As he built a sizeable lead some 20 minutes into the men’s race on Mombasa’s picturesque seaside Golf Course, at the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Kenenisa Bekele appeared to be kicking into cruise control en route to his sixth straight World Cross Country title. But then the weekend’s most unpredictable and daunting variable – the stifling heat and humidity that makes Kenya’s Indian Ocean so inviting – reared its ugly head.
Less than five minutes after he was apparently dropped by the mighty Ethiopian, Eritrea’s World Road Running champion Zersenay Tadesse not only made up the gap, but went on to pummel past Bekele to produce what will certainly be remembered as the biggest upset of these World Cross Country Championships.
Tadesse, who has made a career of chasing Bekele since his emergence among the world’s elite three years ago, stunned the crowd not only as he fought back to catch Bekele, but stirred its imagination as well when he confidently strode by. 
Left in the Eritrean’s wake, an unlikely picture of Bekele emerged, one of a runner broken, with simply nothing in reserve to fight back. Unable to summon his trademark sprint, Bekele looked drained and confused as he watched Tadesse pull away before finally succumbing to the (33 C. with 73 % humidity) conditions and walking off the course some 800 metres before the finish, to end his cross country race win streak at 27. As two medics carrying a stretcher approached, Bekele motioned them away. Later it was confirmed that he struggled with stomach pains in the middle part of the race.
While Bekele’s dramatic departure from the race was a shock, it can’t take away from the powerful performance displayed by Tadesse, the Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist who was clearly prepared for everything these championships would throw at him, be it the heat or the opposition.
“I feel happy and proud for all Eritreans,” said the 25-year-old, who has single-handedly led an athletics renaissance in his country. “I’m very happy and have no words to express my feelings.”
Tadesse, who trains part of the year in Spain, said that preparation there last year helped him for the conditions here. “I trained quite a bit in heat similar to this,” he said. Tadesse said he didn’t feel surprised when he caught up and passed Bekele, and didn’t realize that he had dropped out. “I just didn’t see him,” he said.
The early stages of the 12 km contest began rather cautiously, with several runners taking their turns with the lead. The deep Kenyan squad, much to the delight of the estimated crowd of more than 30,000 who crammed into the venue, performed admirably, but some 15 minutes into the race it became clear that none would be a solid threat for the individual win. Half a lap later, only national champion Moses Mosop was still up to the challenge, before finally dropping off the pace. He nonetheless held on for second, reaching the finish in 36:13, 23 seconds behind Tadesse. Another 24 seconds back was Bernard Kipyego, to claim the bronze.
Surpassing his own expectations, European Champion Mo Farah finished tenth. 

‘Cross Country Comes Home’ was the theme of these 35th championships, and the Kenyan men certainly made a strong case with their dominating team performance.
Behind Tadesse, the hosts took spots two through six for a 28 point total, nearly 80 points ahead of runner-up Morocco to easily defend their team title, and a staggering 20th long course team crown overall. 

Uganda, led by Martin Toroitich’s ninth place, was third (185 points), to claim their first senior medal at a World Cross Country Championship. The heat took a particularly hard toll on Ethiopia, besides the defending champion, four others didn’t finish, resulting in no score in the team battle, and no team medal for only the second time since 1992.
Underscoring the difficult conditions, 29 of the 134 starters did not finish the race. Bob Ramsak for the IAAF<A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC07/results/byEvent.html" target=_blank>
Click here for FULL RESULTS
</A>&nbsp;
Prize Money (paid by IAAF):
All amounts are in US$
Places / Prize*
Individual 1st 30,000; 2nd 15,000; 3rd 10,000; 4th 7000; 5th 5000; 6th 3000
Team 1st 20,000; 2nd 16,000 3rd 12,000; 4th 10,000; 5th 8000; 6th 4000 
 *All prize winners must undergo and clear the usual anti-doping procedures.

As he built a sizeable lead some 20 minutes into the men’s race on Mombasa’s picturesque seaside Golf Course, at the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Kenenisa Bekele appeared to be kicking into cruise control en route to his sixth straight World Cross Country title. But then the weekend’s most unpredictable and daunting variable – the stifling heat and humidity that makes Kenya’s Indian Ocean so inviting – reared its ugly head.

