Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon sprinted to victory in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships&nbsp;opening race, the junior women’s event, at Punta Umbria 2011, a sparkling sprint under a brilliant sun.
A year ago, the barefoot Kipyegon lost the individual bronze medal to team-mate Purity Rionoripo in the final sprint to the line. This time, she again went barefoot on the fast, well-grassed Punta Umbria circuit, but she made sure there was a long, sustained final sprint, not a short, explosive one.
At the line, Kipyegon was a full second clear of Ethiopian pair Genet Yalew and Azemra Gebru. With Wagnesh Mekasha taking fourth and Emebet Anteneh eighth, Ethiopia regained the team title from Kenya, 17 points to 19.
Sole Kenyan hope
Kipyegon had been aware of the team situation as she made her winning surge. “With half a lap to go, I realised my team-mates had drifted back,” she said after her win.
“At that point, I realised I was Kenya’s only hope for a gold medal and I concentrated on my sprint.”
Kenyan selection trial winner was the final runner to drop off the lead group, trotting across the line in an isolated fifth position. Nancy Chepkwemoi and Rionoripo followed her home, but the damage was already done.
From the start, it was evident that the team gold was to be between the two East African rivals, but early on there were already signs of an Ethiopian resurgence from the disappointing (from their perspective only) returns from Bydgoczsz. Even in the first lap there were five Ethiopians and four Kenyans in the lead pack.
All the way through, this trend continued until, even in the final group of five, Ethiopian maintained the numbers.
“It was a very tough race,” the winner said. “I was surprised at how strong the Ethiopian runners were. They really made the race very hard.”
Ethiopia had prepared with exactly that in mind. Both Gebru and Yalew remarked on it during the medallists’ press conference.
“What changed was that our preparation was very good,” said Yalew. “Last year we prepared as individuals, not as a team. This year we trained as a national team.”
Yalew was clearly proud to restore the national pride badly dented in Poland a year ago. Asked who of her illustrious countrywomen she looked to as role models, she replied:
“I admire all our athletes, but especially Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar for what they have achieved for our country.”
Emotional team bronze for Japan
Japan took a highly emotional team bronze medal. A minute’s silence was observed before the race to honour the victims of the devastating earthquake and consequent tsunami which struck the northern part of Japan recently.
Led by Katuski Suga in 12th place – the first non-east African to finish – and Tomoka Kimura in 13th, Japan overtook Eritrea in the team standings in the second half of the race, 74 points to 90.
The first European finisher was Emelia Gorecka of Great Britain in 15th place, building on her 23rd from last year. Born in 1994, Gorecka has one more chance to break into the top 10 in junior ranks. The USA placed two in the top 20, Aisling Cuffe taking 17th place and Katie Flood 19th.
Australia’s sole competitor, Celia Sullohern was also prominent in the chasing pack throughout the race. She finished 21st.
With Japan third in the team race, Great Britain fifth, the USA seventh and Morocco eighth the top of the teams race had a pleasing international mix. 
Len Johnson for the IAAF

- Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon sprinted to victory in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships&nbsp;opening race, the junior women’s event, at Punta Umbria 2011, a sparkling sprint under a brilliant sun.

Kipyegon takes gold as Ethiopia restores team pride - Junior Women's Race Report - Punta Umbria 2011

Throughout the weekend, the IAAF website will provide comprehensive coverage of Sunday's (20) IAAF World Cross Country Championships from Punta Umbria, Spain.
-- <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/results/eventCode=4527/index.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/results/eventCode=4527/index.html">Click here for Official Results&nbsp;of all races</A>&nbsp;
-- <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/news/index.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/news/index.html">Click here for race reports and features</A>&nbsp;&nbsp;
-- <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=100/newsid=59534.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=100/newsid=59534.html">Click here for previews of the men's senior and junior races</A> -- <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=100/newsid=59525.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=100/newsid=59525.html">Click here for previews of the women's senior and junior races</A> -- <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=100/newsid=59539.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=100/newsid=59539.html">Click here to download statistician Mark Butler's annual statistical feast, 'Facts &amp; Figures'</A> -- <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=101/newsid=59513.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/WXC11/news/kind=101/newsid=59513.html">Click here for the prize money breakdown</A> 
Official START LISTS can also be downloaded from the 'related content' section at the right of this page. 236 male athletes and 199 female athletes for a total of 435 from 52 Member Federations will be competing. You may also download athlete biographies from the 'related content' section at the right of this page. You can also follow the build-up and all of Sunday's action on the IAAF website's dedicated <A href="http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/index.html" mce_href="http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/index.html">Punta Umbria 2011 mini-site here</A>. More to come, so stay tuned! IAAF

ain - Throughout the weekend, the IAAF website will provide comprehensive coverage of Sunday's (20) World Cross Country Championships from Punta Umbria, Spain.

