Boniface Kiprop and Moses Kipsiro both salute the win - Kiprop was declared the winner of the Ugandan XC (© Daniel Senfuma)
Sironko, UgandaReigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Boniface Kiprop and women’s World and Commonwealth Games 3000m Steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru were the winners at the Ugandan Cross Country Championships that were held far east of the Ugandan capital Kampala in Sironko district today.
MEN
12km senior men - Kiprop just manages to win
It looked hard at first for the eventual winner Boniface Kiprop as he had three fast distance runners, Isaac Kiprop, the Eastern Africa Cross Country winner and defending champion of this event, Moses Kipsiro, winner of this year’s Belfast Cross and the African 10,000m champion, and Wilson Busienei Kipkemei, fourth place finisher at the 2006 World Road Running Championships, as challengers.
The quartet shared the lead throughout most of the first three laps of the circuit with Kipsiro just ahead at the 6km mark but Boniface Kiprop increased his pace in the last 2km and as he did Isaac Kiprop and Busienei faded away so that suddenly he and Kipsiro had a 400m gap on the field.
As the race charged into the final stretch, you could hardly separate Boniface Kiprop and Kipsiro as they were running neck to neck but the Commonwealth Games champion claimed a photo finish victory as both runners crossed with a time of 35:58.
“I am just trying out my final preparations for the World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa. We ran a good race and I hope we shall have a good combination to challenge our opponents in Mombasa,” said Kiprop.
Isaac Kiprop was third with 36:17 while James Kibet came fourth with 36:59 and Kipkemei faded to 8th place with 37:42.
Junior men’s race
Arua Athletics Club (AAC) runner Geoffrey Kusuro surprised the crowd with a well ran 23:10 to win the junior men’s 8km race. Kusuro, a participant in the last two World Junior Cross Country Championships took advantage of the tired trio of Stephen Kiprotich, Fred Arapsudi, and Uganda’s reigning 10,000m champion Benjamin Kiplagat who had started with a fast pace. Kusuro had to wait for the last lap before he overtook Kiprotich beating him by a mere 5 seconds.
Arapsudi finished third with 23:28 and a little known Simeo Ngabirano from Kabale claimed fifth position (23:31), while Kiplagat finished in a distant sixth place with 23:37.
WOMEN
Senior 8km - No barrier Inzikuru
World Steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru didn’t find any barrier in her way as she ran won the senior women’s race with ease.
Her main challengers who by 2km included UPDF’s Catherine Webombesa, and Kampala marathon champion Jane Suuto never seemed to understand that Inzikuru was running a tactical race.
At 6km, Inzikuru started increasing her pace and rapidly created a 300m gap that her opponents couldn’t close. Inzikuru ran alone to win in a time of 27:45.
“In Mombasa and I believe we can challenge the Kenyans and Ethiopians,” said Inzikuru.
Junior women’s race
Dorcus Chesang won the women’s junior race in one of the fastest races of the day. Mercy Chelangat led the whole way in the first 4km but her lead always seemed threatened as Chesang, Faridah Chelangat and Viola Chemos kept chasing. Finally Chesang overtook Chelangat on the last curve to sprint to victory in a time of 20:25.
Gombe S.S student Faridah Chelangat, 16, also surprised the longtime leader finishing second with a time of 20:54, while Mercy finished third with 20:59.
One of the pre-race favourites Jackiline Cheruto, 16, finished in a miserable 17 position.
The General Secretary of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) Beatrice Ayikoru said “The technical team will…select runners that will go for altitude training in Bukwo and the final team will be named later with only fully fit athletes.”
Daniel Senfuma for IAAF
Results
Men
12km
1. Boniface Kiprop (Standard) 35:58
2. Moses Kipsiro (Standard) 35:58
3. Isaac Kiprop (Standard) 36:17
4. James Kibet (Standard) 36:59
5. Richard Soibei (Central) 37:20
6. Francis Musani (UPDF) 37:25
7. Dixon Kipkoech (KIU) 37:41
8. Wilson Busienei Kipkemei (AAC) 37:42
Junior 8km
1. Geoffrey Kusuro (AAC) 23:10
2. Stephen Kiprotich (Standard) 23:15
3. Fred Arapsudi (Standard) 23:28
4. Simeo Ngabirano (Kabale) 23:31
5. Francis Doroti (UPDF) 23:35
6. Benjamin Kiplagat (Standard) 23:37
7. Dixon Hurau (Standard) 23:38
8. Isaac Ayeko (AAC) 23:43
Women
8km
1. Dorcus Inzikuru (AAC) 27:45
2. Catherine Webombesa (UPDF) 28:26
3. Emily Chebet (AAC) 28:50
4. Jane Suuto (AAC) 29:23
5. Annet Chelagant (AAC) 29:38
6. Irene Chemusto (Prisons) 29:47
7. Esther Chebet (AAC) 30:12
8. Adero Nyakisi (Prisons) 30:44
Junior 6km
1. Dorcus Chesang (AAC) 20:25
2. Faridah Chelagant (Gombe) 20:54
3. Mercy Chelagant (Standard) 20:59
4. Viola Chemos (AAC) 21:09
5. Doreen Chesang (Standard) 21:16
6. Joyce Nanzala (Sironko) 21:28
7. Nancy Temuko (Standard) 21:31