Tadesse takes upset victory as Bekele registers a ‘DNF’ - Mombasa 2007

The theme for these 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the first ever hosted by cross country powerhouse Kenya, was ‘Cross Country Comes Home’. With their overwhelming victories in the both the men’s and women’s junior races, that often heard slogan certainly rang true.
From the podium sweep in the junior women’s race that opened the competition to the top-four sweep in the junior men’s, the hosts clearly illustrated that, for now, no nation on earth can match the cross country depth produced in this east African nation.
But while their dominance was clear, the brutally hot and humid conditions that may come to define these championships made their respective victories anything but a Sunday walk in the park.
Running in her first international competition, Linet Chepkwemoi Barasa was the clear winner, covering the 6km course in 20:52, seven seconds clear of mercy Kosgei who reached the line 11 seconds ahead of Veronica Wanjiru, to complete Kenya ’s second consecutive podium sweep and their fifth overall since junior competition began in 1989. Kosgei moved up a notch from her bronze medal performance of a year ago, while Wanjiru, a two-time defending silver medallist, couldn’t quite live up to her own pedigree.
“I’m just very happy,” Chepkwemoi Barasa said. “All I was thinking about was the gold medal.”
But that type of concentration may have cost Pauline Korikwiang a successful title defence. Miscounting laps, the Fukuoka champion, along with a pair of Ethiopians in hot pursuit, kicked to their perceived finish less than 15 minutes into the race, effectively knocking the trio out of the competition. Korikwiang forged on but with simply no energy left, she eventually took a dramatic dizzying fall on the back stretch of the final lap.
Meraf Bahta, sixth overall, led Eritrea to the runner-up spot in the team competition, the first medal ever for the small nation at a World Country Championship. Sule Utura and Genzebe Dibaba, the 16-year-old younger sister of Tirunesh and Eyagayou, finished fifth and sixth respectively, to lead Ethiopia to the bronze.
Underscoring the difficult conditions, 20 of the 87 starters didn’t finish.
While the Kenyan women proved a mighty force, the men were unstoppable en route to their ninth straight men’s junior title, and 19th in the last 20 years.
This year it was 17-year-old Asbel Kiprop, who took top honours, continuing the frenzied celebration by the throng of more than 30,000 than lined every conceivable part of the course. Kiprop covered the 8km course in 24:07, five seconds ahead of Vincent Chepkok, this year’s national junior champion and another 17-year-old. Matthew Kisorio was 15 seconds back to take the bronze over Leonard Komon, the silver medallist last year.
Following the perfect 10-point tally by the Kenyans, Eritrea was a distant second with 44 points to move up a notch from last year’s finish, with Ethiopia, the silver medallists the past eight straight years, finishing third with 54 points. Bob Ramsak for the IAAF <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC07/results/byEvent.html" target=_blank>Click here for FULL RESULTS</A>

The theme for these 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the first ever hosted by Cross Country powerhouse Kenya, was ‘Cross Country Comes Home’. With their overwhelming victories in the both the men’s and women’s junior races, that often heard slogan certainly rang true.