Comprehensive coverage from Punta Umbria 2011

Spain plays host to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships for the third time on Sunday (20) and so it’s appropriate then that Ayad Lamdassem will be on hand to give the local crowd plenty to cheer.
He leads a Spanish men’s team that will not only be racing for pride on home soil but also to reverse the impression, if ever so slightly, that European cross country running is in the doldrums despite the continent still being location for the majority of the world’s top races at the discipline.
Turning back the clock
No runner from a European country has finished in the top 10 at the World Cross Country Championships for a decade, the last time being in 2001 when Belgium’s Mohammed Mourhit also won and Ukraine’s Sergey Lebid got the silver medal.
However, there is the prevailing feeling that Lamdassem might just end that sorry streak.
He is in the form of his life at the moment, having got the silver medal at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in December.
Last month, he was victorious at the European Champion Clubs Cup cross country meeting in San Vittore Olona in Italy and then a convincing winner at the Spanish national championships in Haro.
Nevertheless, Lamdassem is not getting carried away and making rash prediction about being among the medals even if there is no clear favourite for the race and not a single former champion will be on the start line.
“I’m just here to get the best result possible. Two years ago in Amman I was 30th, my initial ambition is just to improve on that,” said the 29-year-old, who was born in Morocco but now lives in the Catalan city of Lleida.
Spain’s medal ambitions
“But getting a medal in the Europeans was like a dream come true, I’d been chasing it for three years, Now, I want to demonstrate what I am capable of here in Punta Umbría.
“I’ve been preparing well, and I want to also help my team because I think Spain can fight for the bronze medals in the team race. We are looking for an improvement after having come sixth last year and seventh the year before,” he added.
The last time a European nation climbed the podium at the World Cross Country Championships in the senior men’s race – no counting the short race which was in existence from 1998 to 2006 – was also in 2001 when France took the silver medals. 
“Like always, you have to look at the Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes to be the favourites when we are talking about cross country running, but I can’t tell you one individual who should be the favourite, there are always plenty of people who can win from their teams,” commented Lamdassem, emphasising the impression that Sunday’s race should be a truly open affair, now that the era of Kenenisa Bekele dominating proceedings appears to have now come to an end.
European shortfall
However, only 18 European countries have decided to send runners to the south of Spain, in sharp contrast to the 2010 SPAR European Cross Country Championships, which was staged barely 100km away on the other side of the Portuguese border in Albufeira, which saw almost double that number compete when a record 34 nations participated.
“I’m sad that European nations are not sending more athletes to this event, I want to compete against people from as many countries as possible and that includes from Europe not just against the Africans. For me, cross country is the ideal discipline to bring together athletes of all backgrounds, from marathon runners down to middle distance men, it an ideal test for everyone,” reflected Lamdassem.
Once his race in Punta Umbría is behind him, Lamdassem will concentrate on preparing for the summer, when his targets are to improve on his 5000m and 10,000m best times of 13:17.49 and 27:45.58, relatively modest marks for a man who appears to have enough talent to get much closer to both the halcyon 13-minute and 27-minute barriers after his displays this winter.
Phil Minshull for the IAAF 
&nbsp;

Spain plays host to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships for the third time on Sunday (20) and so it’s appropriate then that Ayad Lamdassem will be on hand to give the local crowd plenty to cheer.

Lamdassem leads local interest at World Cross Country Championships - Punta Umbria 2011

