KENYANS RULE IN ITALY RACE: Birech, Kipyegon win winter's IAAF Cross Country Permit series

Kenyan stars Jairus Birech and Faith Kipyegon took honours at the 84th edition of the famous Cinque Mulini meeting, the sixth in this winter’s IAAF Cross Country Permit series, in the northern Italian town of San Vittore Olona on Sunday.

Birech, the 2014 and 2015 Diamond Race 3000m steeplechase winner, held off Bahrain’s Aweke Ayalew to win by two seconds in 34:38 after a sprint finish at the end of the 11.5km race. They went through the first lap mark in 8:08 carving out an eight-second lead over World Cross Country Championships junior silver medallist Geoffrey Korir.

The pair increased the pace further during the second lap, opening up a huge gap of 31 seconds over Korir, with Birech mainly running in front and Ayalew on his heels. The leaders went through the second lap in 16:28.

Birech and Ayalew increased their advantage over Korir to 35 seconds during the third lap. Ayalew led at the bell as the third lap was completed in 25:55, and they then dueled throughout the final lap. With about 300 metres to go, Birech launched a devastating kick to the finish line.

Korir, still only 19, finished a distant third in 35:24, with Uganda’s 2015 World mountain running champion Fred Musobo fourth in 35:44.

“I am happy to come back to the Cinque Mulini after finishing third last year. The course was not as hard as last year,” said Birech.

On her part, World 1500m silver medallist and two-time world junior cross country champion Kipyegon won the 5.6km women’s race at a canter in 18:15 with a huge gap of 48 seconds over 2014 World junior 5000m silver medallist Alemitu Hawi, from Ethiopia.

Kipyegon won the Cinque Mulini race for the second time in her career, repeating a triumph achieved in 2014.
In comparison to the competitiveness in the men’s race, the women’s race was always a one-sided affair with Kipyegon in a clear lead from the start. Only Hawi managed to stay with the Kenyan during the first lap.

Kipyegon, who wore the bib number six traditionally given by the organisers to the favourite, then increased her pace during the second lap building up a gap of 17 seconds over Hawi.

She continued to increase her advantage after the bell and ran a solitary final lap while cruising to an impressive win in 18:15.

Kipyegon scored her second win in the IAAF Cross Country Permit Series after taking the honours in Seville two weeks ago. Hawi finished second in 19:03 with a gap of 10 seconds to Uganda’s Mercyline Chelangat in third place.

“It was a tough course, but I liked it. It was my last cross country race of the season before starting my preparation for the track season where I aim at winning a medal at the Olympic Games," said Kipyegon.