claimed bronze a further one second back in 26:07, with Dutch athletes Susan Krumins and Jip Vastenburg next in to land the home nation a memorable victory in the team event.
&ldquo;The race wasn&rsquo;t very easy, mostly because of the wind,&rdquo; said Can. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t a hundred percent this season but now I&rsquo;m coming back. I felt the pressure as defending champion.&rdquo;
<h3>Jakob Ingebrigtsen collects third straight U20 crown</h3>
The underage races were highlighted by Jakob Ingebrigtsen continuing his year of dominance, the Norwegian winning his third straight U20 men&rsquo;s title with another facile performance that oozed class. He spent much of the race marking his main competitors and running with the confidence we&rsquo;ve come to expect from the world-class 18-year-old, though with a little over one lap remaining he allowed Spain&rsquo;s Ouassim Oumaiz to build a 10-metre lead.
Oumaiz, who had high-fived Ingebrigtsen earlier in the race, began to wave to the crowd and rally the atmosphere, but the Spaniard&rsquo;s smiling stopped abruptly when Ingebrigtsen appeared on his shoulder moments later.
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Third straight U20 European Cross Country win for Jakob Ingebrigtsen</div>
&nbsp;
The Norwegian swiftly left his rival far behind as he surged clear to take victory in 18:00, nine seconds clear of Oumaiz, with Serbia&rsquo;s Elzan Bibic claiming bronze in 18:11. Norway took the team title with 28 points.
&ldquo;It was a tough race,&rdquo; said Ingebrigtsen. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never done anything like this before, so it&rsquo;s fun to compete in these conditions. With the mud it was difficult to get in the rhythm.&rdquo;
On his rival&rsquo;s mid-race antics, Ingebrigtsen admitted they only added to the fun. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s important when people come to watch that we show we&rsquo;re appreciative,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think he wanted me to get in front and be the pacemaker, but I gave him a high-five and he seemed satisfied with it.&rdquo;
<h3>Gressier successfully defends U23 title</h3>
France&rsquo;s Jimmy Gressier was also operating in a very different class to his peers in the men&rsquo;s U23 race, coasting to his second straight victory in 23:37, 12 seconds clear of Germany&rsquo;s Samuel Fitwi, with France&rsquo;s Hugo Hay finishing third in 23:48.
&ldquo;The biggest difference compared to last year is the fact that I was the one who was chasing then and this year I was the one getting chased,&rdquo; said Gressier, who had so much in hand that he ran up the home straight carrying two French flags before sliding across the line on his knees, which didn&rsquo;t go entirely as planned as he face-planted into the finishing tape.
France took the team event with an astonishing tally of just 11 points ahead of Great Britain and Spain.
Denmark&rsquo;s Anna Emilie Moller claimed the women&rsquo;s U23 title with a superlative finishing kick, the 21-year-old surging clear of long-time leader Anna Gehring of Germany in the home straight to win by two seconds in 20:34. Poland&rsquo;s Weronika Pyzik took third with 20:46, with the team title going to Germany on 22 points ahead of Spain (25).
&ldquo;I kept patient the whole race &ndash; I knew I shouldn&rsquo;t do the work,&rdquo; said Moller. &ldquo;Anna looked very strong and I thought she would keep running away from me, but in the end I realised I was getting closer and I knew that I have a sprint in the end. I didn&rsquo;t think I would win today.&rdquo;
<h3>Battocletti kicks to women&rsquo;s U20 gold</h3>
In the U20 women&rsquo;s race, Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti unveiled an impressive change of pace to kick to victory off the final turn, the 18-year-old coming home in 13:46, one second clear of race favourite Delia Sclabas of Switzerland. Turkey&rsquo;s Inci Kalkan took the bronze with 13:48.
&ldquo;It was a difficult race, not only because of the weather but also because of the strong opponents,&rdquo; said Battocletti. &ldquo;They are all very strong athletes. I didn&acute;t expect to win, but I dreamed about it.&rdquo;
Ireland&rsquo;s Sarah Healy saw her challenge all but ended when she fell with a little over a lap to run, the 17-year-old battling on to finish ninth. The British were clear winners in the team event with just 23 points to beat the Netherlands (28).
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Solange Pereira anchors Spain to victory in the mixed relay at the European Cross Country Championships</div>
&nbsp;
The mixed relay saw Spain emerge victorious in a race that boiled down to a duel between them and France. Their quartet of Saul Ordonez, Esther Guerrero, Victor Ruiz and Solange Andreia Pereira held off the French by two seconds to win the 4x1500m race in 16:10, with Belarus coming through strongly for third in 16:21. The British medal hopes were ended on the first leg after a fall, but they recovered to finish fourth in 16:24.
&ldquo;It has been really amazing, even in the mud,&rdquo; said Guerrero of Spain. &ldquo;It was awesome.&rdquo;
Cathal Dennehy for the IAAF

Endurance may be the key component when it comes to success at this discipline, but at the European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg, the Netherlands on Sunday (9), senior champions Filip Ingebrigtsen and Yasemin Can showed it also helps to have little speed.