Alessandra Aguilar, Meselech Melkamu and Lineth Chepkurui – three women with different expectations coming into the 39th IAAF World Cross Country Championships – but each with the common goal of self-improvement.
Ethiopia’s Melkamu has won a World Junior Cross Country, but is a woman of bronze when it comes to the senior race. Five times she has finished third, including each of the past two years. She would dearly love for that to change, and also to lead her country back to the top of the team standings.
Lineth Chepkurui is lucky to be here with the Kenyan team. A fall in the women’s race at the selection trial left her having to rely on the selectors’ discretion, not always a quality widely possessed, much less exercised, especially in a country as strong as Kenya.
Clearly Chepkurui is highly-rated. Not only is she here, but she is captain of the women’s team. Dutifully, she praised all her team-mates as capable of winning medals; inwardly, she hopes for an individual one to call her own.
Lucky 13?
Spain’s Aguilar has run the World Cross Country 12 times. Traditionally, 13 is the unlucky number, but she hopes to lead Spain back on to the medals’ dais at home in Punta Umbria in her 13th appearance. Individually, she cannot hope for much better than a top-20 finish; collectively, she believes her team-mates can take a medal.
The three women were among the athletes at a press conference on championship eve in Punta Umbria. Aguilar echoed the line of her national federation president, Jose Maria Odriozola, and male team-mate Ayad Lamdassen, in lamenting the absence of many of the European nations and individuals.
“To me, the most important thing (in athletics) is to take part in World Championships,” Odriozola had said a few minutes earlier as the organisational representatives met the media. “My message to my colleagues in Europe is to take part.”
Aguliar’s main goal is now the marathon. She acknowledged she found the shorter cross-country distance “tough”, but stressed that was no reason to avoid it.
“The marathon is truly compatible with cross-country,” Aguilar said.
She believed Spain could take the women’s team bronze medal which has gone to five different countries in the past five years.
“Getting to the podium is difficult because Kenya and Ethiopia are always there,” Aguilar said, “but I think the Spanish team this year is really strong, compact. To get to the podium would be really good.”
Spain’s best recent result was fourth place in Amman in 2009.
Melkamu leading Ethiopia's challenge
Melkamu and her team-mates, including three-time individual champion Tirunesh Dibaba, were swept aside by the Kenyan tide in Bydgoszcz last year. There is no Dibaba this time, but Melkamu said it was time to start re-building.
Her nation expects no less. “The Ethiopian people are used to gold medals. They were very disappointed with last year,” Melkamu said.
“Last year we did not have national teams in place. We have done a much better preparation than last year.”
Melkamu, who will be competing in her ninth championship (two junior, six senior to date), has also taken on a leadership role within the team.
“I will be trying my best for good results and encouraging the junior athletes as well,” she said.
Chepkurui’s leadership qualities are rated highly, too. Mercy Cherono said as much after winning the World Junior title in Bydgoszcz.
Twelth, fourth and fifth in the senior race in the past three years, Chepkurui must have briefly thought her chances gone when she fell in the selection trial in Nairobi last month. Her competitive spirit shone through in getting up and finishing eighth and the selectors took note of her other qualities, too.
“When I fell, I was so worried,” Chepkurui admitted, “but because of my previous performances and because I was in good form, perhaps they thought I could be in the team.”
All four of Kenya’s individual title winners from last year failed to make the team. None of them got the benefit of discretionary selection, so Chepkurui is indeed highly thought of.
She said repeating last year’s results would be a challenge, but spoke highly of her team-mates’ ability to do so.
“We are looking forward to it. We have prepared well. We don’t worry (about the opposition).” Linet Masai and Vivian Cheruiyot are World champions on the track, but Chepkurui warned that the whole team was strong.
“The rest of the athletes are good. They can all go for a medal tomorrow,” she said.
Len Johnson for the IAAF

- Alessandra Aguilar, Meselech Melkamu and Lineth Chepkurui – three women with different expectations coming into the 39th IAAF World Cross Country Championships – but each with the common goal of self-improvement.

Three women, one goal - Punta Umbria 2011

READ ON for English and French language versions of this press release
- La traduction française suit le texte anglais&nbsp;
Punta Umbria, Spain - On the evening (19) before the 2011 World Cross Country Championships took place in Punta Umbria, as is traditional on the eve of all IAAF World Athletics Series competitions, an IAAF Dinner was held.
The dinner which was hosted by IAAF President Lamine Diack took place at the 19th century Hacienda Ballemari, with José Francisco Pérez Moreno, Andalucian Regional Government Representative, as the principal guest. 
After the opening address was given by President Diack, an IAAF Honorary Plaque was presented to José Francisco Pérez Moreno to mark the occasion of the championships, who in turn presented a gift to President Diack and then gave the official response on behalf of the Regional Government.
A sumptuous banquet followed.
IAAF
Master of Ceremonies was IAAF Communications Dept Director Nick Davies 
Dîner de l'IAAF à Punta Umbria Punta Umbria, Espagne – Un dîner de l'IAAF s'est tenu le 19, lors de la soirée précédant les Championnats du Monde de Cross de l'IAAF 2011 qui se déroulaient cette année à Punta Umbria. Ce dîner est traditionnellement organisé à la veille de chacune des compétitions de la Série mondiale d'athlétisme de l'IAAF. Le dîner, donné par le Président de l'IAAF, Lamine Diack, dans l'Hacienda Ballemari, un établissement datant du XIXe siècle, comptait comme invité d'honneur José Francisco Pérez Moreno, le Représentant du Gouvernement de la Communauté autonome d'Andalousie. Au terme de l'allocution de bienvenue du Président Diack, une Plaque commémorative de la compétition de l'IAAF a été remise à José Francisco Pérez Moreno. M. Pérez Moreno a à son tour présenté un cadeau au Président Diack avant de prendre la parole pour répondre officiellement à M. Diack au nom du Gouvernement de la région. Les invités ont ensuite pris grand plaisir au banquet somptueux qui leur avait été préparé. IAAF Le maître de cérémonies de la soirée était Nick Davies, le Directeur des communications délégué de l'IAAF. Légende illustration: Dîner de l'IAAF, Punta Umbria - José Francisco Pérez Moreno, le Représentant du Gouvernement de la Communauté autonome d'Andalousie reçoit une Plaque de l'IAAF des mains du Président Diack (Getty Images)

- On the evening before the 2011 World Cross Country Championships took place in Punta Umbria, as is traditional on the eve of all IAAF World Athletics Series competitions, an IAAF Dinner was held.

