News10 Nov 2008


‘Hurricane’ Bezabeh defeats World XC silver medallist Komon in Atapuerca

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Spain’s Alemayehu Bezabeh wins in Atapuerca (© Diputación de Burgos)

Spain’s Alemayehu Bezabeh and Kenya’s Margaret Muriuki kicked off the new Spanish cross country season successfully by capturing fine victories in the fifth edition of the ‘Cross Internacional de Atapuerca’  held yesterday (9) on a cold and windy day for weather.

Especially remarkable was Bezabeh’s victory since he got the better of Kenya’s reigning World XC silver medallist Leonard Komon.

MEN – Bezabeh in a class on his own

The 8.3km men’s race witnessed a frantic start thanks to the early effort of Sergio Sánchez, the current Spanish 3000m indoor champion. The 26-year-old, who came a respectable eighth at the World Indoors in Valencia last March, had built a 40m margin by the second kilometre on the chasing group which included Komon, the Ethiopian-born Bezabeh, and last year’s victor Elijah Chelimo of Kenya among others.

Sánchez’s front-running came to an end with the clock reading 10 minutes as he was easily reeled in by a five-men pack which also comprised Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem and Javier Guerra.

It soon became clear that Bezabeh was eager to pull away from the others and by the 5000m point the 22-year-old already travelled in solitude while the other four athletes followed him in crocodile file, Komon being the closest to the leader.

The following three kilometres saw no major changes as Bezabeh still led from Komon although his 3 to 4 second margin never seemed to be decisive but entering the closing 600m Bezabeh increased his pace dramatically to open a sizeable advantage over Komon, romping home in style in 23:40, some 12 seconds ahead the Kenyan. A fading Chelimo completed a classy podium another 18 seconds adrift.

After the race, the winner was quoted as saying: “I’m delighted with this win in my cross country debut this season. Despite facing a world class athlete like Komon I felt very fine and remained always confident of my success. I’m now plan to race in Soria (IAAF permit) in a couple of weeks and look forward to the European XC Championships in Brussels,” concluded the Madrid-based raising star.

Bezabeh received Spanish nationality as late as 24 July 2008 but he could represent his new country at the Beijing Olympics where he recorded an 11th place in the 5000m event; his PB stands at 13:20.46.

As for Komon, the 20-year-old Kenyan declared: “I always compete to win but Bezabeh proved to be stronger than me today. After my silver medal in Edinburgh (Worlds) I started the track season in good fashion (26:57.08 10,000 PB in Hengelo) but then I sustained some injuries which prevented me to shine for the rest of the summer campaign.”

The domestic battle to be first 'home-grown' Spaniard across the finish was taken by Ayad Lamdassem (10,000m PB of 27:45.58 in 2008) three seconds ahead of Javier Guerra.

WOMEN – Double Kenyan with Muriuki over Cherono

The women’s 4.475km contest featured a top-ten athlete from this year’s World XC Champs in the guise of Kenya’s Margaret Muriuki, who placed eighth in Edinburgh but it was Portugal’s Ines Monteiro who dictated the early pace of the event with only the Kenyan pair of Muriuki and Gladys Cherono for company. This triumvirate had opened a massive 100m gap over the chasing group by halfway.

The 28-year-old Monteiro, who made a fine Marathon debut earlier this year (2:30:36), tried to leave her opponents before the closing stages but all her efforts were useless. Firstly Muriuki and then Cherono (70.33 PB for the Half Marathon) passed her with ease some 400 left with the former prevailing by four seconds at the finish line while the Portuguese lost another three seconds to Cherono.

The 32-year-old Nuria Fernández of Spain (1500m PB of 4:03.37) was fourth, beating two steeplechasers in the guise of fellow Spaniard Rosa Morató and Sweden’s Ida Nilsson.

Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF

RESULTS

Men (8.375m)

1. Alemayehu Bezabeh (Esp) 23:40
2. Leonard Komon (Ken) 23:52
3. Elijah Chelimo (Ken) 24:10
4. Ayad Lamdassem (Esp) 24:21
5. Javier Guerra (Esp) 24:24
6. Abdelhadi El Mouaziz (Mor) 24:47
7. Francisco Javier Alves (Esp) 24:48
8. Sergio Sánchez (Esp) 24:54
9. Francisco España (Esp) 24:55
10. Iván Hierro (Esp) 24:56


Women (4.475m)

1. Margaret Muriuki (Ken) 14:11
2. Gladys Cherono (Ken) 14:15
3. Ines Monteiro (Por) 14:18
4. Nuria Fernández (Esp) 14:40
5. Rosa Morató (Esp) 14:42
6. Ida Nilsson (Swe) 14:45
7. Diana Martín (Esp) 14:48
8. Alessandra Aguilar (Esp) 14:51
9. Lissa Blomme (Swe) 14:54
10. Jacqueline Martín (Esp) 14:57

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