Kenya's junior monopoly - Mombasa 2007

The reigning IAAF World Road Running champions Zersenay Tadesse (ERI) and Lornah Kiplagat (NED) took this afternoon’s senior World Cross Country Championship titles on Mombasa’s Golf Course, the venue for the 35th edition of these championships.
Supreme Kiplagat
Kiplagat was majestic in victory in the senior women’s race. Always in the leading group, come the third lap Kiplagat broke away with ease from her pursuers who included Ethiopia’s three time World Cross Champion Tirunesh Dibaba, 2006 short course winner Gelete Burka, and Meselech Melkamu, who like her two compatriots is a former World Junior champion at the World Country Championships.
Kenyan born Kiplagat, who is married to her Dutch manager and competes for the Netherlands and took the European title in 2005,&nbsp;carried the day in the 8km women’s race in 26:23. Her three main Ethiopian challengers were next across the finish, the order was Dibaba (silver), Melkamu (bronze),and Gelete Burka (fourth), their times repectively - 26:47, 26:48 and 26:55. NB.&nbsp; OFFICIAL.
If Dibaba’s defeat was unexpected then the demise of the five-time double individual gold medallist in the men’s race, Kenenisa Bekele, was virtually cataclysmic in terms of the world of long distance running which the World and Olympic 10,000m track champion has dominated for half a decade.
Stomach pains end Bekele's race
Contesting the lead with Tadesse at the start of the fifth lap in what was a 12km men’s senior race, the two men were some 15 seconds ahead of a chasing pack which included Kenyan Trials winner Moses Mosop, Bekele suddenly dropped out. Waving to the crowd as he walked away, he seemed uninjured, and a later Ethiopian Federation statement said - "Bekele dropped out in the middle of the race due to stomach pains caused by intense heat and humidity."
In his absence Tadesse sauntered to an easy win in 35:50, with Mosop a distant silver medallist some 23 seconds back (36:13), and Bernard Kiprop Kipyego (36:37) in bronze. Kenya were the emphatic team champions with a total score of just 28 points, as opposed to Morocco (146) and Uganda (185). Their arch rivals Ethiopia were routed with a total of five of their team not finishing and so they didn’t obtain any team position!
Kenya took both the junior golds - Asbel Kiprop and Linet Chepkwemoi Barasa – and team titles with sweeps of the medal podiums.
The only consolation for Ethiopia on a day of relative disaster by their usually high standards was a women’s senior team title thanks to their great packing behind Kiplagat’s individual win.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
Detailed race reports and photographs will follow later<A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC07/results/byEvent.html" target=_blank>
Click here for FULL RESULTS
</A>&nbsp;

The reigning IAAF World Road Running champions Zersenay Tadesse (ERI) and Lornah Kiplagat (NED) took this afternoon’s senior World Cross Country Championship titles on Mombasa’s Golf Course, the venue for the 35th edition of these championships.

Joy for Eritrea and Holland, defeat for Bekele; three victories for Kenyan born runners – Mombasa 2007, NEWS FLASH

Mombasa, KenyaFivetime World Cross Country champion Paul Tergat who is acting as one of the local Ambassadors for today’s 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa,&nbsp;Kenya expects Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele to score a record sixth victory in this afternoon’s long race.
“There is a lot of hype for Bekele to be winning, a lot of people have very high expectations and I believe he has many advantages over other runners.”
“Bekele has the experience that it takes to win a World Cross Country title, he also has the purpose of winning his sixth title and breaking mine and John Ngugi’s record of five victories. And this will certainly give him that extra edge that he may need.”
“Bekele has certainly not decided to come here to tour around Mombasa, he is here to get the record.”
Although Bekele scored an unprecedented five World Cross Country doubles winning short and five long course titles and remaining unbeaten from 2002 and 2006, he still shares the record of five World long course titles with Kenyan legends John Ngugi (1986-1989 &amp; 1992) and Paul Tergat (1995-1999) both of whom were presented with the IAAF Order of Merit at last night’s IAAF official dinner.
With the programme going back to its original format of just one long course race for both and women this year, Bekele’s main hurdle today will be the oppressive heat. For the first time in the long history of the World Cross Country Championships, the event takes place under extremely difficult conditions combining a 80% humidity with temperatures ranging in the 30+ degrees.
“I spoke with Bekele yesterday,” Tergat continued, “and he is very confident. However he obviously can’t give a 100% commitment that he will win today’s race. The weather will play a major role and although all the teams have approached the question of the heat and humidity I am certain that many teams will not finish will all their runners.”
In Tergat’s mind still lies a small chance that Bekele may be defeated though. “If they go out very hard in the first five kilometres there may be a totally new name that comes out on top. You never know what can happen. In the Kenyan teams all have the potential of being a winner.”
Although Tergat will obviously cheer for his compatriots he does not deny his desire to see Bekele make history in his home country and in front of his own fans. 
“I am extremely happy that the World Cross has come to Kenya. This is the best place to run a cross and I will be really happy if Bekele broke the record. When I won my fifth race I knew my record had been set to be broken&nbsp; and it will be nice to see Bekele break this record.”
At 37, Tergat is the World record holder for the Marathon. He admits that being in the stands of today’s race may be a bit frustrating for him once he men’s long race gets underway.
“I miss running the cross. I’m sure I can still go down there and do it!” he concluded with his traditional grin. Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF

time World Cross Country champion Paul Tergat who is acting as one of the local Ambassadors for today’s 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya expects Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele to score a record sixth victory in this afternoon’s long race.

Tergat tips Bekele for sixth consecutive title

As he built a sizeable lead some 20 minutes into the men’s race on Mombasa’s picturesque seaside Golf Course, at the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Kenenisa Bekele appeared to be kicking into cruise control en route to his sixth straight World Cross Country title. But then the weekend’s most unpredictable and daunting variable – the stifling heat and humidity that makes Kenya’s Indian Ocean so inviting – reared its ugly head.
Less than five minutes after he was apparently dropped by the mighty Ethiopian, Eritrea’s World Road Running champion Zersenay Tadesse not only made up the gap, but went on to pummel past Bekele to produce what will certainly be remembered as the biggest upset of these World Cross Country Championships.
Tadesse, who has made a career of chasing Bekele since his emergence among the world’s elite three years ago, stunned the crowd not only as he fought back to catch Bekele, but stirred its imagination as well when he confidently strode by. 
Left in the Eritrean’s wake, an unlikely picture of Bekele emerged, one of a runner broken, with simply nothing in reserve to fight back. Unable to summon his trademark sprint, Bekele looked drained and confused as he watched Tadesse pull away before finally succumbing to the (33 C. with 73 % humidity) conditions and walking off the course some 800 metres before the finish, to end his cross country race win streak at 27. As two medics carrying a stretcher approached, Bekele motioned them away. Later it was confirmed that he struggled with stomach pains in the middle part of the race.
While Bekele’s dramatic departure from the race was a shock, it can’t take away from the powerful performance displayed by Tadesse, the Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist who was clearly prepared for everything these championships would throw at him, be it the heat or the opposition.
“I feel happy and proud for all Eritreans,” said the 25-year-old, who has single-handedly led an athletics renaissance in his country. “I’m very happy and have no words to express my feelings.”
Tadesse, who trains part of the year in Spain, said that preparation there last year helped him for the conditions here. “I trained quite a bit in heat similar to this,” he said. Tadesse said he didn’t feel surprised when he caught up and passed Bekele, and didn’t realize that he had dropped out. “I just didn’t see him,” he said.
The early stages of the 12 km contest began rather cautiously, with several runners taking their turns with the lead. The deep Kenyan squad, much to the delight of the estimated crowd of more than 30,000 who crammed into the venue, performed admirably, but some 15 minutes into the race it became clear that none would be a solid threat for the individual win. Half a lap later, only national champion Moses Mosop was still up to the challenge, before finally dropping off the pace. He nonetheless held on for second, reaching the finish in 36:13, 23 seconds behind Tadesse. Another 24 seconds back was Bernard Kipyego, to claim the bronze.
Surpassing his own expectations, European Champion Mo Farah finished tenth. 

‘Cross Country Comes Home’ was the theme of these 35th championships, and the Kenyan men certainly made a strong case with their dominating team performance.
Behind Tadesse, the hosts took spots two through six for a 28 point total, nearly 80 points ahead of runner-up Morocco to easily defend their team title, and a staggering 20th long course team crown overall. 