Ingebrigtsen and Can impress at European Cross Country Championships

Uganda&rsquo;s Jacob Kiplimo and Kenya&rsquo;s Eva Cherono took convincing victories at the 37th Cross Internacional de la Constituci&oacute;n in Alcobendas, Spain, on Sunday (25), the third stop of the 2018-19 IAAF Cross Country Permit series.
In doing so, Kiplimo managed a hat trick of wins over the last three weeks to remain unbeaten this campaign. As for Cherono, she was a late-hour addition to the field and comfortably prevailed over compatriot Gloria Kite.
<h3>Kiplimo unstoppable</h3>
In the men&rsquo;s 10,060m race, Eritrea&rsquo;s Yemane Hailesilassie set the early pace over the muddy course, closely followed by the other five Africans in contention in the guise of his training-mate Aron Kifle, the Kenyan pair of Edward Zakayo and Vincent Rono plus the Ugandan tandem of Kiplimo and Timothy Toroitich. This sextet already travelled clearly ahead of the rest of contenders before reaching the end of the opening kilometre.
The first 2300m lap was covered in 7:00 and Kiplimo had already taken command of the rhythm by then. His relentless pace soon paid dividends since only Kifle remained in contact after the fourth kilometre, the leading pair completing the second loop in 6:47. Zakayo was third nine seconds in arrears with Toroitich and Rono another two more seconds back. Spain&rsquo;s Adel Mechaal travelled alone in seventh 30 seconds behind the leaders.
Kiplimo kept on pushing hard over the penultimate circuit and it was midway through that lap with the clock reading 19 minutes when Kifle began to gradually lose ground. The 18-year-old Ugandan increased his speed again with a strong 6:38 for the third lap, and had built a nine-second margin at the bell on Kifle, himself a massive 23 seconds clear of the triumvirate of Toroitich, Zakayo and Rono.
Over the closing loop the reigning world U20 cross country champion startled the large crowd that assembled along the course in this Madrid suburb with his frantic but easy run. Another 6:42 split led him to his dominant 22-second victory over Kifle. The battle for third was more than thrilling between Zakayo and Toroitich as they fiercely fought over the incredibly muddy final homestraight. Finally, the Kenyan took the better from Toroitich on the day of his 17th birthday while the Ugandan&rsquo;s consecutive podium performances in Alcobendas came to an end by just one second after no fewer than five top-three berths.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very satisfied with my season&rsquo;s kick-off as I have managed three great victories so far against very classy line-ups,&rdquo; said Kiplimo, flashing his ever-present smile. &ldquo;I now return to Uganda to keep on my daily routine although I&rsquo;ll likely return to Spain in January for one or two cross country permits.&rdquo;
Asked about his plans for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019, Kiplimo confirmed he will be competing in the senior race despite his eligibility for the U20 race.
<h3>Cherono flies to victory</h3>
In the women&rsquo;s race, the late addition of Kenya&rsquo;s Eva Cherono, which was only released on Saturday, provided further interest to the 8040m event.
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Eva Cherono (l) and Gloria Kite in Alcobendas</div>
&nbsp;
The race kicked-off at a moderate pace set by Kenyan Gloria Kite with Cherono and Spain&rsquo;s Trihas Gebre tucked behind while Portugal&rsquo;s Salome Rocha lost three seconds by the second kilometre.
Some 1000m into the race, the Ethiopian-born Gebre could not follow in the Kenyan&rsquo;s footsteps and the race became a two-horse battle between Kite and Cherono who took turns with the lead. With two 2300-metre laps remaining, the Kenyans had built a six-second advantage on Gebre, herself another seven seconds ahead on Rocha.
Kite and Cherono&rsquo;s relaxed faces suggested they had agreed to collaborate with the pacing duties, leaving the outcome to work itself out over the closing loop. That&rsquo;s exactly what transpired as Cherono pulled away with relative ease some 1300 metres from the finish. From then on the 22-year-old Cherono increased her lead en route to the 10-second victory with Gebre, running alone for much of the race further back, completing the podium.
The winner, a creditable seventh over 5000m at last April&rsquo;s Commonwealth Games, said, &ldquo;The course was not easy as there were some quite muddy areas but I could win. I&rsquo;ll now return to Kenya to keep on training and I hope to make the national team for the World Championships."
<div>Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Leading results -</div>
<div>Men (10km):</div>
<div>1. Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 30:00</div>
<div>2. Aron Kifle (ERI) 30:22</div>
<div>3. Edward Zakayo (KEN) 30:43</div>
<div>4. Timothy Toroitich (UGA) 30:44</div>
<div>5. Vincent Rono (KEN) 31:05</div>
<div>6. Yemane Hailesilassie (ERI) 31:30</div>
<div>7. Adel Mechaal (ESP) 31:36</div>
<div>8. Daniel Mateo (ESP) 31:42</div>
<div>9. Javier Garc&iacute;a del Barrio (ESP) 31:51</div>
<div>10. Joao Pereira (POR) 31:57</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Women (8km):</div>
<div>1. Eva Cherono (KEN) 27:20</div>
<div>2. Gloria Kite (KEN) 27:30</div>
<div>3. Trihas Gebre (ESP) 28:01</div>
<div>4. Carla Salome Rocha (POR) 28:30</div>
<div>5. Sara Catarina Ribeiro (POR) 29:09</div>
<div>6. Nuria Lugueros (ESP) 29:15</div>
<div>7. Tania Carretero (ESP) 29:21</div>
<div>8. Celia Ant&oacute;n (ESP) 29:23</div>
<div>9. Gema Mart&iacute;n (ESP) 29:30</div>
<div>10. Mar&iacute;a Jos&eacute; P&eacute;rez (ESP) 29:34</div>

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and Kenya’s Eva Cherono took convincing victories at the 37th Cross Internacional de la Constitución in Alcobendas, Spain, on Sunday (25), the third stop of the 2018-19 IAAF Cross Country Permit series.

Kiplimo's momentum continues in Alcobendas

Uganda&rsquo;s Jacob Kiplimo and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Senberi Teferi were victorious at the 15th &lsquo;Cross Internacional de Atapuerca&rsquo;, the opening race of the 2018-19 IAAF Cross Country Permit series held in windy conditions on Sunday (11) in Burgos, Spain.
In doing so, the Ethiopian ace completed a hat trick of wins in Atapuerca while the youngster Kiplimo, who will turn 18 on Wednesday, showed stellar form to destroy the classy field assembled although Ethiopia&rsquo;s Getaneh Molla couldn&rsquo;t return to defend his title because of visa problems.
The men&rsquo;s 9km race opened at a moderate pace led by Kenya&rsquo;s Vincent Rono, who was a creditable seventh at last year&rsquo;s World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, but 15 athletes still formed the lead pack 3000 metres into the race.
The first serious movement came with the clock reading 10 minutes when Kiplimo took command of the race, setting a much brisker rhythm to whittle down the lead group to eight after a 5:44 1.95km loop. Closest to the Ugandan was Eritrea&rsquo;s reigning world half marathon bronze medallist Aron Kifle, who was wearing a blue hairband, Uganda&rsquo;s Timothy Toroitich and Bahrain&rsquo;s Aweke Ayelew, the 2016 winner. Kenya&rsquo;s reigning world U20 5000m champion Edward Zakayo, the Ethiopian tandem of Muktar Edris and Abadi Hadis plus Bahrain&rsquo;s Birhanu Balew completed the head pack.
After the 5:37 second circuit, Kifle took charge of the pace for some 1000m at halfway but he was overtaken by Kiplimo who injected an ever faster rhythm. Only Kifle could follow the 2:46 kilometre pace.
By the bell, Kiplimo and Kifle had a 20-metre advantage over the triumvirate formed by Ayalew, Zakayo and Hadis.
The key moment came with 1500m remaining when Kiplimo pushed hard and broke away easily from Kifle to become the first Ugandan to succeed in Atapuerca. At the tape, he built a 13-second advantage over Kifle thanks to an impressive 5:23 closing loop. The minor spot on the podium was taken by the promising Zakayo, still 16, after out-dueling Hadis in a fierce sprint finish.
Britain&rsquo;s Andy Vernon was the first European home in 12th, just one place ahead of Spain&rsquo;s Toni Abad&iacute;a, while &lsquo;Mr Atapuerca&rsquo; Imane Merga was never a factor, finishing 17th 1:20 in arrears.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s was a very important win for me, my first IAAF permit victory after several second places,&rdquo; said Kiplimo, the reigning world junior 10,000m silver medallist. &ldquo;I came here very well prepared and I&rsquo;m very satisfied because I could hold off the challenge of all my rivals.&rdquo;
<h3>Teferi strikes again</h3>
The women&rsquo;s 8km event, which preceded the men&rsquo;s race, kicked off conservatively as the opening two kilometres were covered in a comfortable 6:58 with no fewer than nine women at the front. 
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A familiar site - Senbere Teferi wins the Atapuerca Cross Country</div>
&nbsp;
It was the Kenyan pair of top steeplechaser Norah Tanui and Gloria Kite, a 19-year-old with 8:39:07 3000m credentials, who made most of the early pace setting while the main favourites, Teferi and Kenya&rsquo;s Margaret Chelimo, travelled comfortably in the middle of the group.
The first major casualty was Swede Meraf Batha, the silver medallist at last year&rsquo;s European Cross Country Championships, who could not live with the increasingly faster pace (6:40 and 6:28 loops) dictated by the Kenyans.
Kite and Tanui&rsquo;s relentless pace left her compatriot Eva Cherono and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Belaynesh Oljira way back just before the bell with just Kite, Tanui, Chelimo and Teferi left fighting for the win.
The Ethiopian moved to the front midway through the closing lap and Kite soon dropped from the main group, leaving Teferi, Tanui and Chelimo. Although the latter made a brave try to break away from inside the final kilometre, Teferi ran comfortably at her shoulder before unleashing a powerful final kick to romp home victorious for the third time in a row.
The Kenyan had to settle for the runner-up place two seconds adrift --as was the case last year-- with Tanui taking third to complete a quality podium.
&ldquo;I would say today&rsquo;s has been my most difficult victory here because of the strong wind and the artificial barriers,&rdquo; the 23-year-old said.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF
<h3>Leading results</h3>
 Men (9km) 1 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 25:10 2 Aron Kifle (ERI) 25:23 3 Edward Zakayo (KEN) 25:25 4 Abadi Hadis (ETH) 25:26 5 Aweke Ayalew (BRN) 25:33 6 Timothy Toroitich (UGA) 25:44 7 Muktar Edris (ETH) 25:47 8 Birhanu Balew (BRN) 26:00 9 Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 26:01 10 Vincent Rono (KEN) 26:12&nbsp;
Women (8km) 1 Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:51 2 Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) 25:53 3 Norah Tanui (KEN) 25:55 4 Gloria Kite (KEN) 25:59 5 Eva Cherono (KEN) 26:11 6 Belaynesh Oljira (ETH) 26:13 7 Meraf Bahta (SWE) 26:35 8 Trihas Gebre (ESP) 26:36 9 Charlotte Arter (GBR) 26:47 10 Carla Salome Rocha (POR) 27:09

