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.
Spains Julia Vaquero showed
the form that had enabled her to finish 4th in last
years IAAF World Cross Country Championships as she won the
7th round of the IAAF World Cross Challenge series.
Vaquero ran an intelligent race, letting Kenyas 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 Romanias 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.