IAAF Dinner in Punta Umbria

READ ON for English and French language versions of this press release
- La traduction française suit le texte anglais&nbsp;
On Saturday (19), the day before the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, 100 celebrities from the running world took part in a 4km race on the world championship course to raise money for United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). 
Real Federacion Española de Atletismo (RFEA) President José Maria Odriozola was joined by fellow IAAF Council Member, Vice-President Sebastian Coe, the double Olympic 1500m champion, IAAF Ambassadors Wilson Kipketer, three-time 800m World champion and Fermin Cacho, 1992 Olympic 1500m champion, and a host of other World, Olympic and European road and track gold medallists including Rosa Mota, Sonia O’Sullivan, Martin Fiz, and Stefano Mei… plus many cross country greats such as twice World champion Carmen Valero, multiple medallist Mariano Haro and six-time European champion Paulo Guerra… to name but a few.
Members of the local organising committee, IAAF staff, and members of the media also&nbsp;took part in&nbsp;the race.
This 4km run was not about results; in fact to save some reputations we are not even publishing them! No, this fun occasion was instead all about the serious business of raising money for UNICEF to purchase water pumps - <A href="http://regaloazul.unicef.es/categorias/show/agua-e-higiene" mce_href="http://regaloazul.unicef.es/categorias/show/agua-e-higiene ">Bomba de agua manual</A> -&nbsp;so we simply offer our congratulations to all 100 runners!
Following their run every participant planted a tree in their name with a permanent plaque inscribed with each name remaining beside the trees which were planted in front of the stadium in Punta Umbria.
IAAF President Lamine Diack and RFEA President José Maria Odriozola led off the tree planting in a ceremony which saw them placing trees in the names of the eventual winners of the following day’s senior men’s and women’s winners of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Punta Umbria accueille des coureurs célèbres et plante des arbres pour l'UNICEF Samedi (19), à la veille des Championnats du Monde de Cross de l'IAAF 2011 de Punta Umbria, en Espagne, 100 personnalités du monde de la course à pied ont pris part à une course de 4km sur le circuit des championnats afin de collecter des fonds pour l'UNICEF (Fonds des Nations unies pour l'enfance). Le Président de la RFEA (la Fédération royale espagnole d'athlétisme), José Maria Odriozola, en compagnie de son homologue du Conseil de l'IAAF, le Vice-Président Sebastian Coe, double champion olympique du 1500m, des Ambassadeurs de l'IAAF, Wilson Kipketer, trois fois champion du monde du 800m, et Fermin Cacho, champion olympique du 1500m en 1992, ainsi que de nombreux autres anciens champions du monde, olympiques, européens de courses sur route et sur piste, dont, pour n'en citer que quelques-uns, Rosa Mota, Sonia O'Sullivan, Martin Fiz, Stefano Mei avaient chaussé leurs pointes à cette occasion… De grands noms du cross étaient également de la partie, dont Carmen Valero, deux fois championne du monde, Mariano Haro, qui compte de nombreux podiums à son palmarès ou encore Paulo Guerra, champion d'Europe à six reprises…. Des membres du Comité organisateur local, ainsi que du personnel de l'IAAF et des représentants des médias se sont également alignés au départ de cette course. Ce ne sont pas les résultats qui importaient dans cette compétition de 4km, à tel point même (et afin, aussi, de sauvegarder quelques réputations…) que nous avons décidé de ne pas même les publier! Le véritable objectif de cette course était, en plus d'être ludique, de collecter des fonds afin que l'UNICEF puisse acheter des pompes à eau - Bomba de agua manual – et nous tenons à féliciter chacun des cent coureurs de leurs efforts! Au terme de la compétition, les participants ont chacun planté un arbre, accompagné d'une plaque permanente gravée à leur nom, devant le stade de Punta Umbria. Le Président de l'IAAF, Lamine Diack et le Président de la RFEA, José Maria Odriozola, ont inauguré la séance de plantation d'arbres avec la mise en terre d'arbres qui allaient, le lendemain, être dédiés aux nouveaux champions du monde homme et femmes à l'issue des Championnats du Monde de Cross de l'IAAF 2011. IAAF Légende illustration: Lamine Diack plante un arbre pour l'UNICEF à l'occasion des Championnats du Monde de Cross 2011 de Punta Umbria, en Espagne. (IAAF.org)

2011 – On Saturday (19), the day before the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, 100 celebrities from the running world took part in a 4km race on the world championship course to raise money for United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

