Adam Ismael (BRN) winning the 2005 Torres Vedras EAA Cross (© Torres Vedras LOC)
Torres Vedras, PortugalBahraini teenager Adam Ismael and Kenyan Nancy Kiprop ran to clear victories at the 24th Torres Vedras International Cross Country - EAA Permit - on a rainy morning in southwestern Portugal.
MEN: Second victory in Portugal for Ismael
The 16-year-old Kenyan-born Ismael, who won two weeks ago in Amora and earlier in Allones, France, claimed his second straight victory in Portugal with a solid 31:10 performance over a much more experienced field. Ismael, 23rd in the junior race at the World Cross Country Championships last March, took the lead for good midway through the 9.6km course, reaching the finish seven seconds ahead of Kenyan Peter Kamais, who was second here last year. For Kamais, it was a good performance as well, in his first cross country race of the season.
The Portuguese Rui Pedro Silva was third in 31:42, closely followed by three compatriots: Jose Ramos (31:44), Alberto Chaíça (31:50) and Ricardo Ribas (31:58). This was a key race for the Portuguese, serving as a selection meeting for the upcoming Spar European Cross Country Championships to be held in Tilburg, The Netherlands on 11 December, and the quartet didn’t squander the opportunity.
Kenyan William Chebon, third in the Oeiras race a week ago, was seventh here in 32:01, followed by another pair of Portuguese, Hermano Ferreira (32:03) and Manuel Magalhães (32:18), Youssed el Kalai of Morocco (32:26), with Kenyan David Kilel well off the pace in 32:41.
WOMEN: Ribeiro pushes Kiprop
In the women’s race, Kiprop, who took the Almond Blossom Cross last January, was the winner in 18:38 minutes, but was shadowed throughout by Portugal’s Fernando Ribeiro, the former Olympic, World and European 10,000m champion. Ribeiro wasn’t dropped until the last lap, and eventually finished in 18:46, eight seconds behind the Kenyan.
Repeating her position from Oeiras, Portugal’s Claúdia Pereira in 19:00, with Jéssica Augusto, another Portuguese, fourth in 19:05. The winner of the Oeiras, Kenyan Elizabeth Rumokol, couldn’t manage better than 10th here (19:54).
Paulo Costa for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men - 9.6km:
1. Adam Ismael (Bahrain) 31:30
2. Peter Kamais (KEN) 31:37
3. Rui Pedro Silva (POR) 31:42
4. José Ramos (POR) 31:44
5. Alberto Chaíça (POR) 31:50
6. Ricardo Ribas (POR) 31:58
7. William Chebon (KEN) 32:01
8. Hermano Ferreira (POR) 32:03
9. Manuel Magalhães (POR) 32:18
10. Youssef el Kalai (MOR) 32:26
Women - 5.2km:
1. Nancy Kiprop (KEN) 18:38
2. Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) 18:46
3. Cláudia Pereira (POR) 19:00
4. Jessica Augusto (POR) 19:05
5. Helena Sampaio (POR) 19:07
6. Anália Rosa (POR) 19:11
7. Ana Dias (POR) 19:29
8. Fátima Cabral (POR) 19:40
9. Fernanda Miranda (POR) 19:45
10. Elizabeth Rumokal (KEN) 19:54