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and Ethiopia’s Senberi Teferi were victorious at the 15th ‘Cross Internacional de Atapuerca’, the opening race of the 2018-19 IAAF Cross Country Permit series held in windy conditions on Sunday (11) in Burgos, Spain.

Kiplimo and Teferi reign at Atapuerca as IAAF Cross Country Permit kicks off in Burgos

The Ethiopian pair of Getane Molla and Senbere Teferi will defend their titles at the &lsquo;Cross de Atapuerca&rsquo; in Burgos on Sunday (11), the first of nine 2018-19 IAAF Cross Country Permit meetings which will conclude on 3 February in Albufeira.
<h3>Men's race: who can stop the Ethiopians?</h3>
The men&rsquo;s 9000m contest offers a mouth-watering line-up which includes a very powerful Ethiopian armada led by the reigning champion Getaneh Molla, the current world cross country bronze medallist Abadi Hadis, Muktar Edris, who has the world 5000m title to his credit and the five-time victor in Atapuerca Imane Merga.
Hadis, who turned 21 earlier this week showed impressive form in Valencia a fortnight ago when he smashed his half marathon career best to a stunning 58:44, a top-ten all time performance. The promising Ethiopian lowered his 5000m PB to 12:56.27 last summer and should be a key player on Sunday as the only favourite who'll be making his Atapuerca debut.
Heis compatriot Edris, who famously defeated Mo Farah in the 5000m at the 2017 World Championships in London, will be making his fifth consecutive appearance here, his best outcome coming on his debut in 2014 when he was beaten by Merga by a fractions of a second in a blanket finish. Edris's current form includes a 28:31 10km effort in Trento last month.
As for Molla, he ran 1:00:47 in Valencia recently and should perform at his highest level to retain his title, a feat Merga managed no fewer than four times as he won five times in a row from 2011 to 2015. But the now 30-year-old has only competed once this year with a sub-par 1:07:31 half marathon outing in Trento last month.
Trying to stop the Ethiopian dominance in Atapuerca will be the two athletes who joined Molla on last year&rsquo;s podium: Uganda&rsquo;s Jacob Kiplimo and Eritrea&rsquo;s Aron Kifle. Kiplimo, still a teenager, is the current world U20 cross country champion and added world U20 10,000m silver to his accolades last summer in Tampere. He recently beat Edris in Trento by a handsome margin of 17 seconds and should be eager to step up one place following his runner-up finish last year.
Kiplimo will run alongside Timothy Toroitich, winner of countless cross country permits on Spanish soil over recent seasons and holder of three Atapuerca podiums (2014/15/16).
Meanwhile, Kifle has enjoyed a successful 2018 season topped by his bronze medal at the IAAF world half marathon championships held in Valencia last March in only his second outing at the event. More recently, the Madrid-based rising star has dipped under the 60-minute barrier thanks to a 59:51 clocking in New Delhi in late October to confirm he should be a factor again on Sunday.
Other notable entrants are Eritreans Teklemariam Medhin and Yemane Hailesselasie. The former became world cross country silver medallist back in 2010 and won in Atapuerca later that year but he has sustained several injuries after performing as a pacemaker in the &lsquo;Breaking 2&rsquo; project in May 2017 and will be on show Sunday for the first time since. As for Hailesselasie, he became world junior silver medallist in the 3000m steeplechase in 2016 and holds an 8:11.22 clocking for the event.
Kenyan hopes rest on the current world U20 5000m champion and silver medallist, Edward Zakayo and Stanley Waithaka, respectively, plus Vincent Rono, who was seventh at the World Championships in Kampala last year whose last outing was a marathon PB of 2:07:50 in Eindhoven last month.
The best Spaniards will also be on show in the guise of Adel Mechaal, Javier Guerra, Toni Abad&iacute;a and Ayad Lamdassem.
<h3>Teferi targets hat trick - women's race</h3>
Teferi should be regarded as the athlete to beat in Sunday&rsquo;s 8000m race. Already a two-time winner here, the 2015 World Cross Country silver medallist set a fine 5000m PB of 14:23.33 last summer in Rabat and will be making her cross country season debut on Sunday.
&nbsp;
<div id="5a089a572c060511783bdda5" class="dropMedia">
<div style="background-image: url('https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Small/44ca9579-b9c7-43cd-b555-2586ca1bb352.png');">&nbsp;</div>
Senbere Teferi wins at the Cross de Atapuerca</div>
&nbsp;
The 23-year-old Teferi will have her fellow Ethiopian Belaynesh Oljira for company. She has also won twice in Atapuerca (2014 and 2015) although in recent years Oljira has focused mainly on road events having set a creditable 2:21:53 career best in the marathon only a fortnight ago in Frankfurt.
However, the Ethiopian tandem will face tough opposition from the Kenyan contingent led by Margaret Chelimo, who finished second last year and was given the same time than Teferi. The 25-year-old grabbed 5000m silver at the Commonwealth Games last April and should again be in the hunt for victory on Sunday. Her compatriot Norah Tanui, an 8:59.62 3000m steeplechase specialist, should be a dangerous outsider. The same goes for Eva Cherono, fresh from a 10km PB of 31:17 in Utrecht last month.
Watch out too for Sweden&rsquo;s Meraf Bahta, the reigning European cross country silver medallist. The 29-year-old took 10,000m bronze at the European Championships last summer and her last competition was a 31:38 10km win in Hole, Norway, three weeks ago.
Spain&rsquo;s Trihas Gebre targets a top-five spot on Sunday and to be first European home as she'll battle against the Portuguese squad of Sara Moreira, Salome Rocha and Catarina Ribeiro.
More than 5700 athletes will take part in the event in what promises to be an athletics party on Sunday. Weather forecasters predict a rainy and windy day with temperatures between 10 and 12 C.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF

The Ethiopian pair of Getane Molla and Senbere Teferi will defend their titles at the ‘Cross de Atapuerca’ in Burgos on Sunday (11), the first of nine 2018-19 IAAF Cross Country Permit meetings which will conclude on 3 February in Albufeira.