Punta Umbria sees celebrity runners’ race and plant trees for UNICEF

Statistician Mark Butler takes a look at all the statistics, facts and figures behind the IAAF World Cross Country Championships to take place on Sunday, 20 March in Punta Umbria, Spain.[Ed Note: You can download Butler's 'Facts &amp; Figures' document (PDF, 0.5 MB) from the 'related items' section at the right of this page.] The recent history of the World Cross Country Championships has been all about Kenya and Ethiopia. There’s little doubt that by Sunday afternoon, those two countries will have consolidated their hold on the top of the table which lists all 924 medals to have been won across 38 editions of the World Cross Country Championships. Those two countries have now won more than half of all available medals. It is now a rare achievement for any individual from any other country to reach the podium. In this compilation of surperlatives of the World Cross Country Championships, the names of multiple champions Kenenisa Bekele, Paul Tergat and John Ngugi crop up again and again. One wonders now if their records will ever be beaten now that the opportunity for gold will come only every two years. We know there will be a completely new name engraved on the senior men’s gold medal on Sunday. For that man to match Bekele’s record of six individual long course titles, he would also need to win every odd year up to and including 2021! The most bemedalled athlete entered for 2011 is Meselech Melkamu who already has the fifth largest medal haul (16) in the history of the championships. Unusually she also has the possibly unenviable record for the most individual bronze medals, five. On the other hand, the experienced Hosea Macharinyang has only ever won gold medals. Again part of the Kenyan men's squad, he looks set to make it seven. No-one else would have such a perfect record. In terms of total team medals won, the head-to-head could hardly be closer between the super-powers. Ethiopia have 113 to Kenya 111. A slip-up by them in one of the races on Sunday could be costly with Uganda and Ethiopia both having powerful squads capable of reaching the medal zone. The European challenge may well be led by Spain who have progressed 8th-7th-6th in the men’s race at the last three championships. With Qatar not entered in 2011, another step up is possible for the hosts. There are further records which are attainable, and it is fitting that Punta Umbría will be graced by the Iberian trip of Ana Dias, Jacqueline Martín and Alessandra Aguilar who between them have contested 37 championships (13, 12 and 12 respectively). It is not inconceivable that one of them could eventually match the women’s record appearance total of 17 which has stood to Conceição Ferreira since 2000. I would like to make a prediction that one country might well win their first ever medal at the World Cross Country Championships: South Africa. They have full teams in all four events and are spearheaded by the rapidly-improving Steven Mokaka. His country has had five fourth places in the past, including Zola Budd in 1993. Of course in an earlier allegiance, she won for England in 1985 and 1986. Finally, I will be keeping an eye on 24 year-old Sotyvoldy Khaitov of Tadjikistan who has the improbable record of finishing in 119th place on every one of his three previous appearances at the championships. Surely it won’t happen again? Statistics like these can make athletics fun, if you like that sort of thing. Mark Butler for the IAAF

Statistician Mark Butler takes a look at all the statistics, facts and figures behind the IAAF World Cross Country Championships to take place on Sunday (20) in Punta Umbria, Spain.

