A
look at prospects for Day One
Mark Butler for the IAAF
22 March 2002 - Dublin, Ireland -Athletics statistician Mark
Butler looks at the leading prospects for the first day of the IAAF/Sport Ireland World
Cross Country Championships.
JUNIOR WOMEN
No woman has ever won this title twice, but in Dublin there are two Kenyans who could achieve that feat; defending champion Viola Kibiwott and the 2000 winner Vivian Cheruiyot. The Ethiopians will be out for revenge after Kibiwott snatched individual victory from Abebech Nigussie 12 months ago in Ostend. Their leader perhaps will be Tirunesh Dibaba, a cousin of Derartu Tulu who was fifth in 2001. Kenyans, Ethiopians and Japanese runners have filled the first six places every year since 1996, but there are a few candidates in Dublin who might end that run.
LEADING CONTENDERS
Bib
540 BEKELE Bezunesh ETH Junior team gold at 1999 World Junior XC
541 DEFAR Meseret ETH Silver medals at 5000m in 2000 at both the African senior
and World Junior Championships
542 DIBABA Tirunesh ETH 2002 Ethiopian Junior XC Champion
543 TUFA Mestewat ETH 2001 World Youth silver at 3000m
550 DALE Charlotte GBR 5th in 2001 European Junior XC despite falling
in the first 800m
572 IKEDA Emi JPN 2001 Japanese High School Champion at 3000m
577 CHEROP Sharon KEN 2000 World junior bronze at 5000m despite losing a shoe
during
the race
578 CHERUIYOT Vivian KEN Sydney Olympic finalist at 5000m
579 DOMONGOLE Fridah KEN 2001 World Youth bronze at 3000m
581 KIBIWOTT Viola KEN 2001 World Junior XC Champion
619 KOSTIC Snezana YUG 2001 European Junior XC bronze
642 ROLLISON Melissa AUS World junior record holder at 3000m Steeplechase
MEN’S SHORT
There will be a new champion because the 2001 champion Enock Koech has withdrawn through illness. Kenya’s strength in depth is demonstrated by the fact the Koech’s replacement, Julius Nyamu, is one of the fastest steeplechasers in history. Sammy “Slammin” Kipketer has been the man in form in Kenya this winter with wins in the Armed Forces and Nationals. Even so, Kenenisa Bekele has taken the limelight so far with a string of wins in Europe. Can he end Ethiopia’s relatively disappointing showing in the four editions of this event.
Morocco’s big guns are out in this race, headed by the new world record holder for the steeplechase, Brahim Boulami. No Australian has ever won a world cross country medal but Craig Mottram should get near. he was 8th in Ostend and has clearly moved to a new level this winter. Ireland too might have something to cheer from Gareth Turnbull, while Spain’s Alberto García will be hoping to translate his indoor form to the country.
LEADING CONTENDERS
Bib
168 MOTTRAM Craig AUS Australian record holder at 3000m &
5000m
184 de SOUZA Hudson BRA South American record holder at 1500m & 3000m
199 JIMÉNEZ Antonio ESP 2002 European indoor silver at 3000m
202 ABATE Abiyote ETH 2001 Ethiopian Champion at 5000m
206 BEKELE Kenenisa ETH 2001 World Junior XC Champion
207 MEKONNEN Haylu ETH Ethiopian record holder at 1500m
208 WOLDE Million ETH In Sydney became the youngest Olympic 5000 Champion
214 MAAZOUZI Driss FRA 2001 World bronze at 1500m
217 MAYOCK John GBR British #1 at 1500m for the past seven years
233 TURNBULL Gareth IRL Silver at 1500m in 2001 World Student Games
242 CHEBII Abraham KEN Was the world’s fastest 10,000m runner in 2001
243 KIPKETER Sammy KEN Holds world road bests at 5K & 10K
244 KIPKOSGEI Luke KEN 1998 Goodwill Games winner at 5000m
245 KIPLAGAT Sammy KEN 2001 Kenyan Prisons XC Champion
246 KOSGEI Joseph KEN 2nd in 2002 Kenyan National 4K XC
247 NYAMU Julius KEN Clocked 8:07.59 for steeplechase in 2001
253 BOULAMI Brahim MAR In Brussels 2001 became the first non-Kenyan to set a
world record for steeplechase since 1976
255 EL AMRI Khalid MAR 2002 Moroccan short course XC Champion
257 EZZINE Ali MAR 2001 World steeplechase silver
372 GARCÍA Alberto ESP 2002 European Indoor Champion at 3000m
WOMEN’S LONG
It will take an exceptional runner to prevent Paula Radcliffe from becoming the first woman to successfully defend this title since Lynn Jennings in 1991/1992. In Radcliffe’s last race at Puerto Rico she got near to the world road best at 10K despite being in the midst of her build-up to the London marathon. If it were not for Gete Wami and Derartu Tulu, the British runner would have won two further golds at these championships. The Ethiopian pair are missing this time though that country still have Merima Denboba and Ayelech Worku who have each outkicked Radcliffe in the past. Another threat is Japan’s Kayoko Fukushi, a revelation on the road this winter but inexperienced at cross country.
The Kenyans, like the Ethiopians, are not at full strength whereas the United States and Britain each have loaded teams with medal potential.
LEADING CONTENDERS
Bib
786 BUTLER Kathy GBR 2001 European Cup winner at 3000m
789 RADCLIFFE Paula GBR 2001 Champion, she also won the World Junior XC title 10
years ago
791 YELLING Liz GBR Twice English XC Champion
807 FUKUSHI Kayoko JPN Clocked 31:22 & beat Derartu Tulu by 52 seconds during 10K
stage in 2002 Yokohama Ekiden
810 AYABEI Jepkorir KEN 2nd in 2002 Kenyan National 8K XC
811 CHEPCHUMBA Pamela KEN 5th in 2002 World Half Marathon
812 CHERUIYOT Rose KEN Twice Olympic finalist at 5000m
813 MALOT Leah KEN Ended Gabriela Szabo’s 2-year win streak at 5000m in
Berlin 2000
814 OMORO Jane KEN 1994 Commonwealth bronze at 10,000m
815 WANGARI Monica KEN 3rd in 2002 Kenyan National 8K XC
829 ROSA Anália POR Team gold at 2000 World short course XC
843 de REUCK Colleen USA Ran in three Olympic Games for South Africa before
becoming a US citizen in December 2000
844 DROSSIN Deena USA Passed out in the 2000 World Cross Country Championships
long race after swallowing a bee which stung her in the throat; she recovered to finish 12th
845 DRYER Elva USA Team bronze in 1998 World
short course XC
847 RHINES Jennifer USA Team bronze in 2000 World long course XC
853 JEVTIC Olivera YUG 2002 Balkan XC Champion