Uganda, led by Martin Toroitich’s ninth place, was third (185 points), to claim their first senior medal at a World Cross Country Championship. The heat took a particularly hard toll on Ethiopia, besides the defending champion, four others didn’t finish, resulting in no score in the team battle, and no team medal for only the second time since 1992.
Underscoring the difficult conditions, 29 of the 134 starters did not finish the race.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

SENIOR MEN's race

Mombasa, KenyaLornah Kiplagat leading virtually from gun-to-tape, won the Netherlands’ first ever World Cross gold medal with a dominating display ahead of her "fellow" African rivals at today’s 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya.
The 32-year-old Kenyan born star who became a Dutch national four years ago when marrying coach Pieter Langerhorst, achieved a victory she had been planning for almost six months.
Kiplagat, after winning last autumn's IAAF World Running Championship title in Debrecen, Hungary with a World record time for the 20K race, commenced almost immediately preparations for Mombasa.
Today she achieved a lifetime ambition, when thwarting Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba - who beat her in last year's race – from clinching a third successive lon course crown which would have matched the feat of USA’s Lynn Jennings 13 years ago in Boston.
Kiplagat dominated the 8km race when storming to the front to hold a narrow four seconds lead after the first two kilometres of four seconds, as Dibaba and Kenya's Florence Jebet Kiplagat, gamely tracked her.
Despite Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu, last year's bronze medallist, trying to destroy her stride pattern with a brief few metres at the front, the Dutch woman always looked the stronger of the leading pack.
The former European cross country champion lengthened her lead to seven seconds after 4km, then put in a massive spurt which ultimately blew away any hopes her opponents had of making up ground.
Kiplagat's long legs extended the margin at the bell to 26seconds, ahead of Dibaba, Melkamu and Gelete Burka, - the Ethiopan's seemed to be running for the minor medals - assuring her victory unless a mishap occurred on&nbsp; the final circuit.
Kiplagat throwing up her arms in a victory salute, thrilled the Kenyan crowd who have always considered her to be one of them and understand her reasons for running for the Netherlands.
"It looked easy but it was not running with two champions sitting next to me, she said after her emphatic 24seconds victory. 
"The only game plan I had today was to believe I could handle the heat, I've trained so hard I didn't want to let it go. I was so inspired by how all of this was arranged," she said of Kenya hosting the championships for the first time ever.”
"Lots of people were doubting if they could do it right - but they did, so I want to congratulate them for doing the job so well."
Kiplagat predominantly a road runner admitted she has learned a lot about cross country in the last 12 months - although announcing this would be her last.
She said: "I think it’s also about a bit of experience. Last year I surprised myself being second, so this time I knew what I could do and I became a winner. "Anything today for me today less than second, meant I was loser."
"I realised they were not so close to me and it could be too hot for them, so I just concentrated and thought 'This will be my last cross country c anyway so let's give it a try’."
Dibaba admitting she was disappointed said: "The competition was tough. I was hoping to get a third medal but the heat was what did the most damage. I'm not so happy about losing.”
"I cannot speak for them but I knew this was all I could do. The heat really hurt us," she said as the Ethiopian's seemed to settle for the minor medals over the final circuit. 
However they did extend their winning margin to six successive victories in the team race, winning with 19 points ahead of Kenya (26) and Morocco (99).
Dave Martin – PA International – for the IAAF

Lornah Kiplagat leading virtually from gun-to-tape, won the Netherlands’ first ever World Cross gold medal with a dominating display ahead of her "fellow" African rivals at today’s 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya.