Facts & Figures - Punta Umbria 2011 - World Cross Country Championships

The 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbría, Spain, will definitely see a new name crowned as the senior men’s champion as no previous winner will be on the start line.
In the absence of any former champions, there is no clear-cut favourite but Kenya’s Geoffrey Mutai and Ethiopia’s Hunegaw Mesfin have showed that they are in good form by winning their respective national trials last month.
Is this marathon man Mutai’s moment?
Mutai was a hugely impressive winner at the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships in Nairobi on February 19, crossing the line 45 seconds ahead of his rivals.
The 29-year-old policeman was a late starter at serious running, only coming to attention as a competitor four years ago, but he has since made up quickly for lost time.
He is best known as a marathon runner rather than a cross country exponent, despite his success this winter. 
Mutai won the Eindhoven Marathon in 2008 and 2009 in the excellent times of 2:07:50 and 2:07:01 before moving to an even higher level 11 months ago when he returned to The Netherlands and finished second at the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:04:55, the sixth fastest time ever.
For good measure, he also came second in the Berlin Marathon last September in 2:05:10.
There is no doubting Mutai’s talent but two questions that have to be asked prior to his arrival in Punta Umbría are: will 12km be too short for him and will his lack of international cross country exposure also count against him?
The IAAF World Cross Country Championships are an occasion where experience is certainly an asset and Mutai has never before competed at the event. 
The last time a runner making his debut at the Championships triumphed in the senior men’s race was Mutai’s fellow Kenyan John Ngugi back in 1986.
Mesfin carries Ethiopia’s hopes
Mesfin, 22, was almost as dominating a winner of the Ethiopian trails in Addis Ababa on February 20, winning by 13 seconds and his margin of victory could have been as much as doubled had he not eased off in the final kilometre and waved to the crowd in the home straight as the line approached, while those behind him battled hard for the remaining places on the podium.
After finishing 10th in Amman in 2009 and then 19th in Bydgoszcz last year, Mesfin appears to have improved this winter and it would be a big surprise if there wasn’t a single figure beside his name in the results this time around.
“I hope we will change the World Cross Country result which was dominated by the Kenyans last year," said Mesfin after his victory in the Ethiopian capital, making no secret of the fact that he and his team-mates are looking for revenge following Kenya’s unprecedented clean sweep of all eight titles – the four individual gold medals and four team crowns – in 2010.
There is no Joseph Ebuya in the Kenya team this year. After winning four of his six cross country races this winter prior to the Kenya trails, the 2010 senior men’s champion suffered stomach problems during his race and failed to finish in Nairobi, with the team selectors then deciding to leave him at home.
However, the two men who were alongside Ebuya on the podium in Bydgoszcz, Eritrean silver medallist Teklemariam Medhin and Uganda’s bronze medallist Moses Kipsiro are in their respective teams, and will be looking to again challenge their East African rivals for the medals.
Medhin showed good form before the New Year, winning three out of four top-class races in Spain and Portugal, but was less impressive when he could only finish 11th at the famous Cross Internacional de Italica near Sevilla, an IAAF World Cross Country Permit Meeting, on January 16, his last competitive outing.
He has since been putting in the miles and sharpening up at home in the last two months but, before he returned to Eritrea, he had the chance to visit the Punta Umbría course as a guest of the local organisers.
"I want to win the World Championship in Spain; it would be fantastic as I spend some time here based in Madrid. This is a fast circuit with perfect grass. It's a good course to run fast,” said Mehdin.
Kipsiro suffers knee worries
In addition to his third place last year, Kipsiro took the silver medal in 2009 and so is obviously motivated to complete his full set with a gold medal.
By contrast to those men expected to be his main rivals, Kipsiro has kept a relatively low profile since he won the 5000m and 10,000m double at the Commonwealth Games in October.
This year, his only race so far has been the Ugandan Cross Country Championships in Jinja on February 12, where he won his fourth successive title despite a slight knee problem sustained in the gym at the end of last year.
“I am just praying for good health and hard training ahead of the World Cross Country in Spain. I was not fully fit for the Jinja race because of knee problems,” Kipsiro told local media a few days after the race, although his 32-second winning margin suggested that there was nothing fundamental wrong with his fitness.
All the indications point towards the runners from the four East African countries dominating proceedings but athletes from other countries will want to show they are not there just for fun at the Spanish holiday resort.
European hopes of a place in the top 10 appear to lie with Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem and Portugal’s Yousef El Kalai, with both men originally from Morocco, and the pair were second and third respectively at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships just across the border in the Portuguese town of Albufeira in December.
Bahrain have Ali Hasan Mahboob, the 2009 Asian Games 10,000m champion who also had an excellent run to finish sixth in Bydgoszcz in their team and he could again among the top places.
Team contest favours Kenya
Kenya again look the favourites to take the team title that they have won for the last five years, and 23 out of the last 25 years, with a strong squad that also includes Matthew Kisorio and Vincent Chepkok, who were second and third behind Mutai at the Kenyan trials. The latter was also the second fastest man in the world over 5000m last year.
Paul Tanui and Hosea Macharinyang, eighth and ninth in Bydgoszcz 12 months ago, are also in Kenya’s eight-man squad, with six runners to be declared prior to the race.
Ethiopia were relegated to third place in the team race 12 months ago by neighbours Eritrea, who equalled their best ever result first achieved in 2006, and will be determined to try to challenge Kenya, perhaps even regaining the title they last held in 2005.
Also wearing the familiar green vest will be this winter’s indoor sensation Yenew Alamirew, who ran a 7:27:80 3000m at the IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting in Stuttgart last month, the fastest time in the world this year, and Imane Merga, last year’s Samsung Diamond Race 5000m winner.
Eritrea have Samuel Tsegay and Kiflom Sium in their team again along with Medhin, the pair finishing fifth and 24th last year and being part of their silver medal scoring quartet.
Koech the clear choice among the juniors
The junior men’s races are usually difficult to predict but this time around there is no problem pointing to a favourite: Kenya’s Isaiah Koech.
Koech finished fourth 12 months ago and he is the highest placed runner from Bydgoszcz who will run in Punta Umbría.
However, it is his indoor feats in the last few months which consolidate his status as the one to watch. The 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships 3000m gold medallist ran a 5000m World junior indoor best of 12:53.29 in Düsseldorf on February 11 and followed it up two days later with a 3000m World junior best of 7:37.50 in Gent.
Not surprisingly, he also won at the Kenyan trials with relative ease a week later, although Justin Cheruiyot was only four seconds in arrears and should also be in contention for a medal on the global stage. 
Kenya filled the first four places in the junior men’s race in Bydgoszcz for a perfect score and their 12th successive title in the category and it would be no surprise to see them achieve something similar this time around.
Tesfaye Cheru, who won the junior men’s race at the Ethiopian trials, could lead the challenge from the rest of the world. He is no doubt hoping his compatriots will be able to pack well enough, with Ethiopia having got their four scorers in the top 10 home last year, to be able to claim at least another silver medal after having finished second in the team standings for 11 of the last 12 years.
It is also particularly poignant that Spain will stage the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2011, 30 years after it was the host for the first time.
The Hipódromo de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of the Spanish capital Madrid was the venue in 1981, with Spain also staging the Championships in the Basque city of Amorebieta 12 years later, and it was the first time that Ethiopia and Kenya entered the championship - with both countries only sending senior men’s teams - which they have come to dominate.
Phil Minshull for the IAAF
&nbsp;

The 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbría, Spain, will definitely see a new name crowned as the senior men’s champion as no previous winner will be on the start line.

