John Yuda of Tanzania wins the 2003 Alcobendas Cross Country (© Juan Carlos Tirado Garcia)
Alcobendas, SpainTanzania’s John Yuda, 2002 World Cross Country silver medallist (long race) clinched a narrow sprint victory in the ‘22nd Cross Internacional de la Constitución’ held today.
Coming just seven days after another win in Alcier (France), it provided further evidence that the 24-year-old Tanzanian is fast approaching his best form after a relatively below-par performance at the World Half Marathon Championships in Vilamoura early in October when he came fifth in 61:13. Yuda had been injured but he proved once more today that he is now fully recovered.
Yuda defeated some of the cream of the world's distance runners, including his fellow countryman Fabian Joseph and Eritrea’s Tadesse Zersenay. Yuda won by such a narrow margin that just two seconds covered the first three at the end, with Zersenay being runner-up one second behind Yuda, while Joseph was a close third, another second adrift.
Remarkably this was the first time a Kenyan had not won since 1993, and they didn’t even manage a podium place today.
A late addition to the starting list, Yuda set the pace from the start and before the third kilometre mark only seven men remained in contention, two Tanzanians (Yuda and Joseph), two Kenyans (David Kilel and David Chemweno) and two Spaniards - in the guise of European champions José Manuel Martínez (10,000m) and Antonio Jiménez (3000 Steeplechase) - plus Zersenay.
Shortly afterwards Yuda picked up the pace and within a matter of strides the chasing pack had by necessity formed into crocodile file, with Joseph, Zersenay and Kilel responding better than the rest.
When the leading group went through the sixth kilometre they had built a 8-second gap on Chemweno and 23 seconds over the Spaniards. By then Joseph took turns in the lead with his compatriot Yuda trying to leave the other two Africans behind. They succeeded partially as Kilel, 19, lost ground with about one mile left.
Zersenay seemed untroubled but he never took the lead; it became clear then that a thrilling sprint would decide the winner.
Entering the 200m-final straight Yuda led from Joseph and Zersenay, and there was no catching him and he romped home ahead of the Eritrean, who pipped Joseph for second and prevented a 1-2 for Tanzania. Yet, Joseph completed a remarkable 3-1-3 set of placings on Spanish soil in the last three weekends, and will now change his residence from Tanzania to Kenya to join his coach there.
The Kenyan pair of Kilel and Chemweno completed a classy top five, 13 and 49 seconds behind Yuda respectively while Martínez proved to be the strongest European home, 53 seconds adrift.
Twice World Half Marathon bronze medallist (2001-02) Yuda said: “I ran strongly right from the start just because that’s my usual tactic; if I feel good I prefer to set my own pace; I’m happy coming back to victories and I’ll next run in Venta de Baños (Spain, 21 December), possibly”.
Timbilil beats Denboba again
In the women’s race there was an action replay from last week's Llodio race and Kenya’s Alice Timbilil took another thrilling victory from Ethiopia’s Merima Denboba.
Timbilil and Magdaline Chemjor, also of Kenya, took over the race from the start with Jackline Maranga, the 1999 World short course champion, Denboba, and 2003 World Junior Cross Country bronze medallist Gelete Burika of Ethiopia in close attendance.
Chemjor, who finished fifth at the last Worlds in Lausanne (long race) and 1500m specialist Maranga, also fifth on the track at the World Championships in Paris last summer, dropped from the top of the race just after halfway, with the battle for the win again turning into a Timbilil-Denboba contest, with only young Burika remaining in touch.
It was with 800m to go that Burika finally faded and from then onwards all eyes focused on the clash between Timbilil and Denboba, with the 20-year-old Kenyan making most of the running but unable to leave the Ethiopian behind.
As had happened in the men’s race the chasing athlete didn’t catch the leader and Timbilil captured her second win in a row in an awesome gun-to-tape display. The Kenyan’s winning time was 20:26, while Denboba (1-1-2-2 placings on her European cross country tour this season) in second was timed at 20:27, some 8 seconds ahead of Burika.
Maranga and Chemjor kept their places in fourth and fifth respectively, while Spain’s European U-23 5000m bronze medallist Sonia Bejarano defeated the more heralded Portuguese Monica Rosa and Eritrea’s Nebiat Habtemariam to take sixth 39 seconds behind Timbilil.
“It has been a tough race with a lot of mud, but that’s cross country! This is my second consecutive win and I look forward to the Worlds in Brussels where I’m confident of bettering the 15th place (long race) I achieved in Lausanne” said an elated Timbilil.
Results
Men (10,000m course)
1 John Yuda (Tan) 30:20
2 Tadese Zersenay (Eri) 30:21
3 Fabian Joseph (Tan) 30:22
4 David Kilel (Ken) 30:33
5 David Chemweno (Ken) 31:09
6 José Manuel Martínez (Esp) 31:13
7 Antonio Jiménez (Esp) 31:18
8 Paulo Gomes (Por) 31:21
9 Hicham Chatt (Mar) 31:37
10 Alberto Juzdado (Esp) 31:40
Women (6250m course)
1 Alice Timbilil (Ken) 20:26
2 Merima Denboba (Eth) 20:27
3 Gelete Burika (Eth) 20:35
4 Jackline Maranga (Ken) 20:42
5 Magdaline Chemjor (Ken) 21:00
6 Sonia Bejarano (Esp) 21:05
7 Monica Rosa (Por) 21:18
8 Nebiat Habtemariam (Eri) 21:22
9 Zulema Fuentes-Pila (Esp) 21:32
10 Yesenia Centeno (Esp) 21:46