Molla and Teferi return to defend titles in Burgos

It was all hills at the Oceania Cross Country Championships at Maleny Golf Course on Saturday (25) and it was all Hills in the women&rsquo;s title.
Madeline Hills was the class of the women&rsquo;s field and she dominated in the expected manner. After sitting in with the pack in the early stages, the Rio 2016 Olympic dual finalist (5000m and steeplechase) simply ran away from her rivals to win the 10km race by almost 400 metres.
Andrew Buchanan made it back-to-back titles in the men&rsquo;s race. With the race also incorporating the Australian national championships he became the first male to win twice in a row since Sydney 2000 Olympic 5000 finalist Mizan Mehari in 1998 and 1999. Before that it was Rob de Castella in 1978 and 1979 so it would be a good bet that we will not see it happen again until 2038.
There were also youth and junior Oceania titles decided on the day. New Zealand&rsquo;s Murdoch McIntyre and Australia&rsquo;s Nikita Moore won the U18 titles, Moore defeating Australian 800m Commonwealth Games representative Keely Small.
Haftu Strintzos and Ella Heeney took out the respective male and female championships in the U20 age group.
<h3>Maleny provides a challenging course</h3>
After the Commonwealth Games were held on the Gold Coast, the southern end of the south-east Queensland conurbation, the cross-country titles moved to the Sunshine Coast, at the northern end.
Maleny Golf Course sits in the hinterland and the drive up from the coast is distinctive for (at least) two reasons. First, the vegetation changes from coastal beaches and mangroves; and, two, it is all uphill into the beautiful Glass House Mountains.
The course offered to competitors &ndash; with loops of 1km, 2km and 3km &ndash; was universally uphill or down. Flat ground was nowhere to be found. Each of the longer laps finished with a long steep climb, followed by a steep descent, another long climb, another sweeping descent round the final turn and an uphill session. A tough test if you&rsquo;re hitting a golf ball, an even tougher one if you&rsquo;re running at the end of a 10km cross-country.
In front of a substantial crowd of several thousand, Hills set the tone from start to finish. For most of the short 1km lap and the first of the 3x3km, Hills was content to sit in a pack of five. When she went to the front, it was all over.
Increasing her lead with every stride, Hills crossed the line to take her first senior title in 37:32, 77 seconds ahead of Caitlin Adams with another 34 back to bronze medallist Lara Hamilton.
Hills won an Australian junior title and was twice placed in the top-20 of the U20 race at the IAAF World Cross Country championships. This was her first national title since and she said she would like to run her first senior titles next year in Arrhus, Denmark.
Hills also wants to go back to the steeplechase for the 2019 World Championships in Doha, the event in which she first broke through. She said the fact she had run the Commonwealth Games in April and there was no other championships this year had enabled her to put together a solid bloc of injury-free training.
After just missing the finals of both steeplechase and 5000m at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015, Hills was a finalist in both in Rio. She has also run with distinction at 10,000m, but said she had come round to the view that the steeple was her best event.
Agreeing that &ldquo;versatility could sometimes be a curse&rdquo;, Hills said it have never been the intent to move away from the barriers.
Now the steeplechase beckoned &ldquo;like a dangling carrot. My PB is still from the Olympic Games,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not how it&rsquo;s meant to work.&rdquo;
Buchanan likewise had a comfortable margin of victory in the men&rsquo;s race, though his 24 seconds paled alongside Hills&rsquo; 77-second cushion. His 32:15 and Hills&rsquo; 37:32 are testament to the difficulty of the course, which was well-grassed and in good condition.
While noone was game to take on the pace in the women&rsquo;s race, Harry Summers bounced out to an early lead in the men&rsquo;s. His aggression pulled Buchanan clear of other challengers.
&ldquo;I thought it would be a bunch early,&rdquo; said the winner. &ldquo;I wanted to keep in contact with Harry, but not push him to go faster.&rdquo;
Buchanan has a good range of track personal bests, but it is on the country that he has proved to be strongest. He won last year&rsquo;s title from Ed Goddard and repeated this year ahead of Riley Cocks and Goddard. In his Victorian state title, he lost a close battle to the in-form Jack Rayner, who watched yesterday&rsquo;s race after winning the national half-marathon title which was contested on the Sunshine Coast a week earlier.
Unlike most of his rivals, Buchanan has a regional training base in the Victorian city of Bendigo. &ldquo;Sometimes I&rsquo;m a bit jealous of the stronger groups,&rdquo; he admitted, &ldquo;but it works for me.&rdquo;
It certainly does.
Len Johnson for the IAAF

It was all hills at the Oceania Cross Country Championships at Maleny Golf Course on Saturday (25) and it was all Hills in the women’s title.

Hills wins Oceania cross country title on a course made for hills

Athletes from the host nation took the individual senior honours while Japan swept the four team titles on offer at the 14th Asian Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China, on Thursday (15).
Competing at the host venue of the 2015 IAAF World Championships, Peng Jianhua and Li Dan took narrow individual victories, Peng clocking 38:22 in the men's 12km race and Li 28:03 in the women's 8km.
But behind them, Japan's depth was too strong in the team competition. In the men's race Kazuya Nishiyama was second, four seconds behind Peng, with Siihunsuke Imanishi third, another two seconds back. Kosei Yamaguchi was fourth in 38:37 to combine for Japan's nine-point total.&nbsp;
Further back, Ciwang Danmuzhen was fifth and Lui Hongliang 10th to combine for China's 16 points.
In the women's race, Li edged Japan's Yukari Abe by three seconds for individual bragging rights but with three finishers in the top-six --Nayami Watanabe in fourth and Yuka Hori in sixth-- Japan edged China 12-14 in the team race.
India, paced by Sanjivani Jadhav&rsquo;s third place finish in 28:19, was third in the team battle.
Suolang Cairen won the men's 8km U20 race in 25:35, with the next four across the line all Japanese, led by Yuhi Nakaya. That gave Japan nine points in the team title hunt, ahead of the hosts who tallied 19.
Japan was even more dominant in the women's 6km U20 event. Yuna Wada took the title in 20:43, leading a top-four sweep for her country, with Ririka Hironaka second, two seconds behind. Japan produced a perfect six point score well ahead of China which tallied 20.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

Athletes from the host nation took the individual senior honours while Japan swept the four team titles on offer at the 14th Asian Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China, on Thursday (15).

Individual titles for China, team honours for Japan at Asian Cross Country Championships

