2003 Iris Crosscup winner: Paul Tergat of Kenya (© Heerinckx)
holder Paul Tergat seeks to end his brief cross country comeback with a victory in Saturday’s Belfast International, Northern Ireland (10 Jan).
Tergat won the last of his five World Cross Country titles in the Northern Ireland capital, at Upper Malone in 1999 and returns to the city seeking victory at Stormont before concentrating on his marathon preparations for London, and then the Olympics in Athens.
The 34-year-old Kenyan briefly considered chasing a sixth World cross title this winter but has now ruled out such an attempt and Saturday will be his final race on the surface this campaign. He has looked supremely fit in his two cross country outings this winter but has at times uncomfortable in the muddy conditions in Brussels and Newcastle.
He defeated European cross country champion Sergiy Lebid in Belgium, his first race on the surface for three years, but was well beaten at Newcastle last weekend by Ethiopia's Sileshi Sihine and Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya.
the challengers...
On Saturday he heads a typically strong African challenge and will clearly be the one to beat. He faces Daniel Gachara, who knows the Stormont course well, having won in 2001, finished second in 2002 and third last year. Having come in as a late replacement for Julius Kibet, who could not obtain a visa, he’ll be hoping the sequence doesn’t continue to fourth in 2004!
Tanzania's Fabian Joseph, the World Half-Marathon silver medallist, is hoping to make the podium after his fourth place last year.
Kenyan Wilberforce Talel has already enjoyed success in the UK when winning the 2002 Commonwealth 10,000m title so will be looking to impress again. He has previously run well in southern Ireland, taking World Cross Country bronze in Dublin two years ago.
An international between the UK countries will see the Graffin twins, Allen and Andrew (the 2000 Olympic 1500m representative), making their debuts for Northern Ireland after switching allegiance from England.
Women's race - Chepkemei is the favourite
The women’s race has suffered from the withdrawals of Elvan Abeylegesse and Merima Denboba, which has boosted the chances of Susan Chepkemei, who was in contention for most of the way in Newcastle last weekend. The 65:44 half-marathoner eventually finished third and could have stiff competition from Canadian cross country champion Emelie Mondor who was fourth last week.
Eyerusalem Kuma of Ethiopia was fourth in the World cross Country long race last winter, having earlier finished sixth in this race. Ahead of her that day was Hayley Yelling, who will look to repeat the form she showed with a battling second place in Belfast 12 months ago when she led for much of the way.
Yelling is joined by two of her team-mates from the victorious British team at the European Cross Country Championships, Kathy Butler and Hayley Tullett, the world 1,500m bronze medallist.
McColgan return
Another Briton who will create interest is former world 10,000m and half-marathon champion Liz McColgan who has decided to compete in the race she won twice, in 1987 and ’88.
Although officially retired, McColgan has kept herself in good shape and has run several races in recent months, winning a handful of road and cross country events and clocking 56:12 for 10 miles.
She will be in Belfast to watch eldest daughter Eilish in action in the under-13 race, in which she hopes to strengthen her position as leader in the Reebok Cross Challenge series. McColgan’s husband Peter, a former international steeplechaser, is also making a rare appearance in the veterans’ race.
