Cynthia Chepkirui wins in Cardiff (© Paul Stillman)
World 5000m finalist Mathew Kipsang kicked to victory at the Cardiff Cross Challenge, while 17-year-old compatriot Cynthia Chepkirui made it a Kenyan double at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event at Llandaff Fields on Saturday (8).
The senior men’s 9.6km contest began with a large lead group setting a steady early pace. After 2.5km, Kenyan trio Stephen Kimutai, Victor Kimosop, and Mathew Kipsang were joined at the front by Britain’s Zakariya Mahamed, forming a quartet that quickly established control.
By halfway, Britain’s Jacob Cann and Richard Slade had bridged the gap, creating a breakaway pack of six. Kipsang took command at about 6km, gradually stretching the lead as the chasing group began to splinter. One kilometre later, Cann and Slade began to fade, leaving Kipsang, Kimosop, Kimutai, and Mahamed to battle it out for the podium.
Mahamed started to lose contact soon after, turning the closing stages into a Kenyan duel. With less than a kilometre remaining, Kimosop surged to the front, but Kipsang bided his time, waiting until the final straight to unleash a decisive kick. The 29-year-old powered ahead to take victory in 28:12, with Kimosop second and Kimutai completing the all-Kenyan podium. Mahamed finished fourth, just ahead of Cann.
Cynthia Chepkirui, the African U18 3000m champion, announced herself in style with a dominant performance in the senior women’s 6.4km race.
Defending champion Megan Keith led during the early stages from Canada’s Ceili McCabe, Jess Gibbon, Chepkirui, and Sheila Jebet, a world U20 finalist and winner in Hannut earlier this year. Gibbon soon lost touch, leaving a leading quartet to dictate the pace through the second kilometre.
At about the halfway mark, Chepkirui started to make her move and gradually opened up a gap on Jebet and McCabe while Keith was forced to stop briefly to adjust her shoe.
Chepkirui never looked back, extending her lead over the final kilometres to win decisively in 20:11. Jebet secured second place in 20:31, three seconds ahead of McCabe, while Keith finished fourth in 20:51.
Leading results
Women (6.4km)
1 Cynthia Chepkirui (KEN) 20:11
2 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 20:31
3 Ceili McCabe (CAN) 20:34
4 Megan Keith (GBR) 20:51
5 Poppy Tank (GBR) 21:09
6 Sofia Thogersen (DEN) 21:15
Men (9.6km)
1 Mathew Kipsang (KEN) 28:19
2 Victor Kimosop (KEN) 28:25
3 Stephen Kimutai (KEN) 28:27
4 Zakariya Mahamed (GBR) 28:28
5 Jacob Cann (GBR) 28:29
6 Richard Slade (GBR) 28:41
