Its gold for Kenyan athletes in Spain Cross Country Championships

By ROBIN TOSKINNational Cross Country team at the IAAF Championship in Punta Umbria Spain showed phenomenal presence of mind to bag six gold medals in the face of a spirited challenge from perennial nemesis Ethiopia and lately Uganda.The Kenyans were always a marked lot after sweeping the board last time out in Bydgoszcz, Poland and the enormity of the task in Punta Umbria was underlined by Imane Merga’s snatching of the Senior Men gold despite a gutsy performance by Paul Tanui (32:52) to settle for silver and Vincent Chepkok ( 33:53) for bronze.Vivian Cheruiyot sprinted to the finish line to claim gold in the 8Km senior women category leaving the lanky 10,000m World Champion Linet Masai (25:07) playing the bridesmaid for a third time running.From left: Kenya’s Paul Kipngetich Tanui, Ethiopia’s Imana Marga, and Kenya’s Vincent Kiprop Chepkok during the awards ceremony after the senior men’s race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, yesterday. [PHOTO:AP]America’s Shalane Flanagan settled for bronze.Cheruiyot’s triumph was the concluding sentence in a pre-race debate of the usual script of Kenya versus Ethiopia battle as well as a fullstop to the story-within-a-storynarrative pitting her and Masai who prior to the race had finished second in Amman 2007 and Bydgoszcz 2009.Finishing kickCheruiyot, blessed with the finishing kick that would awe Ethiopians to the final curve with her fine foot firmly on the gas pedal. Flanagan held her own to post 25:10 for the bronze and Ethiopian challenge Meselech Melkamu 25:18 returned fourth. With Jepleting (25:20) and Korikwiang (25:26) finishing fifth and seventh, Kenya ensured the title returned to Nairobi.If the seniors showed mental prowess, the juniors put on the table their desire to lead at an early age as the rest of the world failed to provide an answer for Kenyan youngsters, both men and women, who bagged the prized individual gold medals.Faith Kipyegon, running barefoot, set the tone with a tantalising performance to shake off Ethiopia’s Genet Yalew and Azemra Gebru as her teammates wilted under the heat at the woody course yesterday.Kipyegon posted 18:53 in taking the gold in the junior women 6km sweeping aside the Ethiopian challenge as Azemra Gebru (18:54) and Waganesh Mekasha (18:59) claimed silver and bronze.With Janet Kisia (19:08), Nancy Chepkwemoi (19:20), Purity Cherotich (1924) finishing in fifth, sixth and seventh Kenya had relinguished the team title to the Ethiopians.But hen came Geoffrey Kamworor who showed composure to anchor the men’s team gold and a personal triumph too after shaking off Uganda’s Tom Ayeko. With their junior women counterparts relinquishing the team gold to Ethiopia, Kamworor led home Patrick Mutunga (22:32) who had to dig deep to oust Ethiopia’s Bonsa Dida from the podium finish and James Gitahi (22:43 for sixth place and Isaiah Koech 23:10.Men 12K1. Imana Marga, Ethiopia, 33 minutes, 50 seconds.2. Paul Kipngetich Tanui, Kenya, 33:52.3. Vincent Kiprop Chepkok, Kenya, 33:53.4. Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio, Kenya, 33:55.5. Geoffrey Kiprono Mutai, Kenya, 34:03.6. Stephen Kiprotich, Uganda, 34:07.7. Philemon Kimeli Limo, Kenya, 34:21.8. Hunegnaw Mesfin, Ethiopia, 34:25.9. Ali Hasan Mahboob, Brunei, 34:30.10. Hosea Mwok Macharinyang, Kenya, 34:30.Junior 8K1. Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor, Kenya, 22 minutes, 21 seconds.2. Thomas Ayeko, Uganda, 22:27.3. Patrick Mutunga Mwikya, Kenya, 22:32.4. Bonsa Dida, Ethiopia, 22:39.5. Fikadu Haftu, Ethiopia, 22:43.6. James Gitahi Rungaru, Kenya, 22:43.7. Muktar Edris, Ethiopia, 22:44.8. Yitayal Atnafu, Ethiopia, 22:53.9. Jacob Araptany, Uganda, 23:03.10. Isiah Kiplangat Koech, Kenya, 23:10.Women 8K1. Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot, Kenya, 24 minutes, 58 seconds.2. Linet Chepkwemoi Masai, Kenya, 25:07.3. Shalane Flanagan, United States, 25:10.4. Meselech Melkamu, Ethiopia, 25:18.5. Priscah Jepleting Cherono, Kenya, 25:20.6. Wude Ayalew, Ethiopia, 25:21.7. Pauline Chemning Korikwiang, Kenya, 25:26.8. Lineth Chepkurui, Kenya, 25:28.9. Genzebe Dibaba, Ethiopia, 25:36.10. Beleynesh Oljira, Ethiopia, 25:40.Junior 6K1. Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon, Kenya, 18 minutes, 53 seconds.2. Genet Yalew, Ethiopia, 18:54.3. Azemra Gebru, Ethiopia, 18:54.4. Waganesh Mekasha, Ethiopia, 18:59.5. Janeth Kisa, Kenya, 19:08.6. Nancy Chepkwemoi, Kenya, 19:20.7. Purity Cherotich Rionoripo, Kenya, 19:24.8. Emebet Anteneh, Ethiopia, 19:29.9. Brillian Jepkorir Kipkoech, Kenya, 19:33.10. Buze Diriba, Ethiopia, 19:34.

Its gold for Kenyan athletes in Spain Cross Country Championships

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