Ethiopian party in Seville

Ethiopia’s Maregu Tarefe Zewdie clinched an impressive win at the ‘23rd Cross Internacional de Itálica’ - the fifth of the current 2004/2005 series of IAAF cross country permit races - held today in Santiponce (Seville).

Men’s race: Unstoppable Zewdie

Zewdie, who is the reigning World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist in the short race, arrived in Seville confident of his winning chances after his victory ahead of his countryman Meba Tadesse in Milan over 10km last 20 December.

Yet for the first time in the last few years the men’s race in Seville seemed to be wide open since the Ethiopian ace Kenenisa Bekele had announced last December that he wouldn’t defend his title after taking overwhelming victories in 2003 and 2004.

In his place the organisers had gathered a high calibre field which included Ethiopia’s Abebe Dinkesa, regarded as the pre-race favourite due to his success at the IAAF permit in Brussels last 19 December. The joint favourite had been Tanzania’s Fabiano Joseph but he never got into the hunt for the win.

The Kenyan armada comprised 2001 World 5000m champion Richard Limo, and Eliud Kirui 6th at last year’s World Cross Country championships in the short race.

After a cautious start (6:17 for the opening lap) Eritrea’s Yonas Kifle made most of the early running. He broke away from the field briefly but his lead was short-lived and he was soon reeled in. The second lap was covered in a brisker 6:02 with Kirui ruling but with all the favourites still lurking at his shoulder.

Following a slower loop timed at 6:20, Dinkesa made his move 21 minutes into the contest setting such a fast pace that all the rest of big names - apart from Zewdie - began to struggle. The leading pack split up and the athletes started to run in single file.

Thanks to a 5:59 lap Dinkesa and Zewdie opened a decisive gap over the rest and the only question remaining was to find out who would become the fourth Ethiopian (after Bayissa, Gebreselassie and Bekele) to win this prestigious race.

At the bell Dinkesa was at the front, while Zewdie remained tucked behind. To the spectators' surprise it was the latter who pulled away from Dinkesa entering the final kilometre. Zewdie’s strength of running in the closing stages was awesome and he snatched a more-than convincing win from his countryman who broke the finishing line 6 seconds adrift of him. Zwedie's winning time was 31:22

The Kenyans fought hard between them looking for third place, and it was Richard Limo who prevailed over Eliud Kirui, 10 and 24 seconds behind the winner respectively.

European cross country silver medallist Juan Carlos de la Ossa provided the local fans with something to cheer about with a praiseworthy fifth place ahead of Eritrea’s Yonas Kifle.

With a disappointing performance, Tanzania’s Fabiano Joseph finished 10th some 1:05 behind the winner.

“Winning an IAAF permit is fantastic,” declared an extremely happy Zewdie. I’m building up for the short race at the World Cross in (St-Etienne/St-Galmier) France in March but I knew it was not a problem to compete over 10km as I felt great in Milan. I’ll be running in Elgóibar (Spain) next Sunday.”

Women’s race: Kidane strikes again

Before the men’s race had even started today’s Ethiopian success story had already written its first chapter in the women’s race. This first win of the day was thanks to a late addition to the starting line-up of Werknesh Kidane, who inflicted a convincing defeat on Kenya’s Alice Timbilil. Merima Hashim of Ethiopia took the third podium spot.

Over an unusual distance of 8.7km, the athletes ran at a very comfortably pace during the first 2km lap (7:19). Shortly afterwards it was the reigning World 10,000m silver medallist Kidane who pushed the pace and only Hashim and the Kenyan pair of Timbilil and three-time World Cross Country short race champion Edith Masai, remained in close attendance one lap later (7:02 for the second lap). By then Merima Denboba, the winner of this race in the last two years was well back and without a chance of retaining her title.

Kidane and Timbilil took turns in the lead for some minutes but what shook up the race was Kidane’s third lap which she covered in a blistering 6:46, enough to shake her last challenger’s resistance. Behind the tireless Kidane it was Timbilil who stayed closest and kept Hashim at bay in order to secure second position, while a fading Masai ran in fourth.

At the finishing line Kidane’s gap over Timbilil was 5 seconds (28:47 to 28:52) with Hashim a further six seconds back. Masai was a distant fourth 31 seconds adrift, while a tired Denboba finally came eighth, 55 seconds back.

The 23-year-old Kidane who has a brace of individual World Cross Country Championship medals to her name (gold: 2003, long race; silver: 2002 & 2003, short race and bronze: 2004, long race) declared: “I’m really happy because this is my third win in a row on Spanish soil after my victories in Soria (21 November) and Llodio (28 November). This year I only plan to contest the long race at the Worlds.”

Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF

Results

Men (10.8km)

1. Maregu Tarefe Zewdie (Eth) 31:22
2. Abebe Dinkesa (Eth) 31:28
3. Richard Limo (Ken) 31:32
4. Eliud Kirui (Ken) 31:46
5. Juan Carlos de la Ossa (Esp) 31:55
6. Yonas Kifle (Eri) 31:58
7. Cutberth Nyasango (Zim) 32:06
8. Alejandro Suárez (Mex) 32:07
9. Tesfayohannes Mesfin (Eri) 32:26
10. Fabiano Joseph (Tan) 32:27

Women (8.7km)

1. Werknesh Kidane (Eth) 28:43
2. Alice Timbilil (Ken) 28:51
3. Merima Hashim (Eth) 29:01
4. Edith Masai (Ken) 29:14
5. Analia Rosa (Por) 29:22
6. Inés Monteiro (Por) 29:28
7. Merima Denboba (Eth) 29:38
8. Ana Dias (Por) 29:43
9. Monica Rosa (Por) 29:49
10. Malica Ashassah (Mor) 30:00