Mutai, Mesfin or Medhin? - Punta Umbria Men’s Races Preview

At some stage of the senior women’s race at Punta Umbria 2011, you’d fancy Linet Masai will have to start thinking about who her real friends are.
Second in each of the past two years, both times beaten by a Kenyan team-mate who has tagged along as Masai has destroyed the rest of the competition then sprinted past with barely a ‘thank you’, Masai knows she has to beat her friends, as much as her rivals, if she is to claim the title.
Masai wants the World Cross Country title to add to her 10,000 metres gold from the Berlin 2009 World championships. Make no mistake about that. 
“I believe I was denied my gold medals in Amman (2008) and Poland (2009) and I’m still bitter about it. It is my hope the disappointment will be erased in Spain,” Masai said after winning the Kenyan selection trial.
Team-mates Florence Kiplagat (Amman) and Emily Chebet (Bydgoszcz) denied Masai at the last and this year’s nemesis may already be lurking in the shadows in the form of World champion at 5000 metres, Vivian Cheriuyot.
Cheruiyot - main opponent?
Cheruiyot won the junior World-Cross Country crown in Vilamoura in 2000, but also has unfulfilled ambitions in the senior race.
“I have never won a (senior) World Cross Country medal in my career and this year, I decided to go for it. I have fulfilled my first objective of making the team and now, it is to focus for victory at the training camp,” Cheruiyot said after finishing second to Masai in the trial.
The pair have raced three times this year, the trials’ win giving Masai a 2-1 edge. She won in the BUPA Great Edinburgh race and Nairobi, Cheruiyot took the honours in Seville’s Cross Italica in between.
If these two outstanding athletes are looking for inspirational models, Ingrid Kristiansen and Lynn Jennings are two they could consider.
Norway’s Kristiansen is one of the finest all-round female distance runners in history. A World champion at 10,000 metres in 1987, a World road champion in 1988 and a marathon World record setter in 1985. Yet she did not win her one and only World Cross Country title until her ninth try in Auckland in 1988.
Jennings did not take quite as long to break through, but the American had finished second, fourth, fourth and sixth in consecutive years before breaking through to win in Aix-les-Bains in 1990, the first of three wins on the trot.
Melkamu leads Ethiopian squad
Others, of course, will not be prepared to concede the race to the two Kenyan track World champions. Ethiopia’s Meselech Melkamu has a great record in the race and, with three-time long-course champion Tirunesh Dibaba not in the team this year, comes as unequivocally her nation’s top hope.
As a five-time bronze medallist (four in the long-course race), Melkamu would also love to see her name on the gold medal.
There is a Dibaba in the Ethiopian entries – two-time junior champion Genzebe, the younger sister of Ejegayehu and Tirunesh – is named in her first senior squad.
Other individuals who should do well include Shalane Flanagan (USA), 12th last year, Bahrain’s Maryam Jamal, ninth in Amman and winner of the IAAF permit race in Diekirch last month, while Spain’s veteran Nuria Fernandez, European champion at 1500 last year and fourth in Berlin, will lead the home country’s team.
Kenya (2009-10) and Ethiopia (2006-08) have won the last five team titles between them and 1-2 since 2006. The past five bronze medals, however, have gone to five different nations – Japan, Morocco, Australia, Portugal and USA. The loss of 2004 individual champion Benita Willis hits Australia’s hopes hard but, unless Spain or Britain can pull off an upset, the minor medal should be fought out between the other four again.
The US, with its top three scorers in Flanagan, Molly Huddle and Magdalena Lewy-Boulet back will be hard to beat. Spain was fourth in 2009, but tenth last year. How much can home support lift them.
Junior race
Kenya dominated both junior races in Bydgoszcz, finishing 1-2-3-4 in each. In reality, it is hard to see the junior women being challenged this time.
The trial was won in convincing fashion by Janeth Kisa and Kenya also has last year’s second (Purity Rionoripo) and fourth (Faith Kipyegon) back. Ethiopia has last year’s top two finishers – Genet Yalew (fifth) and Emebet Anteneh (sixth) – back, but Kenya still looks to have the edge.
Uganda took a break-through bronze medal last year ahead of Japan, Great Britain and the US. The bronze medal battle will be tight again this time.
As in the senior race, though, the junior competition should effectively split into two events – Kenya v Ethiopia for the win, the rest battling it out for third.
Len Johnson for the IAAF

At some stage of the senior women’s race at Punta Umbria 2011, you’d fancy Linet Masai will have to start thinking about who her real friends are.

