Ronald Rutto winning the 2005 Oeiras Cross (© Marcelino Almeida)
Kenyans Ronald Rutto and Elizabeth Rumokol were crowned the new champions of the sixth Sportzone Oeiras International Cross - IAAF Permit Meeting - held on the course of Jamor in Oeiras, Portugal.
Rutto ended up being a big surprise, defeating the favourite and defending champion Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia, the 2004 World junior 5000m track bronze medallist, sixth in the World Cross Country Junior race, and the younger brother of two-time World Athlete of the Year, Kenenisa Bekele.
Bekele and Rutto took turns at the front, one at a time, but in the last lap Rutto was the stronger of the pair and finished with a comfortable advantage passing at the finish line alone in 26:27. Bekele arrived four seconds later, crossing in 26:31.
In the race's second group, Kenyan William Chebon (third, 26:43) was best, although closely followed by top Portuguese athletes, in particular the young Fernando Silva (fourth, 26:47), road champion in 2004, and the experienced Paulo Guerra. Guerra who has showed good form recently, was fifth in 27:02 after a runner-up finish in Amora last weekend. These solid performances might have assured Silva and Guerra a spot on the national team for the European Championships in December in Tilburg (NED).
Melkamu out of the race
Pre-race favourite Meselech Melkamu, the 2004 World Junior Cross Country champion who was fourth (long race) and sixth in the senior long and short races at the World championships last spring, didn't show up. In her absence, Kenyan Elizabeth Rumokol took the title in 17:36. Rumokol took the lead early on and finished well ahead of Portuguese Inês Monteiro, 2005 National road race champion, who was eight seconds back in 17:44. Cláudia Pereira (POR), who in the last lap surprisingly passed two opponents, was third in 17.52.
Men (9km) -
1. Ronald Rutto, KEN 26:27
2. Tariku Bekele, ETH 26:31
3. William Chebon, KEN 26:43
4. Fernando Silva, POR 26:47
5. Paulo Guerra, POR 27:02
6. Ricardo Ribas, POR 27:12
7. Manuel Magalhães, POR 27:17
8. Mark Bett, KEN 27:23
9. Hermano Ferreira, POR 27:26
10. David Kilel, KEN 27:34
Women (5km) -
1. Elizabeth Rumokol, KEN 17.36
2. Inês Monteiro, POR 17.44
3. Cláudia Pereira, POR 17.52
4. Jeruto Kiptum, KEN 17.54
5. Leonor Carneiro, POR 17.54
6. Fátima Cabral, POR 18.00
7. Mónica Rosa, POR 18.02
8. Helena Sampaio, POR 18.05
9. Catherine Chiwakwa, Malawi 18.25
10. Elisabete Lopes, POR 18.35
Paulo Costa for the IAAF