Enyew Mekonnen and Enatnesh Almirew clinched the senior men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s senior titles, respetively, at the 35th Jan Meda International Cross Country, which doubles as the Ethiopian national championships, at the Jan Meda race course in Addis Ababa on Sunday (25).
This year&rsquo;s event, which saw the absence of the country&rsquo;s top distance running talents due to commitments to run in other championships and spring road races, served as the qualifying race for the 5th African Cross Country Championships scheduled to take place in Chlef, Algeria, next month.
<h3>Unheralded Mekonnen triumphs in dominant victory</h3>
An inexperienced field of runners was given a boost with the late hour news that world 5000m champion Muktar Edris would contest the race. The 22-year old saw Jan Meda as a chance to redeem himself after a winless cross country season at home and abroad.
Things started well for Edris, who took to the front early on and at one point stretched his lead to some 50 metres. But his early ambitions began to fade as early as the third kilometre when he was passed by Leykun Birhan. While Birhan kept up the pace at the head of the group, Edris continued to fade away as droves of challengers easily made up the ground on his early lead.
At the six-kilometre mark, it was former world junior 10,000m bronze medallist Hunegnaw Mesfin who took his turn at the head of pack. He maintained his lead for another one-kilometre lap before he too was overtaken by Enyew Mekonnen, who clawed his way from fifth into the lead. The Sidama Buna runner continued to stretch his lead and stopped the clock at 31:01, slowing down towards the end to celebrate his victory.
&ldquo;The first two laps made me think like, 'Oh, this is not my day&rsquo;,&rdquo; Mekonnen said. "It was a very fast race. Later, the pace became normal. I felt like I was strong enough to finish with a medal. Winning in Jan meda is big [for me]."
<h3>Alamirew takes narrow victory in women&rsquo;s 10km</h3>
Unlike the men&rsquo;s race, the senior women ran a slow pace for the first four kilometres. At the halfway point, the starting group was reduced to 11 with Shasho Insermu and Rehima Tusa exchanging the lead and Enatnesh Almirew, who knows what it takes to win in Jan Meda, following about 50 metres behind. Alamirew&rsquo;s economical run paid off when she launched a blistering kick in the final 800 metres pulling Gete Alemayehu and Liyish Kassaye with her before stopping the clock at 35:32. She added another Jan Meda medal to her growing collection following a senior women&rsquo;s 8km title in 2016 and a silver medal in the same event last year.
&ldquo;Running here (Jan Meda) is always tough,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;But I think my experience helped me. I was not sure I was going to win it. But I just wanted to try and see.&rdquo;
<h3>U20 wins go to Gashaw and Gebregziabher</h3>
Abe Gashaw, who was among the favourites to win the U-20 8km contest, proved his strong finish once again after winning the Great Ethiopian Run in 2016 with the same style. The first pack of six men quickly distanced themselves from the rest as early as the fifth kilometre. One kilometre later, Birhanu Wendimu, Gashaw, Mekuriaw Zeleke, Nibret Melake and Solomon Berihun all positioned themselves for the final sprint without really looking to make a decisive move. That moment came in the last 50 metres when Melake and Gashaw took off with the latter getting the nod by one second in 24:49.
&ldquo;I was well prepared because I knew the race would be really difficult,&rdquo; said Gashaw. &ldquo;I struggled to catch the first pack at the early stages. With my (Ethiopian) team, I hope we can bring medals from the (African Cross Country) championships.&rdquo;
In the women&rsquo;s corresponding race, Jan Meda debutant Girmawit Gebregzabher clinched the 6km U20 women&rsquo;s title after surging ahead at the halfway point. The winner was well ahead with over a kilometre remaining while the chasing pack showed no intention of closing the gap. She deservedly took victory in 21:11, 12 seconds ahead of her closest challenger Tsige Gebreselama.
&ldquo;This is the first time running at Jan Meda,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I am very excited to win here, and I hope I would repeat this (in Algeria).&rdquo;
Elshadai Negash (with assistance from Abiy Wendifraw) for the IAAF
<div>Leading Results:</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Senior Men&rsquo;s 10km - 1. Enyew Mekonnen 31:01 2. Tadesse Tesfahun 31:07 3. Hunegnaw Mesfin 31:09 4. Mekashaw Eshetu 31:09 5. Gebre Erkyihun 31:10 6. Leykun Birhan 31:13</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Senior Women&rsquo;s 10km - 1. Enatnesh Alamirew 35:32 2. Gete Alemayehu 35:36 3. Rehima Tusa 35:49 4. Liyish Kassaye 35:56 5. Zinash Astifo 36:05 6. Shasho Insermo 36:09</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>U20 Men&rsquo;s 8km - 1. Abe Gashaw 24:49 2. Nibret Melake 24:50 3. Birhanu Wendimu 24:58 4. Mekuriaw Zeleke 25:02 5. Solomon Berihun 25:05 6. Getachew Masresha 25:06</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>U20 Women&rsquo;s 6km - 1. Girmawit Gebregzabher 21:11 2. Tsige Gebreselama 21:23 3. Mizan Alem 21:28 4. Birzaf Tareke 21:34 5. Birhan Mihretu 21:38 6. Ejegayehu Taye 21:40</div>

Enyew Mekonnen and Enatnesh Almirew clinched the senior men’s and women’s senior titles, respetively, at the 35th Jan Meda International Cross Country, which doubles as the Ethiopian national championships, at the Jan Meda race course in Addis Ababa on Sunday (25).

Mekonnen and Alamirew take Ethiopian cross-country titles

<div>Without competition for places in the now biennial IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Saturday’s KCB/AK National Cross Country Championships at Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens has been disrobed of its lustre. However, the showdown will be the selection decider for next month’s CAA Africa Cross Country Championships, the continental event re-established last year to fill the gap between World Cross editions. Despite the setbacks, cross running enthusiasts stand to be in for a treat with imposing line-ups from institutional and other AK affiliates across the four runs on the menu. Senior races New titleholders will be crowned by the close of action with defending holders, Boston and New York Marathon winner Geoffrey Mutai and triple World gold medallist Vivian Cheruiyot who were listed in the Kenya Police starting roster missing in action. Men’s winner Mutai reportedly withdrew from the start at Friday’s Ras-Al-Khaimah Half in the UAE with a sore foot while Cheruiyot is back in the country after a bout of flu saw her pull out of the Avica Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham. “She has now received medication and she is recovering well but she could not race tomorrow but she will be there to cheer on the runners,” spouse Moses Kiplagat confirmed. In their absence the men’s 12km long race will witness a pitch battle for top honours with new Police recruit, the World Cross junior champion, Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor, in the frame for a resounding transition to senior ranks as he attempts to keep the diadem locked up in the force’s rocker. He will come head to head with another fresh Police rookie and the junior winner here last year, Isaiah Kiplangat Koech who recently placed second over 3000m at the Lievin Indoor meeting in Lievin, France. Punta Umbria fourth finisher, Matthew Kisorio, Philemon Limo who placed seventh and 2006 winner, Moses Masai complete the Police line-up. Archrivals Kenya Defence Forces have the ageless Mark Kiptoo who captained Kenya to the Edinburgh World Cross, the 2007 World Cross silver winner, Vincent Kiprop, William Chebon, Michael Chege and John Chepkwony, the 2009 World Junior champion in the men’s 12km run in the running for top honours. Africa Cross senior men champion, John Mwangangi will spearhead the Kenya Prisons squad with Daegu Worlds 10,000m finalist, Peter Kirui holding fort in the Administration Police squad. In the women’s 8km run, Linet Masai who was dethroned by Cheruiyot last year stands head and shoulders above the competition on paper owing to her cross running pedigree but faces a stern test from Lucy Kabuu, the winner of the Police XC Championships. Kabuu who breezed to a 2:19:34 marathon performance in Dubai brings a rich vein of form in the Police gang that has Africa Cross champion, Mercy Cherono, Daegu silver winner, Sylvia Kibet, World marathon champion, Edna Kiplagat and Bydgoszcz World Cross sixth finisher, Margaret Wangari providing the internal competition. Daegu and Boston marathons bronze winner, Sharon Cherop and former World Cross junior silver winner, Veronica Nyaruai are the studs in the Defence Forces squad with 2010 World Cross winner, Emily Chebet and Daegu 10,000m bronze winner, Priscah Jepleting the star banners in the Admin Police ranks. Rotterdam marathon winner, Philes Ongori (Nyanza South) and new sensation Phanacier Chemutai (North Rift), a star of the KCB/AK series meetings are others to watch. Junior races Last year’s women 6km winner, Janet Kisia returns to defend her title against an onslaught led by the World Cross gold medallist, Faith Chepng’etich (South Rift) and Africa Cross champion, Caroline Chepkoech, the younger sister of Cherono. In the men’s 8km race, World Youth titleholder, William Sitonik Malel lines-up for another clash with Bydgoszcz World Cross bronze winner Japheth Korir who won the NG Eurocross in Diekirch (Luxemburg) last week in the highlight clash. Selection Six athletes in all races on the cards will be selected to compete for their country in South Africa with those accepting the call-ups set to be confirmed in the team. After weeks of oven hot sunshine, overcast weather has started descending in Nairobi with temperate condition forecast for the race. The race for the KCB/AK Series jackpot where four athletes stand the chance to share the Sh1m ($12,195) will be also be decided. Mutwiri Mutuota (Capital FM) for IAAF </div>

Without competition for places in the now biennial IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Saturday’s KCB/AK National Cross Country Championships at Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens has been disrobed of its lustre.

