Mestawet Tufa and Linet Masai in Edinburgh (© Getty Images)
Tariku Bekele and Mestawat Tufa won the 32nd edition of the International Cross Country race Trofeo Alasport in Alà dei Sardi in Sardinia, a small village of 2000 inhabitants.
The Alà dei Sardi race returned this year after three years of absence with a star-studded field which featured many Ethiopian and Kenyan stars who highlighted the international indoor and cross country season this winter.
Tariku Bekele, World Indoor 3000m champion, launched his attack in the final sprint on the downhill section of the 11 km course which leads into the final straight, to pull away from Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, the 2003 World 5000m champion, by four seconds. Tariku Bekele, who ran his first ever cross country race in Italy, followed in the footsteps of his illustrious brother Kenenisa who won in Alà dei Sardi in 2003, and coming just one week after Kenenisa’s World XC triumph in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh and capped a memorable winter for the two Ethiopian brothers.
Kipchoge was on the podium of the Trofeo Alasport for the third time following a win in 2004 and a second place in 2002.
Kenya’s World 3000 metres Steeplechase bronze medallist Richard Matelong, national cross country trials winner Gideon Ngatuny and 2008 Campaccio’s victor Edwin Soi were in the next positions.
In the women’s race, this year’s World Cross Country silver medallist Mestawat Tufa crowned her successful cross season with a convincing win over last year’s World 5000 metres bronze medallist Prisca Jepleting Cherono and Linet Masai, 2007 World Junior XC champion and this year’s senior World XC bronze medallist.
Bekele and Tufa added their name to the glorious list of past winners who make up the history of the Trofeo Alà dei Sardi. This list features names like John Ngugi, Fita Bayesa, Salah Hissou, Khalid Skah, Paul Tergat, Paul Kosgei, Richard Limo, Kenenisa Bekele, Tegla Loroupe, Merima Denboba and Gete Wami to name just a few top runners who made the trip to Sardinia.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Results of the Trofeo Alasport in Alà dei Sardi:
Men’s race (11km):
1 Tariku Bekele (Ethiopia) 32:05
2 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 32:09
3 Richard Matelong (Kenya) 32:13
4 Gideon Ngatuny (Kenya) 32:18
5 Edwin Soi (Kenya) 32:45
Women’s race (5.5km):
1 Mestawat Tufa (Ethiopia) 17:49
2 Prisca Jepleting Cherono (Kenya) 17:56
3 Linet Masai (Kenya) 18:00
4 Pauline Korikwiang (Kenya) 18:27
