Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) with the winner's trophy in Seville (© Luis Saladie)
Seville, SpainEthiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele should be the undisputed star at the ‘XXII Cross Internacional de Itálica’ - IAAF Permit - to be held this Sunday 18 January.
The ‘double-double’ World Cross Country champion remains undefeated at the cross country discipline since 24 March 2001, when still a junior, he came second to Kenya’s Enock Koech in the short race at the World Championships in Ostend, Belgium.
Having succeeded convincingly in his first two appearances this winter - Oeiras (Por), 16 November and Campaccio (Ita) last Saturday - the World 10,000m champion will be aiming this Sunday to repeat last year’s overwhelming win.
Quality opposition
However, over the 10,800m course Bekele will face his stiffest opposition so far this cross country season in the guise of fellow countryman Gebregziabher Gebremariam, Kenya’s Abraham Chebii, and Uganda’s Boniface Kiprop.
Gebremariam seems to be in the form of his life, and will be performing for the third straight weekend on Spanish soil with two clear victories in Fuensalida (4 Jan) and Valladolid (11 Jan) already under his belt. Strangely enough, the 20-year-old Ethiopian hasn’t raced yet against Kiprop this month despite the Ugandan having also competed in Spain in the last two weeks, with an impressive win in Amorebieta (4 Jan) and a third place in Elgóibar last Sunday.
To complete the ‘golden quartet’, Kenya’s Abraham Chebii is also on the starting list. Chebii won from World 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge in Elgóibar on Sunday when he showed once again his trademark devastating final kick. The same devastating change of pace also edged out Bekele in last summer’s Golden Gala in Rome over 5000m (12:57.14 verses 12:57.34).
Last year’s runner-up Eritrea’s Tadesse Zersenay is another man not to be discounted. The Madrid-based athlete came ninth at the last Worlds in Lausanne (long race) and has set his sights even higher for the Brussels’ Worlds in March.
The European fight will be led by Ukraine’s Yevgeniy Bozhko and Spain’s European cross silver medallist Juan Carlos de la Ossa, and fellow countryman José Manuel Martínez, the European 10,000m mchampion, who will fly on 28 January to Japan to take part in the Tokyo Marathon (8 February).
European 3000m steeplechase champion Antonio Jiménez will be running on his home soil in Seville, and should also be in the fight to become the fist European home. Jiménez won a short cross-country race in Valencia last Sunday from World steeplechase bronze medallist Eliseo Martín, and is now fully recovered from the illness which prevented him from competing throughout the 2003 season.
Fabián Roncero, of Spain, and Britain’s Chris Thompson are also in a classy field which has been possible thanks to a 300,000 USD budget.
Denboba versus Tufa
In the women’s race over 6600m, attention will be focused on the current IAAF World long race bronze medallist Ethiopia Merima Denboba, who is running her seventh race this cross country season.
Since two fine victories (Oeiras and Soria) the 29-year-old Ethiopian has been struggling with some low key physical problems which have not allowed her to run at her best. Denboba will challenge compatriot Mestewat Tufa, still 17, who was runner-up in Elgóibar to Abeylegesse, beating Denboba, who was third.
Catherine Chikwakwa of Malawi and Kenya’s Pamela Amisamuk, winner in Fuensalida (from Denboba) and fourth in Elgóibar, should also be pursuing victory.
European hopes rest on two top-10 women from the last European Championships in Edinburgh, Poland’s Justyna Bak (7th) and Italy’s Patrizia Tisi (9th). Analia Rosa, who came third in Amorebieta ahead of Viola Kibiwott and Gelete Burika, will be heading a strong Portuguese squad also comprising Ana Dias, Helena Sampaio and Monica Rosa.