Kipsang Kamworor and Masai headline Kenya's Cross Country Championships field - PREVIEW

<DIV>Nyahururu, KenyaThe fifth NBK/AK National Cross Country series meeting in Nyahururu on Saturday (3) served up new winners in the four categories after some of the expected top contenders failed to show-up, some no doubt put off by the soggy under foot conditions. Another reason was that some of the key names were in Nairobi attending the second AK Golden Gala on Friday night (2) that saw 110 individuals among them 38 gold medallists from seven international events in 2011 honoured for their excellence. Today's races played out at a waterlogged course at the Nyahururu Golf Club as heavy rains that had been pounding the country subsided to allow the meet to progress but runners still found the muddy surface formidable to navigate. Paul Lonyangata (senior men), World Cross campaigner, Margaret Wangari (senior women), Justin Cheruiyot (junior men) and Mercy Kibowen helped themselves to top honours in the latest round of the seven meet series that attracted 426 starters in all four events. SENIOR MEN - Lonyangata seizes the moment The eagerly anticipated duel between series leader, Nicholas Togom (winner in Tala and Chepkoilel) and World junior indoor record holder, Isaiah Kiplangat Koech (winner Embu) failed to materialise after both runners who were penned for the showdown failed to turn-up. Timothy Too who ascended to the top of the podium in Kapsakwony and was billed to take part was also a no show. Moncton World Juniors 10,000m bronze winner, Paul Lonyangata took full advantage of their absence in the keenly contested men’s long race that had 222 starters among them quality entrants that did justice to its status as the showstopper. “The course was difficult but I felt strong as we came for the finish. This will encourage me to aim for better performances in the remaining races,” Lonyangata said after breasting the tape in 36:47.0. Caleb Mwangangi, Bydgoszcz World Cross junior men winner and All Africa Games 1500m champion, Mark Kiptoo the overall Kenya captain at the 2009 Amman World Cross, and his team mate in Jordan the resurgent Linus Chumba, were among the pedigree runners at the start. &nbsp; The race witnessed a furious start with the leaders going through the first 5km in 15:35 and as the race reached the business end, the marshy course slowed down the athletes. Lonyanganta, who was making his first foray into senior running had Mwangangi, who finished fourth in the series opener in Tala (November 12), Kiptoo, Chumba, Simon Gichuki, Wilson Too, Reuben Limaa (fourth Embu) and Ezekiel Cherop, for company at that point. The bunch held on together until the bell when the Moncton bronze winner made his move for the victory with 800m left as Chumba, who had finished runner-up in Tala and Embu gave hot pursuit. At the close, the fleet footed Lonyangata used his superior finishing kick to deny Chumba (36:51.3), the soldier based at Embakasi, once again. “He was faster in the last 200m but I’m satisfied with the result since I want to build-up for road running and the Africa Cross Country team next year,” said the winner. Mwangangi came in third (37:10.0), with Laikipia Airbase based soldier Gichuki (37:10.7) close in his heels as team mate Kiptoo (37:13.0) returned in fifth as Limaa (37:20.5) settled for sixth. SENIOR WOMEN - Home return for Nyaruai arrested by Wangari There was a sentimental return to competition for home favourite, Veronica Nyaruai, the 2006 World Juniors 3000m gold winner and three-time World Cross junior medallist, who got the crowd buzzing in Kenya’s Central Province. However, another potent cross runner, Margaret Wangari, who was sixth (senior race) in Bydgozcz and eighth Edinburgh editions of the World Cross and was born in the nearby town of Subukia, was also making a maiden appearance on this season’s domestic circuit. On the stands, Lucy Kabuu, the winner of the series opener in Tala who won the New Delhi Half Marathon last weekend was a keen spectator, having decided against racing. “I have not recovered sufficiently to compete and that is why I decided to give them encouragement from here (the crowd),” said Kabuu. It was evident from the third kilometre that Wangari, the Kenya Police officer, possessed far superior finesse and she rarely looked troubled as she seamlessly completed the victory in 27:42.9. Fridah Chelagat, of Kenya Prisons service led the challengers’ home in 28:03.1, as Nyaruai showed glimpses of a comeback to her junior form when she came in third with 28:18.2. “I have been training to recover after child birth and military training and today, I felt my body responding well and it is my hope I can return to the Kenyan team,” said Nyaruai, the Defence Forces Private based at Laikipia Airbase. Her last outing in Kenyan colours was at the Beijing Olympics when she registered a DNF in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase. Monicah Wangare (28:28.8), Wanjiru Gatheru (28:34.2) and Monicah Nderitu (28:39.5) closed the top six. JUNIOR MEN - Cheruiyot reigns A new winner was set to be crowned in the junior men 8km race with top jackpot contenders World Youth 3000m champion, William Malel who topped in Tala and Chepkoilel before finishing second in Embu and Africa Cross titleholder, Japheth Korir (winner in Embu, second Chepkoilel and fourth Tala) absent as they were in Nairobi to receive awards at the AK Golden Gala. Leonard Barsoton, the victor in Kapsakwony was also missing and consequently, Justine Cheruiyot, the 14th finisher in Punta Umbria, soared to the tape unchallenged in 24:05.5. The winner completed a solo run for the win after he set loose from the field at the 6th kilometre as Albert Rop’s determined but ultimately futile chase rewarded him with the runners-up slot in 24:12.5 as home runner, Johana Maina (24:31.7) who was third in Embu, repeating his podium position. Bernard Muia who placed sixth in Embu posted 24:36.7 for fourth just ahead of Ernest Ngeno. Ngeno was fourth in Embu. JUNIOR WOMEN - Kibowen topples Cherotich in second giant killing act World Cross Country Bydgoszcz silver winner and Punta Umbria seventh finisher, Purity Cherotich (20:48.4) saw her prized scalp claimed by newcomer Mercy Kibowen (20:36.3) who deployed the afterburners mid race to complete the most dominant triumph of the day. The pupil (who was erroneously recorded as Chebwogen) completed a similar commanding victory at the series opener in Tala and thus edged her nose in front in the chase for the Sh400,000 (approx US$4000) Jackpot in her event. Zipporah Wanjiku (20:49.3) re-enacted her placing in Tala as World Youth 3000m silver winner, Jackline Chepng’eno who was the bridesmaid to the Keringet Township Primary School winner at the same event, slipped to fourth. Josephine Wanjiku (21:40.2) and Joyline Chemweno (21:45.7) shut the top six. Mutwiri Mutuota (Capital FM) for IAAF Leading results Junior women 6km1. Mercy Kibowen 20:36.32. Purity Cherotich 20:48.43. Zipporah Wanjiru 20:49.34. Jackline Chepng’eno 20:51.25. Josephine Wanjiku 21:40.26. Joyline Chemweno (21:45.7)7. Joyce Wanjogu (Nastor) 2209.18. Mary Wangechi (Elite) 2216.19. Regina Nyakolandu (2222910. Virginia Nyambura 22:25.6 Junior men 8km1. Justin Cheruiyot 24:05.52. Albert Rop 24:12.43. Johana Maina 24:31.74. Berbar Muia 24:36.75. Ernest Ngeni 24:00.46. Vincent Rono 24:04.77. Nelson Kogei 24:55.08. John KLariuki 25:09.99. Edwin Mokua 25:01.810. Silas Kingori 25:03.12 Senior women 8km1. Margaret Wangari 27:42.92. Fridah Chelangat 28:03.13. Veronica Nyaruai 28:18.24. Monicah Wangari 28:28.85. Wanjiru Gatheru 28:34.26. Monicah Nderitu 28:39.57. Susan Letapanga 28:57.88. Pauline Wangui 29:01.89. Ester Macvharia 29:19.510. Perine Nenkampi 29:28.0 Senior men 12km1. Paul Lonyangata 36:47.02. Linus Chumba 36:51.33. Caleb Mwangangi 37:10.04. Simon Gichuki 37:10.75. Mark Kiptoo 37:13.06. Reuben Limaa 37:20.57. Wilson Too 37:43.08. Ezekiel Cherop 37:45.79. Goeffrey Gikuni 37:50.110. Edwin Kibet 37:51.3</DIV>

The fifth NBK/AK National Cross Country series meeting in Nyahururu (3) served up new winners in the four categories after some of the expected top contenders failed to show up some no doubt put off by the soggy under foot conditions.

