Bekele wins Great North Cross (© Mark Shearman)
With the winter sun low in the sky it was a battle between the world’s top cross country runners for the major race of the day in Newcastle. Half marathon world champion Kosgei, looked at home in the mud and light snow, always had a fight on his hands with fellow countryman Sammy Kipketer and the new Ethiopian star Kenenisa Bekele over the 9.4 kilometre course.
"I don't mind running in the mud," said Kenenisa Bekele, even a fluttering of snow outside his hotel's breakfast room left undeterred the reigning IAAF World Cross Country long and short course champion.
As expected, the race was dominated by the three Africans, juggling the lead between them.
With 19 minutes on the clock Bekele had developed a 30-second gap over his rivals and looked as if he was born to run on the mixture of mud and snow, gliding along in front of the rest of the quality field.
Crossing the line in 29.12, the Ethiopean had made light of the conditions with Kipketer following with 29:27 and Kosgei 29:35: " It is not the first time I have ran in these conditions. It was very cold for me but I felt that I could have gone on for a while longer". He continued: " When I made the break I knew I was strong enough to win the race because I was feeling so strong".
There were mixed feelings from third place Paul Kosgei , who on his last trip to the Northeast of England broke an hour for the half marathon: " It was a tough race and I am disappointed to lose here in Newcastle as it has good memories for me. I feel good and am without injury so I am looking forward to the World Championships.
The Women,s main race, which had three of the favourites pull out in the three days before the race, saw the Africans take the first two places in a race that started in a downpour of snow.
The 6.8k course proved to be a testing one for all but four women who made it a race within a race after the first circuit of the 1.2 k course.
Edith Masai, bedecked with woolly hat and gloves to ward off the sub zero temperature, sat behind the double Irish challenge of Ann Keenan Buckley and Maria McCambridge with Worknesh Kidane in close attendance.
But the four-horse race turned to two on the final lap with Kidane and Masai breaking away to provide the crowd with a sprint to the line over the last 100m won by Masai, who came out on top clocking 23:39 with Kidane finishing in 23:41.
" It was very cold and the mud stuck to me all the time. The course was tough but cross-country is tough. I knew I would win when the race was just the two of us on the final lap", said a cold but very pleased Masai.
Leading results:
MEN'S 8.8K
