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News08 Feb 1998


Kenya sweeps the men's field in 22nd Almond Blossom Cross Country

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Kenya sweeps the men's field in 22nd Almond Blossom Cross Country, Vaquero back on form in the women's race
8 February 1998 - Thomas Nyariki crossed the line just a second ahead of fellow Kenyan Paul Koech in this 22nd edition of the Almond Blossom Cross Country here in Vilamoura, Portugal today and swept into first place in the IAAF World Cross Challenge in the process, just one point ahead of France's Yann Millon, who was not competing today.
The two Kenyans had left Belgium's Mohammed Mourhit and local favourite Paulo Guerra in their wake in the final lap of the 2 kilometre circuit and were the first of a total of five Kenyans in the first seven places.
Koech had started the race as firm favourite following his win in the recent armed forces championships in Nairobi and in the absence of Moroccan Khalid Skah who withdrew, but was outkicked at the finish by Nyaricki in an exciting sprint for the line.
Spain’s Julia Vaquero showed the form that had enabled her to finish 4th in last year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships as she won the 7th round of the IAAF World Cross Challenge series. Vaquero ran an intelligent race, letting Kenya’s Sally Barsosio, the world 10,000m Champion, lead for two of the three laps, before placing her attack in the last loop. Moroccan Zohra Ouaziz ran with Vaquero for most of the race before succumbing to her final surge in the last kilometre of the wind swept course. Ouaziz proved today that she is one to be counted with at the forthcoming IAAF World Cross Country Championships to be held on her home soil, in Marrakesh. Jacqueline Maranga, who was not running in Vilamoura, dropped back to third place in the standings, but should also have a part to play in the World Cross Country Championships, if she manages the difficult task of making the Kenyan team!

The women's standings are still led by Romania’s Mariana Chirila with 71 points. She finished a relatively distant 6th today. In second position is Ouaziz with 68 points.

Next weekend will see two stages of the IAAF World Cross Challenge being run on the same day, Sunday 15 February, in Chiba, Japan and Diekirch, Luxembourg.

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