Abraham Chebii (KEN) winning the 2006 Cross Internacional Zornotza in Amorebieta (© Unai Sasuategui)
Amorebieta, Spain Kenya’s reigning World Cross Country championships silver medallist Abraham Chebii and Spaniard Rosa Morató captured thrilling sprint victories at the 52nd Cross Internacional Zornotza - EAA Permit.
Chebii outkicks Kiprop
Running in cloudy but pleasant conditions, seven men remained in the vanguard at the four kilometre point which was completed in a fast 11:53, but another 2:55 kilometre split by Kiprop was enough to leave all his rivals behind by the midway point except Chebii, with fellow Kenyan John Cheruiyot Korir and Eritrea’s Tesfayohannes Mesfin 20 metres behind. Further back, Ukraine’s six-time European Cross Country champion Sergiy Lebid ran alon in fifth, with a solid advantage over Spain’s Alberto García and José Ríos.
The young Kiprop, who was fourth at 10,000 metres at both the 2004 Olympic in Athens and the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, tried to accelerate away from his fast-finishing pursuer Chebii several times but to no avail: attempts by Kiprop to disrupt Chebii with his surges served only to ensure a second place for himself as the Kenyan hardly blinked.
Once he reached the homestraight, Chebii unleashed his attack to easily overtake Kiprop and clinch his first win in this cross country season in 31:17. He was fourth in Llodio (27 November) where Kiprop was runner-up, and second in Alcobendas on 4 December. The Ugandan snatched the runner-up spot, barely one second adrift while Korir reached the finish a distant third, another 15 seconds behind. Mesfin held off the challenge of Lebid over the last lap to claim fourth in 31:41, five seconds ahead of the Ukrainian.
“Since my last race I’ve been training really well,” said Chebii. “And today’s performance confirms that I’m in the right path for my winter targets which are the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne at 5000m and the short race at the World Cross Country championships in Fukuoka.” Chebii said he’ll compete again in Spain this winter, at the Cross de Punta de Parayas in Maliaño.
So frantic was Kiprop’s early pace today that, although times on cross country races are negligible, it should be mentioned that this year’s winning time was 56 seconds faster than last year when a top-class runner like Abdullah Ahmad Hassan clocked 32:13 on the same circuit.
As for Kiprop, his next appearance will come next week in France before he returns to Spain on Sunday 22 January to compete in Elgóibar. Between these races Kiprop will stay at his European base in London.
“I have scheduled to make the Commonwealth Games (10,000m)/World Cross Country Championships double,” Kiprop said, “although I’m aware that won’t be an easy task with only a couple of weeks between the two competitions. I have to be happy with my second position as that’s the place I’ve deserved today.”
Women’s race: Morató takes revenge over Hayley and Liz Yelling
When visa difficulties in Germany kept Ethiopia’s Yimenashu Taye from Spain - the only African announced for today’s race - and from the race, it became clear that one of the three top-ten finishers from last month’s European Cross Country championships, the British duo of Hayley Yelling (6th) and Liz Yelling (8th) and Spain’s Rosa Morató (9th) would be the eventual victor.
As she did in Tilburg, Liz Yelling kicked off extremely fast covering the first kilometre in a frantic 3:10; she was followed in single file by her sister-in-law Hayley, Morató and Portugal’s Analia Rosa. At the halfway point the two Britons and Morató began to take turns with the lead before Hayley Yelling took charge of the race ahead of Morató and a slightly fading Liz Yelling.
With the clock reading 15 minutes the Spaniard moved to the front for the first time, much to the delight of the crowd. Her surge soon paid off as she opened a three-second gap over Hayley Yelling, the 2004 continental Cross Country champion. With a kilometre remaining, Hayley Yelling had a 20 metre lead over Liz. The Spanish 3000m steeplechase record holder kept her rivals at bay throughout the final kilometre and romped home in 22:19 to become the first Spanish athlete winning here for the last 21 years. For the minor podium spots, Liz Yelling overtook Hayley in the long homestraight but the latter managed to pip her compatriot with 150 to go to and claim runner-position, a second behind Morató. Well back, Portugal’s Analia Rosa was fourth (22:44).
Coached by Octavio García, the 26-year-old Morató set the National steeplechase record of 9:51.08 at the 2004 European Cup in Bydgoszcz, where she finished third. The reigning National Cross Country champion in the long course, Morató is looking to improve upon her 45th place finish from Saint Galmier in Fukuoka.
“To be honest I didn’t expect at all that kind of result at the beginning of the winter season,” Morató said. “I have just beaten two world class athletes like Hayley and Liz Yelling so I’m more than happy. Before the race I felt great but I’m not training now as hard as I did for the Europeans. The brisk start surprised me a little bit but I could resist their pace and with 1.5k to go I realised they were not running too comfortably so I decided to launch my attack.”
Morató confirmed that her next outing will be next Sunday (15 January) at the IAAF permit race in Seville.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men (10.7Km) -
1. Abraham Chebii (Ken) 31:17
2. Boniface Kiprop (Uga) 31:18
3. John Cheruiyot Korir (Ken) 31:33
4. Tesfayohannes Mesfin (Eri) 31:41
5. Sergio Lebid (Ukr) 31:46
6. Alberto García (Esp) 31:56
7. José Ríos (Esp) 32:11
8. El Moustafa Younes (Mor) 32:44
9. Mauricio Díaz (Chi) 32:48
10. Eliseo Martín (Esp) 32:50
Women (6.7Km) -
1. Rosa Morató (Esp) 22:19
2. Hayley Yelling (Gbr) 22:20
3. Liz Yelling (Gbr) 22:21
4. Analia Rosa (Por) 22:44
5. Yesenia Centeno (Esp) 23:04
6. Zulema Fuentes-Pila (Esp) 23:34
7. Luisa Larraga (Esp) 23:37
8. Iris Fuentes-Pila (Esp) 23:41