Lonyangata and Wangari take victories in Nyahururu - AK XC Series, Race 5

<DIV>Women’s 8km senior victor and home runner Phanincier Jemutai was the biggest winner when the 4th KCB/AK National Cross Country Series panned out at the high elevation of Mount Elgon on Saturday (26) as Timothy Kiptoo finally tasted victory in the senior men’s long race. Newcomer Leonard Barsoton and Alice Aprot, niece of 2010 World Cross Country champion Joseph Ebuya who was ninth in the junior race at the Amman World Cross, won the men 8km and women 6km junior titles. Kapsakwony, the headquarters of Mount Eldon that is the oldest and largest solitary volcano in East Africa that boasts an elevation of 4321m above sea level, was the setting for the fourth round of the seven meet series where athletes had to do with a punishing course. Heavy rains that have pounded the country turned the route into a muddy affair that Cross Country purists would have been proud off but there was no shortage of action when the starting gun went off on a meet that pooled approximately 400 entries. Jemutai on a roll Having Moses Masai, the figurehead of the Masai trilogy in athletics that boasts of 2009 World 10,000m champion and thrice World Cross senior silver winner, Linet as a sister and the World 10,000m junior gold medallist, Dennis at the tail as a coach, is paying off handsomely for Phanincier Jemutai. The winning tonic seems to be rubbing off for the upstart who broadcast her arrival on the Kenyan distance running map with a polished victory in the second meet of the series in Eldoret (Chepkoilel) on 12 November. Running on terrain she is familiar with, Jemutai edged her nose ahead in the race for a share of the Sh1.2m ($14,000) series jackpot when she outclassed the World Youth 3000m titleholder, Purity Cherotich Rionoripo, in the senior women 8km race. The pair were running side by side until the bell when the novice shifted through the gears in the last 2km to break the tape in 29:30.1 with Cherotich coming through to finish second in 30:49.5. Cherotich, who was decorated with silver at the Bydgoszcz World Cross junior women 6km, is still a form three student in Kericho and was making her senior debut in Cross Country running. Another fresh face, Elizabeth Chemutai finished in 31:10.1 ahead of Kissi runner, Monica Otwori who won the 10,000m race at her home turf at last season’s Track and Field series who posted 31:22.5. With her second victory at the discipline, Jemutai is on pole to bag the Sh400,000 ($4,500) series jackpot in the senior women 8km race that failed to produce an outright winner in the 2010/2011 season. Former World junior 3000 and 5000m champion, Beatrice Chepchumba, the winner of the San Sebastian and Malaga half marathons this year, ran 31:25.0 for sixth. Kiptoo finally rises to glory A new winner was on the cards in the senior men 12km with 3000m/5000m World youth record holder, Isaiah Kiplangat Koech (Embu) and Nicholas Togom (Tala and Chepkoilel), the junior bronze winner at the Africa Cross who have taken the last three meets absent in Kapsakwony. Mount Elgon bred Titus Mbishei, the 2008 World Juniors and 2009 World Cross junior men silver winner was the crowd and pre-race favourite at the start of the long race. But Timothy Kiptoo who was the bridesmaid in Chepkoilel behind Togom had other ideas. The runner who has returned career bests on the road this season, 27:45 over 10km (second Utrecht) and 1:02:40 in Half Marathon (winner 28th Unive Drenthe Marathon) opened a 200m gap midway and never looked back. Kiptoo arrived at the tape in 38:38.6 in the slow course as Mbishei accepted the bridesmaid’s position in 39:11.9, his experience shielding him from the attentions of third place Abraham Tanui (39:24.5) as Stephen Arita (39:32.5) finished fourth. Barsoton and Aprot top junior runs Barsoton (25:58.1), also from Mount Elgon dominated the men’s junior 8km race, finding the legs to motor away from the hard chasing Justine Cheruiyot (25:22.1), Gilbert Kirui (25:36.3), Isaac Lagat (25:50.1) and Robert Chemosian (25:53.1) who closed the top five in the dash for victory. The winner added his name in the mostly contested race for the series where 2010 World Cross junior silver winner, Japheth Korir and World Youth 3000m titleholder William Malel are fronting. Korir and Malel were advised by national head coach, Julius Kirwa after Embu last weekend, to skip at least two meetings meaning the tussle for the Sh400,000 ($4,500) pay-out will be likely decided at the latter rounds or the nationals themselves. In the corresponding women’s junior 6km race, the field lacked any real quality and for Aprot, who finished fifth at the Africa World Cross in Johannesburg, the easy motions of becoming the fourth separate winner of the event were duly achieved in 21:56.1. Sheila Chepng’etich, the sixth placer (1500m) at the Lille World Youth was the only other entrant in the race bearing international experience but the punishing course did her no favours as she contented with fourth (22:29.1). Magdaline Masai (22:12.3) and Eva Cherono (22:16.9) who placed ninth sixth at Chepkoilel finished in that order to fill the podium. Mutwiri Mutuota (Capital FM) and Joseph Ngure (The Standard) for IAAF SELECTED RESULTS Senior men- 1. Timothy Kiptoo 38:38.6, 2. Titus Mbishei 39:11.9, 3. Abraham Tanui 39:24.5, 4. Stephen Arita 39:32.5, 5. Eliud Kemei 39:34.8, 6. Kennedy Kiptoo 39:40.8. Women 8Km - 1. Phanancier Jemutai 29:30.1, 2. Purity Cherotich 30:49.5, 3. Elizabeth Chemutai 31: 10.1, 4. Monica Otwori 31:22.5. 5. Tabitha Chelagat 31:23.6, 6. Beatrice Chepchumba 31:25.0. Junior Men: 1. Leonard Barsoton 25:16.7, 2. Justine Cheruiyot 25:22.1, 3. Gilbert Kirui 25:36.3, 4. Isaac Lagat 25:50.1, 5. Robert Chemosian 25:53.1, 6. Justine Kipchumba 25:58.1. Women. 1. Alice Aprot 21:56.1, 2. Magdaline Masai 22:12.3, 3. Ever Cherono 22:16.9, 4. Sheila Chepng’etich 22:29.1, 5. Jackline Chebwogen 22:42.5, 6. Caroline Chepkemoi 22:53.0.</DIV>

Women’s 8km senior victor and home runner Phanincier Jemutai was the biggest winner when the 4th KCB/AK National Cross Country Series panned out at the high elevation of Mount Elgon on Saturday (26) as Timothy Kiptoo finally tasted victory in the senior men’s long race.

