Winfred Yavi wins at the Cross Internacional de Italica (© Diputación de Sevilla)
Bahrain’s Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi and Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera were the winners at the Cross Internacional de Italica – a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting – held on the outskirts of Seville on Sunday (9).
While Yavi became an overwhelming victor of the women’s race, two-time Cross Country Tour champion Kwizera prevailed in a much tighter finish over his Kenyan rivals.
The women’s 9.2km contest saw last year’s runner-up Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhstan take an early lead, closely followed by Yavi, Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw and Kenya’s Celestine Jepkosgei Biwott. By just one minute into the race, that quartet travelled clear of a chasing group headed by Portugal’s Mariana Machado and leading Spaniards Isabel Barreiro and European U23 cross country silver medallist Maria Forero.
The first 2.3km lap took 7:19, with Jepkemei always at the helm and Biwott beginning to struggle as the chase group travelled 33 seconds in arrears. The second circuit was slightly quicker (7:15) and Biwott soon lost any chance of a podium place, while the distance between the lead trio and the local pack increased to 1:08.
It was at the beginning of the third lap when Yavi began to dictate the pace and it soon paid off as Jepkemei could not live with the cadence and the race became a battle between Yavi and Amebaw. They both again clocked 7:15 for the penultimate loop, while Jepkemei ran four seconds behind at the bell.
Yavi unleashed a devastating change of speed some 200 metres into the final lap to break away from Amebaw, opening up a sizeable margin on the Ethiopian in a matter of a few hundred metres. From there, Yavi displayed an impressive solo run to strengthen her lead over her pursuers and finish unopposed after a blistering final lap of 6:58.
Attention turned to the fight for the other podium places. Amebaw looked to be a safe bet for second place but Jepkemei came through to pip her rival, just one second – 30:36 to 30:37 – separating the pair. A lonesome Biwott secured fourth place, while Forero dropped Barreiro and Machado over the closing lap to take fifth place.
“I’m so happy to win on my debut in Italica,” said Yavi. “I’m quite strong now as I’ll be competing at the Islamic Games in Riyadh next week.”
Unlike the women’s race, the men’s event started at a moderate pace, the first kilometre being ruled by the Kenyan pair of world U20 5000m champion Andrew Alamisi and Titus Kibet. Pre-race favourite Kwizera moved to the front four minutes into the race, the first lap being covered in 6:28.
Rodrigue Kwizera leads during the Cross Internacional de Italica (© Diputación de Sevilla)
The second circuit had no remarkable changes, the Burundian athlete setting a steady pace to leave him joined by 10 athletes including Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Aaron Las Heras and national champion Yahya Aouina following a 6:34 lap.
After a similar third lap which took 6:41, Kwizera’s front tactics finally paid dividends as only Alamisi and Dennis Kipkoech, third at the Kenyan trials held in Eldoret a fortnight ago, managed to follow his footsteps. Alamisi took the lead with around a kilometre left to run, but Kipkoech and Kwizera covered the break. The key movement came some 500 metres from home when the Spain-based Kwizera found another gear on the downhill section to open a shy but significant margin on the Kenyan duo.
Kwizera eventually clinched the win ahead of Alamisi and could afford to smile as they both clocked 26:10, with Kipkoech finishing one second back.
“I’m so honoured to win here for the second time after my victory in 2021,” said Kwizera. “This year the circuit has changed and there were some tough hills. Despite leading for much of the race, I still kept energy for the last section. I knew I had a change of speed and decided to execute it some 500 metres to go. It proved to be enough, although it’s true the Kenyan boys pushed me to the end.”
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
Leading results
Women (9.2km)
1 Winfred Yavi (BRN) 28:58
2 Daisy Jepkemei (KAZ) 30:36
3 Likina Amebaw (ETH) 30:37
4 Celestine Jepkosgei Biwott (KEN) 30:41
5 María Forero (ESP) 31:07
6 Isabel Barreiro (ESP) 31:26
7 Mariana Machado (POR) 31:30
8 Angela Viciosa (ESP) 31:35
9 Marta Serrano (ESP) 31:35
10 Carolina Robles (ESP) 31:44
Men (9.2km)
1 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 26:10
2 Andrew Alamisi (KEN) 26:10
3 Dennis Kipkoech (KEN) 26:11
4 Titus Kibet (KEN) 26:23
5 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 26:26
6 Aaron Las Heras (ESP) 26:26
7 Naibei Kiplimo (KEN) 26:26
8 Egide Ntakarutimana (BDI) 26:35
9 Emile Hafashimana (BDI) 26:35
10 Yahya Aouina (ESP) 26:38
