Tergat heads for Belfast Cross win (© Mark Shearman)
The Oeiras International, the opening IAAF Cross Country permit race of the 2004/2005 season takes place this Sunday, 21 November at the picturesque Jamor course. For the fifth time, the organisers have fulfilled their goal of attracting several of the world’s brightest cross country stars to the race, even if Kenenisa Bekele will not defend the title he won here last year.
MEN - Tergat will contend with much younger foes
In place of Ethiopia’s reigning six-time World Cross Country champion, the men's race in Oeiras can boast the participation of former five-time World Cross gold medallist Paul Tergat, 35, who is another very dear athlete in the hearts of the Portuguese spectators. Things might not have worked out as planned for Kenya’s World Marathon record holder in Athens, where he finished tenth in the Olympic marathon, but what better than to get back to basics by running in the most fundamental and natural of all running disciplines.
Fellow Kenyans Moses Kigen, 31, and Eliud Kirui, 29, who was sixth in the 2004 World short course race, should provide Tergat’s main opponents on Sunday.
Yet should we should look to the extreme talent and youth of Ethiopian runners like Badi Worku, just 16, or Tariku Bekele, 17, the brother of the amazing Kenenisa Bekele, to spring a surprise?
Many of the top Portuguese athletes like Fernando Silva, Manuel Damião, Luís Jesus, José Ramos, Manuel Silva and Hélder Ornelas will also compete in Oeiras. They will all be trying to convince the national Coach Abreu Matos that they deserve a trip to Germany in December for the European Cross Country Championships. At last year’s edition in Edinburgh, Portugal was quite successful and brought home three bronze medals (two team and one individual).
WOMEN - Denboba versus Malot again
Leah Malot of Kenya will fight all the harder for the win in the women’s race after her finish line defeat by Merima Denboba of Ethiopia in last year's race.
Ethiopian winner returns to defend her title, and Malot who win here in 2001 and 2002, will also face fellow Kenyan Alice Timbilili, who was 4th in the World Cross long course race this year, Ethiopia’s World Junior champion Meselech Melkamu, and Catherine Chikwakwa of Malawi.
The Portuguese challenge will be offered by Jessica Augusto, Inês Monteiro, Carla Sacramento, Helena Sampaio and Marina Bastos, who all, like their male counterparts will be searching for a place in the national team for the continental championships in Germany next month.
Paulo Costa for the IAAF