SENIOR WOMEN's race

The theme for these 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the first ever hosted by cross country powerhouse Kenya, was ‘Cross Country Comes Home’. With their overwhelming victories in the both the men’s and women’s junior races, that often heard slogan certainly rang true.
From the podium sweep in the junior women’s race that opened the competition to the top-four sweep in the junior men’s, the hosts clearly illustrated that, for now, no nation on earth can match the cross country depth produced in this east African nation.
But while their dominance was clear, the brutally hot and humid conditions that may come to define these championships made their respective victories anything but a Sunday walk in the park.
Running in her first international competition, Linet Chepkwemoi Barasa was the clear winner, covering the 6km course in 20:52, seven seconds clear of mercy Kosgei who reached the line 11 seconds ahead of Veronica Wanjiru, to complete Kenya ’s second consecutive podium sweep and their fifth overall since junior competition began in 1989. Kosgei moved up a notch from her bronze medal performance of a year ago, while Wanjiru, a two-time defending silver medallist, couldn’t quite live up to her own pedigree.
“I’m just very happy,” Chepkwemoi Barasa said. “All I was thinking about was the gold medal.”
But that type of concentration may have cost Pauline Korikwiang a successful title defence. Miscounting laps, the Fukuoka champion, along with a pair of Ethiopians in hot pursuit, kicked to their perceived finish less than 15 minutes into the race, effectively knocking the trio out of the competition. Korikwiang forged on but with simply no energy left, she eventually took a dramatic dizzying fall on the back stretch of the final lap.
Meraf Bahta, sixth overall, led Eritrea to the runner-up spot in the team competition, the first medal ever for the small nation at a World Country Championship. Sule Utura and Genzebe Dibaba, the 16-year-old younger sister of Tirunesh and Eyagayou, finished fifth and sixth respectively, to lead Ethiopia to the bronze.
Underscoring the difficult conditions, 20 of the 87 starters didn’t finish.
While the Kenyan women proved a mighty force, the men were unstoppable en route to their ninth straight men’s junior title, and 19th in the last 20 years.
This year it was 17-year-old Asbel Kiprop, who took top honours, continuing the frenzied celebration by the throng of more than 30,000 than lined every conceivable part of the course. Kiprop covered the 8km course in 24:07, five seconds ahead of Vincent Chepkok, this year’s national junior champion and another 17-year-old. Matthew Kisorio was 15 seconds back to take the bronze over Leonard Komon, the silver medallist last year.
Following the perfect 10-point tally by the Kenyans, Eritrea was a distant second with 44 points to move up a notch from last year’s finish, with Ethiopia, the silver medallists the past eight straight years, finishing third with 54 points. Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

The theme for these 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the first ever hosted by cross country powerhouse Kenya, was ‘Cross Country Comes Home’. With their overwhelming victories in the both the men’s and women’s junior races, that often heard slogan certainly rang true.

JUNIOR races - men and women

A tree planting ceremony was held on 23 March 2007, on the occasion of the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya (24 March).
A total of 650 trees were planted around the course where the championships will be staged today.
Athletes from participating countries were involved in watering the planted trees and leaving labels with their names under each tree.
The President Lamine Diack and Vice-Presidents of IAAF, together with Kenyan officials planted each a tree at the venue.
The Environmental Project was funded by the IAAF and Green Africa Foundation, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was involved in the formulation and implementation of mitigation measures that will be adopted to abate the increase of CO2 emissions before, during and after the event.
President Diack said “I sincerely hope that the city of Mombasa will do its utmost to preserve this environmental legacy for future generations.”
IAAF

A tree planting ceremony was held on 23 March 2007, on the occasion of the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya (24 March).

Mombasa Environmental Initiative

Start Lists are now available<A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC07/results/byEvent.html">http://www.iaaf.org/WXC07/results/byEvent.html</A>
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Click here for START LISTS -  35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Mombasa, Kenya

