Unopposed win for Tadesse in Fuensalida

Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadesse, the defending champion, was the overwhelming victor in the ‘19th Cross Internacional del Calzado Villa de Fuensalida’ on Sunday 8 January, while the women’s section witnessed a victory by Hungary’s Aniko Kalovics.

MEN - Tadesse an 'easy' winner

The men’s race was billed as a clash between Tadesse, the reigning World Cross Country silver medallist (long race), and Tanzania’s reigning World Half Marathon champion Fabiano Joseph but there was not really a clash between them. Spain’s José Luis Blanco, a 8:13.86 steeplechaser, made most of the early pacesetting work, but exactly at the second kilometre point the 23-year-old Tadesse sped away from the rest of the quality line-up and produced an over 30-minute solo running to romp home in 38.54. The longer than usual distance (11.7km) at this stage of the season plus a heavy circuit made the winning clocking almost reach the rare figure of 40 minutes, only bettered by the first five in the race.

Joseph, who finally took the runner-up position nine seconds adrift of Tadesse had a fierce battle with Spain’s European medallists Juan Carlos de la Ossa and José Manuel Martínez. Joseph had started the race very cautiously and after the fourth kilometre he was only a distant seventh in the single file of athletes who unsuccessfully chased the Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Tadesse.

Once it became clear than Tadesse’s blistering pace would lead him to an unchallenged win, the main focus of the race turned to the thrilling battle for the runner-up place. At the end Joseph, who turned 20 last 24 December, could finally escape from De la Ossa with 3 seconds separating them over the finish line while Martínez faded in the last kilometre to take fourth 14 seconds behind his countryman.

Tadesse’s winning advantage may have been ‘only’ nine seconds but reportedly he didn’t need to run at his 100% to take the top spot. Next Saturday in Edinburgh (14 Jan) Tadesse, who remains unbeaten in this cross country season, will have his toughest challenge of the winter so far since he will be facing some of the crème of cross country running including Ethiopia’s four-time double World Cross Country champion Kenenisa Bekele.

WOMEN - Kalovics defeats Denboba

The women’s race saw an interesting showdown between Hungary’s Aniko Kalovics and Ethiopia’s Merima Denboba, twice winner here in Fuensalida. From the gun Kalovics, winner at the IAAF XC permit in Llodio last 27 November 2005, took command of the race and shortly after the first kilometre mark only herself, Denbonba and Eritrea’s Simret Sultan still had realistic chances of winning.

One kilometre later Sultan dropped from the leading pack and the race became a two-horse tussle in the guise of Kalovics and Denboba. The 31-year-old Ethiopian, who has an illustrious cross country career with two individual (1999, silver and 2003, bronze) and six team gold medals to her credit, managed to stay at Kalovics for 2.5 further kilometres. At that point, 4000m, Kalovics started to widen his advantage over Denboba to a record 10-second margin but the final kilometre saw Kalovic’s slight relaxation and the Ethiopian approached to hardly two seconds at the finish line.

For the minor podium position, Portugal’s Monica Rosa overtook Eritrea’s Simret Sultan in the last lap crossing the tape 26 seconds behind the winner.

Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF

Men (11.7km course)
1. Zersenay Tadesse (Eri) 38:54
2. Fabiano Joseph (Tan) 39:03
3. Juan Carlos de la Ossa (Esp) 39:06
4. José Manuel Martínez (Esp) 39:20
5. Samuel Tsegay (Eri) 39:34
6. José Luis Blanco (Esp) 40:15
7. Paulo Guerra (Por) 40:17
8. Hissam Bellami (Mor) 40:28
9. Kiflom Sium (Eri) 40:29
10. Alberto Juzdado (Esp) 40:50

Women (6.7km course)
1. Aniko Kalovics (Hun) 25:15
2. Merima Demboba (Eth) 25:17
3. Monica Rosa (Por) 25:41
4. Simret Sultan (Eri) 25:52
5. Bouchra Chaabi (Mor) 25:55
6. Jacqueline Martín (Esp) 26:12
7. Alexandra Aguilar (Esp) 26:22
8. Meraf Batha (Eri) 26:38
9. Inés Monteiro (Por) 26:43
10. Diana Martín (Esp) 26:50