Masai should keep her friends close – but not too close! - Punta Umbria Women's Race Preview

The preliminary entry lists for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Punta Umbria, Spain (Sunday 20 March) are now available.The entry lists can be downloaded from the 'related content' section at the right of this page.Note that the entry lists are as of 10:00 CET, 15 March. The final entries will be confirmed at the technical meeting on Saturday, 19 March. IAAF

The preliminary entry lists for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Punta Umbria, Spain (Sunday 20 March) are now available.

Preliminary Entry Lists now available - IAAF World Cross Country Championships

Olympic Bronze medallist and American record holder Shalane Flanagan is once again set to lead the Team USA women at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships as they seek to improve on their bronze medal finish in 2010. As Team USA heads to Punta Umbria, Spain for the championships to be&nbsp; held on 20 March, Flanagan and 2010 teammates American Record holder at 5000m Molly Molly Huddle and 2008 Olympic marathoner Magdalena Lewy Boulet will join forces with Blake Russell, a member of the U.S. team that won a bronze medal in the women’s short course in 2005; Lisa&nbsp; Koll (Portland, Ore.), the NCAA 10,000m record holder; and Alissa McKaig, who finished fifth at the USA Women’s Marathon Championship in her debut at the distance last fall. The senior men’s team will be led by Brent Vaughn, who surprised the men’s field to win&nbsp; his first USA title at the 2011 USA Cross Country Championships in San Diego. Joining Vaughn in Spain will be Andrew Bumbalough, a&nbsp; member of the U.S. junior team in 2006; Andrew Carlson, the 2008 USA Men’s 15Km champion; Ben&nbsp; True, an NCAA All-American in Cross Country at Dartmouth; Brian Olinger, an NCAA All-American in Track and Cross Country at The Ohio State University; and Max King, the 2010 NACAC Cross Country champion who will be competing on his fourth U.S. Cross Country squad. Cuffe leads junior women The junior women’s team will be led by high school senior Aisling Cuffe, who won the junior women's 6Km championship in San Diego. Joining Cuffe will be Molly Grabill; University of Washington freshman Katie Flood; Sierra Vega; Julie Nacouzi; and Hannah Valenzuela. Olson leads junior men The men’s junior team will see Stanford University freshman Erik Olson, the 2011 Junior Men’s 8Km champion, along with Syracuse University freshman Maxwell Straneva; Craig Lutz; Justin Vilhauer&nbsp; Ryan Poland; and 2010 junior squad member Ammar Moussa. Jim Estes (USATF) for the IAAF

Olympic Bronze medallist and American record holder Shalane Flanagan is once again set to lead the Team USA women at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships as they seek to improve on their bronze medal finish in 2010.

Flanagan leads USA squad to Punta Umbria

A sum of US$280,000 in prize money will be paid by the IAAF for the two senior races at the 39th edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Punta Umbria, Spain which will be held on Sunday 20 March 2011.** &nbsp; A US$30,000 prize is available for each individual winner of the men’s and women’s senior races with money filtering down to 6th position where the reward is US$3000 per athlete. In total US$140,000 is on offer as individual prizes. &nbsp; In terms of the team contest in both senior events, there is another prize pool of US$140,000. This is distributed with US$20,000 going to the first team home in each race, descending to 6th place where the pay out by the IAAF is US$4000. &nbsp; Prize Money in US$ – senior men’s and women’s races only &nbsp; Individual 1st – 30,000 2nd – 15,000 3rd – 10,000 4th – 7000 5th – 5000 6th – 3000 &nbsp; Team 1st – 20,000 2nd – 16,000 3rd – 12,000 4th – 10,000 5th – 8000 6th – 4000 &nbsp; How many can run, how many can score?
?In all races IAAF Member Federations may enter a maximum of eight athletes; no more than six shall be allowed to start in each race with four to score. &nbsp; The team results are decided by the aggregate of places recorded by the scoring athletes of each team. The team with the lowest aggregate of points will be judged the winner. If a team fails to finish with a complete scoring team, the runners finishing shall be counted as individuals in the race result and be eligible for the individual awards (senior races only). In assessing the aggregate, no adjustment to the scoring of the finishing teams shall be made in respect of any non-scoring team runners or of individual entries. In the event of a tie, it shall be resolved in favour of the team whose last scoring member finishes nearer to first place. ** There is no prize money paid for the two junior races. The payment of prize money in the senior races is dependent upon the athletes clearing the usual anti-doping procedures. NOTE - Comprehensive race previews covering the senior and junior races will be published on the IAAF Website later this week.

A sum of US$280,000 in prize money will be paid by the IAAF for the two senior races at the 39th edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Punta Umbria, Spain which will be held on Sunday 20 March 2011.

WORLD ATHLETICS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Japan’s bronze in Punta Umbria a small consolation

Merga gets a rare taste of victory - Men’s senior race report – Punta Umbrìa 2011

Cheruiyot wins race of champions - Women's Senior Race Report - Punta Umbria 2011

The season’s not over for Merga – Punta Umbría 2011

Kipsang upsets the odds - Men's Junior Race Report - Punta Umbria 2011