Mombasa, KenyaThe IAAF Press Conference on the eve of the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships was held today at the Hotel Whitesands in Mombasa.
In attendance were IAAF President Lamine Diack (SEN); IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss (FRA); Chairman of Athletics Kenya, Isaiah Kiplagat (KEN); Isaac Kalua (KEN) – CEO of the&nbsp;Local Organising Committee; and IAAF Ambassador Wilson Kipketer (DEN).
Athletes present were Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), the reigning five-time double World Cross Country champion; Pamela Chepchumba (KEN), third placer at the 2007 Kenyan Trials; 2003 World Junior Cross Country silver medallist; Lornah Kiplagat (NED), reigning World Road Running champion; and Moses Mosop (KEN), winner of the 2007 Kenyan Trials.
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH):
On why he decided to change his mind and compete at the championships:
It was at this competition that I first achieved fame. It's also in this competition that my fans have come to love to watch me. And I also know that my country has achieved a lot of fame as a result of my achievements in this competition. So as a result I decided that as long as I am able to run, why would I miss this? So I'm very excited to come to Mombasa.
On the change to the programme this year, with the elimination of the short course race:
My preparation didn’t change much because there's only one race. That was a very good set up. This will not affect my performance. However I do wish that there were both long and short races again. It would have given me a chance to test myself and do another double.
Is it important to defeat the Kenyans on Kenyan soil?
As I see it Kenyans should be happy, as this is a friendly competition. And I have come here to compete in a home country of my friends and rivals, and to compete with them here. That is an expression of the respect I have for them. When Ethiopians come to Kenya and, Kenyans come to Ethiopia to compete, it's an expression of our respect for each other.
On the hot and humid conditions in Mombasa:
I've never seen the World Cross Country take place in this kind of heat before. I don’t know what kind of conditions I will encounter, or what kind of difficulties I will encounter. But the difficulties will apply to all competitors. It will just make it interesting to see how it unfolds. 
On winning a sixth long course title, breaking his tie with Kenyans Paul Tergat and John Ngugi:
If I were to break it tomorrow, I would just be overjoyed. Right now we are tied, so to win a sixth time would make me extremely happy.
Lornah Kiplagat (NED):
On competing in her native Kenya and her expectations:
It's great to be here, at my home away from home. I've come just to enjoy myself and to try and have a good race.
I was lucky enough a month ago to run the (Kenyan) national championships as a tryout for me. What I realized was that I was not actually running as a foreigner there. I was running as a home athlete. 
I'm feeling great. I'm really optimistic. I know that many of my fans will be coming, there are several buses coming all the way from Eldoret, and many of them will be seeing me running for the first time. I hope I'm not going to disappoint them. 
On how her training for a spring Marathon worked into her plans for this weekend:
This year was a bit different for me because four weeks from Sunday I'll be running the London Marathon. I was lucky last year that I didn't have to do the same. But I feel as strong as last year. My preparation went really well. 
What is interesting here is that it is not only about the competition, it's also about the heat. It's about who is going to handle the heat better. And I think that's going to be the bigger challenge. Most of the people have the speed and condition. And I didn't mind coming here because of that at all. My training went really well so I thought I'd give it another shot. 
Pamela Chepchumba (KEN):
On competing and home and her expectations for Saturday:
“I'm very happy that the race is in Kenya. I've been training very well and I hope to do very well tomorrow. There are many people who will be coming from home to watch us so that is very important.
So much will depend on the weather and on God. We'll just see tomorrow.
Moses Mosop (KEN):
Does he feel any pressure having to race against Kenenisa Bekele, the five-time defending double champion:
Tomorrow is a challenge for everybody. It's not only Kenenisa Bekele. It's the weather and conditions also. So we cannot only watch Bekele. You have to concentrate on running against everybody and on fighting the heat tomorrow.
On team competition and whether the Kenyan team have any tactics to defend their team title:
We're not really arranging anything special, but we really have to work as a team. But not to look at the others, and not for someone to work as a pacemaker. But we have to work as a team to see if we can retain the title and beat Ethiopia and the many other countries that are here. It will really depend on the weather. Because the weather and the conditions affects everyone in individual ways. We're just hoping for the best.
Our training camp went very well, but coming from altitude in Embu and arriving here, it was a little bit of a shock. So we can't really say what's going to happen. 
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

The IAAF Press Conference on the eve of the 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships was held today at the Hotel Whitesands in Mombasa.

Press Conference Quotes - IAAF Press Conference - World Cross Country Championships

