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Victories for Kidane and Kosgei in Belfast
2006-01-07
African 5000m champion Etalemu Kidane (Ethiopia) sprinted to her second successive victory at the Belfast International cross country meeting on the Stormont Estate this afternoon. Kidane, who won a thrilling race by millimetres 12 months ago, finished a relatively comfortable three metres clear of her compatriot, Deribe Alemu, this time with Ashu Kasim completing an Ethiopian 1-2-3 in the 5930 metres race after Ireland’s Mary Cullen had bravely led to halfway.
While Cullen held on strongly to take fourth place, she was followed
home by 23-year-old Kate Reed, from Bristol, enjoying another fine run
a month after helping the Norwich Union GB Team to the silver medals at
the European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg, Netherlands.
The
men’s race became a battle between two 19-year-olds and ended with
Barnabas Kosgei (Kenya) surprisingly out-sprinting Moses Kipsiro
(Uganda) to register Africa’s 13th win in the last 15 years of this
meeting.
Kipsiro, whose track times suggested he would be favourite on the firm going, finished five metres adrift of the strong-finishing Kosgei, who was motivated by his determination to improve on his third place last year.
The defending champion, Dathan Ritzenhein (USA) finished third after making the pace for most of the first threequarters of the race.
Ireland’s Alistair Cragg, the European indoor 3000m champion, also faded after a strong start but hung on determinedly for sixth place.
Results
Men’s 9810m:
1 B Kosgei (Kenya) 28:05; 2 M Kipsiro (Uganda) 28:0; 3 D Ritzenhein (USA) 28:20; 4 S Kiflemariam (Eritrea) 28:43; 5 T Shiffraw (Ethiopia) 28:45; 6 A Cragg (Ireland) 29:09; 7 R Whalley (England) 29:11; 8 P Julian (USA) 29:12; 9 S Plummer (Scotland) 29:13; 10 S Power (Ireland) 29:16.
Women’s 5930m:
1 E Kidane (Ethiopia) 19:09; 2 D Alemu (Ethiopia)
19:10; 3 A Kasim (Ethiopia) 19:14; 4 M Cullen (Ireland) 19:20; 5 K Reed
(Bristol and West) 19:23; 6 O O’Mahoney (Ireland) 19:58.
DAVID MARTIN
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