News16 Nov 2008


Sylta claims Norway’s first men’s title, Sandell-Hyvärinen dethrones Otterbu – Nordic XC Champs

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Annemari Sandell-Hyvärinen takes the 2008 Nordic Cross Country title (© Hasse Sjögren)

Öystein Sylta claimed Norway’s firstever men’s title at the Nordic Countries Cross Country Championships in Copenhagen on Saturday (15).

There was the leading pack of more than ten men when three kilometres of the 9km race were left, but soon after that the medallists emerged.

Sylta ran the last kilometre on the course so strongly that only Sweden’s Oskar Käck could follow. Käck crossed the finish line two seconds later with his compatriot Erik Sjöqvist following in third, five seconds behind.

“It was not easy for me, because the Swedes were very strong opponents,” said Sylta. But I was self-confident and wanted to be the first Norwegian man to win this title. That was my only tactic.”

Sylta, 30, has never ran at the major international championships on the track, but in 2005 he placed 63rd at the European Cross Country Championships and will hope to improve upon that in Brussels on 14 December.

His main event is the 3000m Steeplechase where he was a personal best of 8:34.70 from 2007.

Comfortable victory for Sandell-Hyvärinen over Otterbu in women’s race

The women’s 8km race was a duel between Finland’s Annemari Sandell-Hyvärinen and the champion of the last two years, Norway’s Kirsten Melkevik Otterbu.

Sandell-Hyvärinen did not kick strongly, but Otterbu simply had nothing to respond with over the final lap. The 31-year-old Finn won easily with a margin of nine seconds, while Sweden’s Ida Nilsson was third, 17 seconds behind Otterbu.

Sandell-Hyvärinen’s story is a bit extraordinary. She won the World Junior Cross Country and Women’s European Cross Country titles in 1995 and took the World Cross Country short course bronze medal in 1999. She planned to focus on the Marathon, but several leg injuries destroyed that plan.

Sandell-Hyvärinen then got married and had two children. For the past five to six years she has primarily been living as a normal housewife, taking care of the kids as well as race horses. During her career, whenever Sandell-Hyvärinen took the start line at a Finnish Championships, in Cross Country or track, she has won.

“Last summer I had one or two harder training runs before the Finnish Champs at which I won the 5000 and 10,000m and not very many more before the Helsinki City Marathon, where I ran 2:43:53.”

“I’d still like to try at the international level. If I’ll be able to train well during the winter, I’ll run a Marathon somewhere in the spring, but if not, then I’ll have to think about something else,” Sandell-Hyvärinen said.

Moen and Eriksson fastest juniors

The junior races were not as exciting as those of the seniors, contested on the well-conditioned grass course on a Bellahöj camp ground, contested in a slight rain.

Norway took a double victory in the Men’s junior 6 km race, but Sondre Norstad Moen broke away very early and left Sindre Burås 36 seconds behind. Sweden’s Andreas Åhlwall was the strongest in a very close kick to take the bronze medal.

The match for the individual gold medals between Norway and Finland ended in a 2-2 tie as Sandra Eriksson was the fastest in the women’s junior’s 4.5 km contest after leading practically the entire way. Mary Alenbratt took the silver to Sweden and Veronika Blom the bronze to Norway.

Eriksson is known as a very promising Steeplechase runner; she placed fifth at the IAAF World Junior Championships as the best European in Bydgoszcz last July.

In the team competition, Norway was the best country, taking nine medals of the 24 up for grabs.

A.P. Sonninen for the IAAF

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