Edward Zakayo wins in Cardiff (© Paul Stillman)
Windy conditions didn’t affect the racing at the first World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event of the season in Cardiff on Saturday (15) as Kenya’s Edward Zakayo and Pamela Kosgei won the senior international races.
Zakayo, the 2018 world U20 5000m champion, ran most of the men’s 9.6km three-lap course alongside Ugandan duo Joel Ayeko and Rogers Kibet. His surges late on the last lap were enough to overcome his two prime opponents and put his track speed to good use, finishing in 26:20.
This will be a great confidence booster for the Kenyan man with both Ayeko and Kibet seen as Cross Country regulars with the former finishing the 2021/2022 season sixth in the World Athletics Cross Country rankings and the latter in fourth.
“The race was good,” said Zakayo, who finished fourth over 10,000m at this year’s Commonwealth Games. “On the last lap I pushed a little bit and got 10 metres ahead but they came back to me so I tried again and I made it.
“I felt as though I wasn’t in shape after a busy year for me. I didn’t make the team for the World Championships but I made the team for the Commonwealth Games and then raced in Mexico and then in France,” he added. “I need some races in Kenya now because there is a lot of competition there and everyone is strong. The World Cross Country Championships will be a big goal for me.”
Britain’s Emile Cairess was fourth, just ahead of Ethiopian duo Gizealaw Ayana and Ayana Gizealew.
Pamela Kosgei wins in Cardiff (© Paul Stillman)
Eighteen-year-old Kosgei, sister of world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei, had been a clear favourite for the women’s race. It was a first World Cross Country Tour event for the Kenyan, who finished fifth in the steeplechase at this year’s World U20 Championships in Cali.
Her victory in Cardiff over 6.4km came in 20:21 with European indoor 3000m finalist Amelia Quirk taking second place in 20:34. English cross-country champion Jess Gibbon was third (20:44) with Elle Twentyman in fourth (20:50).
“It was a bit scary to start with, but I managed to win and enjoy it,” said Kosgei, who only began running seriously last year.
Organisers for World Athletics
