Tariku Bekele wins the 25th Cross Internacional de la Constitución’ in Alcobendas (© Julián Obispo)
World Junior 5000m champion Tariku Bekele became the first male Ethiopian to clinch the title at the ‘Cross Internacional de la Constitución’ which celebrated its silver jubilee today. On the women’s side we saw a similarly dominant display as Meselech Melkamu, also of Ethiopia, cruised to a more than comfortable victory.
Bekele’s and Melkamu’s victories are their second cross country wins in a row of this season as they had also snatched commanding wins last Sunday in Llodio. The kind of form showed by these young and talented Ethiopians suggest they are on the right path to play key roles in the next IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya, next 24 March.
MEN – Eritrean pool unable to drop Bekele
Right from the first lap the race became a battle between a powerful Eritrean squad and the pre-race favourite Tariku Bekele. It was Kidane Tadesse – the younger brother of Zersenay Tadesse – who marked out the tempo for much of the race closely followed by another seven Africans and Spain’s Juan Carlos de la Ossa during the early stages.
Tadesse’s front running tactics paid off partially and with 20 minutes on the clock only four athletes had reasonable chances of winning, Kidane, his countryman Yonas Kifle, Bekele, and Kenya’s John Kibowen. Kifle moved to first spot for a while trying to help Kidane to leave Bekele but to no avail.
The order Kidane-Kifle-Bekele-Kibowen remained the same in the last lap until the 19-year-old Ethiopian unleashed a brisk turn of speed with 200m to go. It seemed for a few seconds that the Eritrean pair might threaten Bekele’s win but another change of gear with some 100m left was decisive and the Ethiopian romped home in 32:18, one second ahead of Kifle who overhauled a tired Kidane by two seconds in the downhill final homestraight.
“Today’s success has not been easy due to my tough rivals and also the tough circuit which was quite muddy in some areas” declared the winner. Asked again on his brother Kenenisa’s possible appearance at the next XC Worlds in Mombasa (Kenya) Tariku said: “He is training well in Ethiopia but I don’t know for sure whether he’s going to contest the Worlds, maybe not. I think he is likely to run in Edinburgh (13 January) and Seville (21 January)” XC IAAF permits.
Challenger ready to face Lebid?
Spain’s reigning European 10,000m bronze medallist Juan Carlos de la Ossa signed-off in a respectable sixth place which left him more than satisfied looking ahead to next Sunday’s European Cross Country Championships in Italy.
“I consider today’s test very positively thinking of the Europeans,” said Carlos de la Ossa. “My target there will be to help my fellow Spaniards to take the team gold medal as we line up an extraordinary squad, maybe the first ever. Individually, I’ll also try to do my best but I don’t know anything about the circuit. I’m now in much better shape than one month ago but each race is different and you never know what will happen in Italy. Of course Ukraine’s Sergiy Lebid is the number 1 favourite.”
Eritrea’s World Road Running champion Zersenay Tadesse witnessed and enjoyed the performance of his younger brother Kidane who reportedly didn’t use spike shoes last Sunday in Llodio and so had to settle for ninth on that occasion. Zersenay Tadesse confirmed his presence at the ‘San Silvestre Vallecana’ a prestigious 10km road race to be held on (31 December) New Year’s Eve.
WOMEN – Unchallenged Melkamu
Meselech Melkamu proved to be the strongest athlete by far and retained her meet title from last year. The 21-year-old Ethiopian put on a dazzling display of solo running in the second half of the race when she pulled away from Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot.
Ethiopia’s 2004 World Junior 5000m champion had an advantage which was never over 8 seconds but her victory wasn’t in danger at any moment blazing finally to a 6-second success over Cheruiyot. Eritrea’s Nebiat Habtemariam finished a distant third 44 seconds adrift of the victor but was herself 24 seconds clear of her compatriot Simret Sultan.
Spain’s reigning European’s 5000n champion Marta Domínguez placed 9th some 1:39 behind Melkamu.
“I had a difficult task today, especially due to the muddy circuit,” said Melkamu. “I now go back to Ethiopia and will return to Europe next 21 January for the IAAF permit in Seville. I got two bronze medals at the last Worlds in Fukuoka and my aim for 2007 is to win the only title at stake in Mombasa."
Osaka double ambitions
Asked on whether she’s afraid of hot temperatures in Mombasa Melkamu adamantly answered: “Not at all, all the Ethiopians are accustomed to train under any kind of temperatures and circumstances, so that’s not a problem. Thinking of the track season I would like to get the qualifying times at the 5000 and 10,000m events to contest both at the Worlds in Osaka (Japan),” confirmed Melkamu who finished fourth over 5000m at the Helsinki World Championships in 2005.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF
Leading Results:
Men (10,45km course) -
1. Tariku Bekele (Eth)32:18
2. Yonas Kifle (Eri) 32:19
3. Kidane Tadesse (Eri) 32:21
4. John Kibowen (Ken) 32:24
5. Abraham Feleke (Eth) 32:38
6. Juan Carlos de la Ossa (Esp) 32:48
7. Negussie Ketema (Eth) 32:49
8. Tesfayohanes Mesfen (Eri) 33:17
9. Hicham Chatt (Mor) 33:24
10. Samuel Tsegay (Eri) 33:26
Women (6,1km course) -
1. Meselech Melkamu (Eth) 21:16
2. Vivian Cheruiyot (Ken) 21:22
3. Nebiat Habtemariam (Eri) 22:00
4. Simret Sultan (Eri) 22:24
5. Sonia Bejarano (Esp) 22:34
6. Alexandra Aguilar (Esp) 22:37
7. Luisa Larraga (Esp) 22:44
8. Iris Fuentes-Pila (Esp) 22:44
9. Marta Domínguez (Esp) 22:55
10. Silvia Montané (Esp) 22:59