Jemutai and Kiptoo the standouts in Kapsakwony – AK XC Series, Race 4

<DIV>Eldoret, KenyaNicholas Togom continued his stellar introduction to senior running when he emphatically sealed his second senior men 12km victory on the trot at the 2nd KCB/AK National Cross Country Series meeting in Eldoret on Saturday (12). Joseph Ebuya, the 2010 World Cross Country champion who also featured trooped back home just outside the top-ten as reigning Africa Cross senior and 2010 World Cross junior gold winner Mercy Cherono finished tenth in the corresponding 8km women’s senior event. The highlight of the junior competitions was the chastening of World Cross titleholder Faith Chepng’etich who is fresh from sitting her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) national examinations in the women’s 6km race. Lille World Youth 3000m gold winner William Malel prevailed in the men’s 8km run against the spirited challenge of Africa Cross titleholder Japheth Korir in a thrilling dash for the tape. Togom on a roll A week after taking the assembled men long race to the cleaners in Tala, Kangundo (5 November), Togom, whose elder brother Matthew Kisorio (2:10:58) made a commendable full Marathon debut in New York last Sunday took to the field in Chepkoilel and delivered another superior display to take sole charge in the race of the series jackpot. Just like in Tala, Togom, the Africa Cross junior bronze winner, shot to the front midway through the race and competed against the clock in another emphatic display of front running to arrive unchallenged in 30:46.3, the relatively flat course aiding his flight for the top honours. “I will be 20 next year and my aim is to win senior gold at the Africa Cross. Today I felt I was in good shape and did not find it hard to run from the front,” the victor stated. Timothy Kiptoo, who won the opening leg of the series in Kangundo last year led the challengers home in 30:49.2 with World Half Marathon and Africa 10,000m gold medallist, Wilson Kiprop closing the podium in 31:02.8. Kiprop, who is returning from injury that saw him miss the Daegu Worlds days before the Kenyan team left for Korea, told his delight after his troubled knee held up. “I was testing whether the knee would show any reaction and I did not feel any effects today and I’m looking forward to resume my career,” the World Half gold winner added. After pulling out of the Kenyan Trials for Punta Umbria, the 2010 World Cross titleholder who has also endured a spell in the sidelines with injury, Joseph Ebuya, pushed at the early stages but was scorched by the pace in the last 4km. “I want to return to competition slowly and after finishing here today I can return to train harder,” the Bydgoszcz long race champion who was 11th here in 31:32.9 expressed. Upstart rules women’s senior run Prior to Saturday (12) no one had heard of Phanencier Jemutai, the Mount Elgon born runner who is trained by Moses Masai, the Berlin 10,000m bronze winner. In 23:29.5, Jemutai announced her arrival on the distance running scene after pulling off a more forceful victory than Togom did in the men’s senior run. Jemutai led from the second lap and went on building a strong lead with runner-up, Farida Jelagat (23:37.5) eight seconds behind the winner as 2006 World Cross sixth finisher (short race) Beatrice Chepchumba stopped the clock in 23:44 further back in third. Hellen Obiri, who made an impression in Daegu as the only Kenyan finalist in the women’s 1500m before a trip ended her medal ambitions in the final, ran 23:49.0 to finish outside the podium in a race turned into a procession by winner’s sustained rip. Mercy Cherono, the African Cross champion and fifth finisher in the 5000m race at Daegu World Championships was returning to competition after writing her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) O-Level national exams and the race rust showed as she clocked 25:15.5 for tenth. Malel tops champions’ contest As is common at domestic cross events the men 8km race is usually the most keenly contested and attracts the most entries with the Chepkoilel edition no different. Africa champion, Japheth Korir who won bronze at the Bydgoszcz World Cross fronted the queue as he sought to stamp his mark after a fourth finish in Tala. World Youth 3000m gold winner William Malel lined-up alongside with Gideon Kipketer, the fourth finisher in Johannesburg also in the frame. There was nothing to separate the front runners in the opening 6km as a lead pack that also included Abraham Kasongor, Ernest Ng’eno, Isaac Langat and Kiprop Limo hurdled together with the favoured trio. At the bell, Korir and Malel were running almost shoulder to shoulder with Kipketer a pace off the leaders. All the action unfolded in the last 500m when Malel edged a three way sprint for the tape in 20:15.5 with Korir (20:20.4) and Kipketer (20:20.7) occupying the remaining podium positions. Jepkorir in brilliant win The women’s 6km junior race featured three athletes who wore the Kenyan jersey at the Punta Umbria World Cross and Norah Jeruto who was sixth at the Africa Cross in Johannesburg. Faith Chepng’etich, the World titleholder was the top seed with close friend, Nancy Chepkwemoi and Brilliant Jepkorir Kipkoech who placed sixth and ninth in Punta Umbria also among the favourites. Chepng’etich and Chepkwemoi spent most of last week at their Keringet Township Primary School writing their Standard 8 national exams and Jepkorir seized the opportunity to complete a comprehensive ten second win. The winner took top honours in 17:24.9 with new comer, Agnes Jebet (17:34.8) out running Chepkwemoi (17:14.4) and Chepng’etich (17:50.4) who finished in that order to take second. Race jackpot With his second victory, Togom took the lead in the men’s 12km race for a share of the Sh1.2m ($12,632) series jackpot that will be paid out after the last event. Results from four events including the National Cross Country Championships count. Winners in each category will take home Sh400,000 ($4,200). Mutwiri Mutuota (Capital FM) and Joseph Ngure (The Standard) for IAAF &nbsp; Leading RESULTS - SENIOR MEN:1. Nicholas Togom &nbsp; &nbsp; 30:46.3 2. Timothy Kiptoo &nbsp; &nbsp; 30:49.23. Wilson Kiprop &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:02.84. Edwin Kibet &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:07.25. Josephat Kamzee &nbsp; 31:17.26. Linus Chub &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:20.6 7. Hillary Kipchumba 31:22.88. Raymond Choge &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:25.19. Kiprono Kurgat &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:25.910. Benson Moto &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:31.711. Joseph Ebuya &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 31:32.9 SENIOR WOMEN:1. Phanencier Jemutai &nbsp; &nbsp; 23:29.52. Farida Jelagat &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 23:37.53. Beatrice Jepchumba &nbsp; &nbsp; 23:44.44. Hellen Obiri &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 23:49.05. Corethy Jelagat &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 23:49.86. Jemima Jelagat &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24:16.57. Purity Jerotich &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24:35.08. Antonina Ruto &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25:01.49. Jelagat Sang &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25:03.310. Mercy Cherono &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25:15.5 JUNIOR MEN:1. &nbsp;William Malel &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:19.52. &nbsp;Japheth Korir &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:20.43. &nbsp;Gideon Kipketer &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:20.74. &nbsp;Abraham Kasongor &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:33.05. &nbsp;Ernest Ng’eno &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:35.06. &nbsp;Isaac Langat &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:38.47. &nbsp;Kiprop Limo &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:46.88. &nbsp;Eliud Ng’eny &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:47.89. &nbsp;Johana Maina &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:49.910. &nbsp;James Kipsang &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20:56.1 JUNIOR WOMEN:1. Jepkorir Kipkoech &nbsp; &nbsp; 17:24.92. Agnes Jebet &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 17:34.83. Nancy Chepkwemoi &nbsp; &nbsp; 17:41.44. Faith Chepng’etich &nbsp; 17:50.45. Winnie Chepkemoi &nbsp; &nbsp; 17:55.06. Eva Cherono &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18:01.37. Magdalene Masai &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18:05.88. Mercy Chebwagen &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18:10.59. Jepkemei Tanui &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18:13.510. Norah Jeruto &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18:17.2</DIV>

Nicholas Togom continued his stellar introduction to senior running when he emphatically sealed his second senior men 12km victory on the trot at the 2nd KCB/AK National Cross Country Series meeting in Eldoret on Saturday (12).