Sergiy Lebid running in the 2003 Boclassic Silvesterlauf in Bolzano (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Bolzano, Italybased Ukrainian Sergiy Lebid, who was recently crowned as a four-time European Cross Country champion at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, and Ethiopia’s Berhane Adere, the women’s World 10,000m champion, took the victories at the 29th edition of the Boclassic Silvesterlauf, the traditional road race staged in a festive atmosphere each 31 December.
It was the fourth win for Lebid who received a very warm welcome from the local people in the Northern Italian town to whom the blonde Ukrainian - who was born in Dneprpetrovsk - is considered a sort of “local hero” after his wins in 1999, 2001 and 2002.
In this 10 km race which circuits through the streets of the town eight times, Lebid as usual started at a conservative pace and stayed in the pack which was led initially by the 3000 metres steeplechaser Julius Nyamu (PB 8:07:59 set in the Golden League meeting in Brussels 2001), the young Wilson Businei from Uganda, and Martin Sulle (bronze medallist in the Half marathon World Championships at Villamoura last October).
In the third lap five Africans (Abderahim Goumri from Morocco, Sulle, Benjamin Kiprotich, Nyamu and Businei) remained in contention with four Europeans (Lebid, Fernando Silva from Portugal and the Italians Giuliano Battocletti and Daniele Caimmi). In the fifth lap Silva lost ground as the africans continued their front-running race by recording 21:37 at the end of the sixth lap.
With two laps to go Goumri, a good 5000 metres specialist (PB 13:00.76 set in the Stockolm Grand Prix meeting in 2002), Kiprotich and Lebid pulled clear from the rest of the field and clocking 25:11 when they accomplished the penultimate lap. Nyamu and Sulle tried to respond but the leading trio pushed the pace and increased their lead.
In the end, Lebid produced a devastating kick in the Railway Station Square - approximately the same point at which he pulled away last year - and crossed the finish line in the Waltherplatz for victory.
Budapest and Brussels start for Lebid
“I was confident during the race that I could rely on my kick to win over the Africans,” said Lebid. “I do specific training sessions to improve in my final kicks. I work more on speed than in the past. This year I want to try something new and focus on shorter races to improve my speed base.”
”This is why I am planning to tackle both the 3000 metres at the World Indoors in Budapest and probably the short course race instead of the long course at the World Cross Country Championships in Brussels.”
”I will run cross country races until the mid of January and I will be at Amorebieta (Spain) on 4 January and the Campaccio in San Giorgio su Legnano (Italy) on 10 January. Then I will test my condition in a couple of indoor races before Budapest. My main goal for this season is represented by the 5000 metres at the Olympic Games in Athens where I want to improve on my seventh place in Sydney,” concluded Lebid.
Adere in fine form for third win
Another “friend” of the Bolzano race is Berhane Adere who won for the third time in Bolzano after 1997 and 2002, ahead of Jo Pavey from Great Britain by 8 seconds, with a time of 15:49.9 in the 5 km women race. Third was Adere’s compatriot Meselesh Melkamu who finished fourth in the junior race at the World Cross Championships in Lausanne at 17 years of age.
Pavey went into the lead in the first stage of the race followed by Adere, Melkamu, Justina Bak from Poland (the former 3000 metres world record holder with 9:22.29 set in Milan 2002) and the Italians Silvia Weissteiner and Patrizia Tisi who managed to stay in the leading group.
In the third lap Adere pulled clear but Pavey initially managed to resist to her attack. After the bell Adere opened a decisive gap and secured her win.
“It was not a difficult task for me today,” confirmed Adere. “I know this course very well as I won here three times. This race was a final test before the next indoor season. I will begin my indoor campaign with a 3000 metres race in Stuttgart in preparation for the World Indoors in Budapest where I will defend last year’s 3000 metres World title that I won in Birmingham.”
Great Britain’s Jo Pavey was delighted with her second place. “I really enjoyed this race in such a lovely atmosphere which ends a great season highlighted by my third place in the World Athletics Final in Monaco. I am looking forward to next season and the Athens Olympics. In a couple of weeks I will decide whether to run the 1500 metres or the 5000 metres in the Greek capital. I don’t rule out participation at both the World Indoors and the World Cross Country Champs this winter. My next race will be in Newcastle, where I hope the course will not be too muddy and slippery.”
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Results
Men (10 km):
1 Sergiy Lebid (Ukraine) 28:36.8
2 Abderahim Goumri (Morocco) 28:39.5
3 Benjamin Kiprotich (Kenya) 28:42.8
4 Martin Sulle (Tanzania) 28:50.6
5 Wilson Busienei (Uganda) 28:55.9
6 Giuliano Battocletti (Italy) 29:06.2
7 Julius Nyamu (Kenya) 29:14.3
8 Daniele Caimmi (Italy) 29:20.5
Women (5 km):
1 Berhane Adere (Ethiopia) 15:49.9
2 Jo Pavey (Great Britain) 15:57.4
3 Meselesh Melkamu (Ethiopia) 15:58.6
4 Patrizia Tisi (Italy) 16:12.4
5 Silvia Weissteiner (Italy) 16:21.6
6 Justina Bak (Poland) 16:30.5
7 Anna Incerti (Italy) 16:42.5
8 Bruna Genovese (Italy) 16:45.5