As with every IAAF World Series event, significant resources are being devoted to the anti-doping programme being implemented at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.&nbsp; A large unannounced out-of-competition testing programme has taken place in the months leading up to the event, while in Mombasa itself approximately 200 blood screening samples have been collected for the purpose of the IAAF profiling programme and at least 30 urine samples will be taken on the race day itself.
However, in what is becoming increasingly common, the athletes themselves are standing up and making it clear that they will not tolerate people who cheat in their sport.&nbsp; One of the leading voices at these Championships is current men’s 800m World record holder, Wilson Kipketer. Wilson, acting in his role as IAAF Ambassador, is in Kenya to support the anti-doping programme and particularly to participate in the anti-doping education sessions taking part in the lead-up to the event.
“I am extremely pleased to be part of such an important programme here in Mombasa.&nbsp; In my opinion doping is something that can greatly hurt our sport so I am enjoying meeting many athletes from all over the world and talking with them about anti-doping.&nbsp; I want to show them, particularly the juniors, that you can become a World champion and World record holder without doping, and to point out issues they need to be aware of ,” said Wilson.
Each team and their athletes have been given the opportunity to come to an informal meeting and hear Wilson talk about the importance of competing drug free and to hear the perspective of an athlete that has been through the same experiences they have.&nbsp; For many athletes, particularly the juniors, these Championships may represent the first time they are subject to testing or education and they are embracing the opportunity to ask questions to Wilson and to show their support for anti-doping.&nbsp; Also on hand to answer any questions have been members of the IAAF Medical and Anti-Doping Department.
The education and doping control work of the IAAF will continue throughout the Championships and will be published on the IAAF website when all results have been received.
Chris Butler for the IAAF

As with every IAAF World Series event, significant resources are being devoted to the anti-doping programme being implemented at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

World Cross Country Championships - Athletes take the lead on anti-doping

Mombasa, KenyaI am very happy to be with you today, on the occasion of the 35th edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, which is taking place in Kenya, for the first time in the long history of this event.
Personally, It is a great pleasure to be here for a World Cross competition because Kenya has dominated long distance running in the past 20 years as no other country in the world has done. They have made a massive contribution to the global development of athletics, which is one of my main missions as President of the IAAF. Although Kenyan athletes are outstanding at track events from 800m upwards, and also on the road, it is cross country that seems to have been their favourite pastime since 1986 when John Ngugi won the first of his 12 gold medals. But there have been other greats like William Sigei, Paul Tergat and Ismael Kirui as well as a succession of excellent women and junior teams. By coming to Mombasa, cross country is certainly “Coming home” as the competition slogan says.
It’s clear that Cross country has changed totally since its origins in the early 1900s when a few European athletes dominated. Today, it is the African athletes who are now the ones to beat, but we can still look forward to a truly international festival tomorrow, with athletes from every corner of the globe chasing for honours in both individual and team competitions. Since the first IAAF World Cross in 1973, participation of athletes and participating countries has more than trebled, which shows the increased global reach of our sport. The IAAF received entries from 65 different Member Federations, and we expect a total of 486 athletes entered for the various races – Long Course and Juniors (men and women). Of last year’s six individual winners in Fukuoka, five are entered for Mombasa, the three Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele, Tirunesh Dibaba, and Gelete Burka, and the Kenyan junior Pauline Korikwiang.
Although you will have a chance to speak to some stars of the event shortly, I would like to say a special welcome to one of the legends of cross country, Kenenisa Bekele, has changed his mind about retiring from this event. By coming here, and accepting the challenge to take on the Kenyans again in their own garden, Bekele is showing the heart of a true champion, and I am very happy that he has made the effort to come. For me, Bekele is one of the most outstanding athletes in history, and his presence in Mombasa is great news for the sport.
As well as Bekele, we can count on many other individual stars, but should also remember that the added team element at the IAAF World Cross Country always makes it an annual festival of long distance running. 
Finally, I would like to say thank you not only to the Local Organising Committee, supported by Athletics Kenya, but to the Kenyan authorities for all their efforts to meet the needs of athletes, spectators, TV, sponsors and Media, and especially to ensure a safe and peaceful competition. We all know that there have been many challenges about security, and we deeply appreciate the serious efforts that have been made to ensure that ALL those taking part in this competition enjoy the legendary Kenyan hospitality in a calm, secure environment.
The World Cross Country will always be a very special competition for the IAAF, and it only remains for me to wish all competing athletes the very best of luck here tomorrow. I would now like to pass the floor to my colleague from the IAAF Council Mr Isaia Kipklagat, and will be happy to answer any questions later.
Thank you for attention
Lamine Diack IAAF President
&nbsp;

I am very happy to be with you today, on the occasion of the 35th edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, which is taking place in Kenya, for the first time in the long history of this event.

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