Mercy Chepkemoi wins at the Cross Internacional de Soria (© Organisers)
Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Kenya’s Mercy Chepkemoi were victorious at the 30th Cross Internacional de Soria – the fourth Gold level meeting of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour – held at altitude (1100m) in Soria, Spain, on a pleasant Sunday (10).
In winning the senior men’s race, the 25-year-old Kwizera joined Uganda’s Timothy Toroitich as the only athlete to have won this event three times, while 19-year-old Chepkemoi signed a commanding win on her first outing on Spanish ground.
The women’s 8km contest witnessed a slow early pace, with the African contingent always at the helm closely followed by a large pack over the opening kilometre. Just before completing the first 2000m lap in 6:58, a quartet led by Burundi's Francine Niyomukunzi and Kenya’s Diana Chepkemoi easily broke away from the rest of the contenders, while Spain’s Marta Perez became a lonesome fifth, travelling four seconds in arrears.
The second circuit proved to be much faster as the lead group clocked 6:38 for that segment to extend their advantage to 17 seconds over the Spanish 1500m record-holder Perez, who was performing in front of her home crowd. Midway through the penultimate loop, Sharon Chepkemoi began to struggle and lost any chance of a podium place, while the eventual winner moved to the front for the first time.
It was 200m before the bell – the third loop taking a comfortable 6:50 – that Mercy Chepkemoi injected a much brisker rhythm and only Niyomukunzi was able to live with her pace.
The two leaders took turns at the front over the closing circuit, clearly extending their lead over Diana and Sharon Chepkemoi. With some 600m remaining, Mercy Chepkemoi tried to get rid of her Burundian rival but Niyomukunzi managed to remain at her shoulder. Finally, it was with 300m to go that the Kenyan took advantage of an up and down section to open a sizeable gap on Niyomukunzi and reach the finish line untroubled in 26:48 following a fast 6:34 last lap.
She finished seven seconds ahead of Niyomukunzi, while the world U20 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist Diana Chepkemoi completed the podium 23 seconds behind the winner, but 17 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Sharon Chepkemoi.
The winner, who placed 12th in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships in March, said: “It was not an easy race because of the hills but I felt quite strong. Today was my first outing in Europe and it’s very important for me to win at a Gold permit like Soria.”
Another day in the office for Kwizera
The men's 8km contest also kicked off at a moderate cadence, with Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana making most of the early pace in heading a big pack comprising the rest of the favourites. With the clock reading four minutes, it was Ethiopia’s Ayele Tadesse who increased the rhythm to clock 5:56 for the opening lap, quick enough to leave the European contingent way back. Shortly before the third kilometre the 19-year-old Tadesse stepped up the cadence to open a two-second gap on his compatriot Wegene Addisu, while a quiet Kwizera remained patient in third place another two seconds adrift, leading the chasing pack.
Rodrigue Kwizera on his way to his third victory in Soria (© Organisers)
The hot favourite Kwizera accelerated just before midway – the second loop taking 5:47 – and he soon caught the Ethiopian duo with incredible ease. The fifth kilometre proved to be the slowest and it was then that the Burundian decided to take over the race to reach the bell in first place following a 5:50 circuit, while first Hosea Kiplangat and then Ntakarutimana began to falter.
Over the closing lap, Kwizera’s frantic rhythm paid off quickly as he became a lonesome leader some 1500m from home, with Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang running a couple of seconds in arrears but himself some 10 metres clear of Tadesse and Addisu.
While Kwizera flew the last kilometre on the hunt for his third win in Soria, a tiring Kipsang was overtaken by Tadesse with some 600m left. At the tape, the unopposed victor was timed at 23:47 after a 5:39 final lap, nine seconds clear of the runner-up Tadesse, while Kipsang held off the late challenge provided by Addisu after a photo finish, both being given the same time.
Spain’s Nassim Hassaous faced a fierce battle with Norway’s Ibrahim Buras throughout but finally finished as the top European 38 seconds behind the winner, who declared: “I’m satisfied as my target was the win and I managed to get it."
Kwizera, who will take part in the Italica Gold meeting next Sunday, added: “At first I felt a bit uncomfortable as I’m accustomed to training at sea level and Soria is over 1000m altitude. Anyway, I controlled the race but preferred to stay behind to protect myself from the wind and only unleash my attack in the closing lap.”
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
Leading results
Women (8km)
1 Mercy Chepkemoi (KEN) 26:48
2 Francine Niyomukunzi (BDI) 26:55
3 Diana Chepkemoi (KEN) 27:11
4 Sharon Chepkemoi (KEN) 27:28
5 Marta Perez (ESP) 28:05
6 Lidia Campo (ESP) 28:18
7 Sara Reimondo (ESP) 28:20
8 Cristina Espejo (ESP) 28:24
9 Katherine Tisalema (ECU) 28:30
10 Mari Luz Tesuri (ARG) 28:37
Men (8km)
1 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 23:17
2 Ayele Tadesse (ETH) 23:26
3 Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (KEN) 23:31
4 Wegene Addisu (ETH) 23:31
5 Egide Ntakarutimana (BDI) 23:39
6 Hosea Kiplangat (UGA) 23:40
7 Nassim Hassaous (ESP) 23:55
8 Ibrahim Buras (NOR) 23:55
9 Pablo Sanchez (ESP) 24:10
10 Javier Guerra (ESP) 24:22
