Posted: April 1, 2006

Athletics: Bekele, Dibaba Complete First Legs Of WXC Double Defenses

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Parker Morse

FUKUOKA (01-Apr) -- Kenenisa Bekele won the men's short course race and Tirunesh Dibaba the women's long course on the first day of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, each defending the first of their double titles from last year.

Bekele, who broke away in the closing kilometer to win his fifth consecutive short course title, was closely pressed throughout the race by a strong Kenyan team including Isaac Songok, Benjamin Limo and Augustine Choge.

The tight pack led to plenty of early jostling, and Bekele's Ethiopian teammate, Shilesi Sihine, suffered. He was clipped from behind by Japan's Kazuhiro Maeda, rolled to the ground, and was hurdled by much of the field. Sihine bounced back up, but the Ethiopians were rattled, and for much of the second lap was in the company of a fleet of Kenyans as well as Australia's Big Man, Craig Mottram. Still, shortly before the small hills which close each circuit, Bekele was able to pull away from his pursuers, and though Songok remained but a second behind, the outcome was not in doubt. Morocco's Adil Kaouch, at the outside of the lead group throughout the race, took third, preventing an East African sweep. Mottram faded to finish 11th, one place ahead of Sihine.

"I was checking to see if he was catching up," said Bekele. "I had to be prepared. I was saving nothing for tomorrow."

"I was hoping to win," agreed Songok, "But it was not really in my mind to beat Bekele."

Kenya's loaded short course team kept Ethiopia from claiming the last short course team title, with Limo in fourth, Choge in seventh and Edwin Cheruiyot in eighth to score 21 points. Ethiopia was second with 48, and Morocco, buoyed by Kaouch, took third with 53. The short course race will be dropped from the program in 2007.

Amerian Adam Goucher swept through the field at the end to finish sixth, leading the USA to fifth place with 80 points. Kevin Sullivan in 13th led Canada to 13th place with 235 points.

Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat, the 2005 European champion, dominated the pace for most of the women's long course race, bidding early in the race to break away from the Ethiopians and steal the title, but defending champion Dibaba remained in contact throughout. Dibaba let Kiplagat build as much as three seconds lead in the last of four laps. "I wasn't feeling very well; I had some stitches," said Kiplagat. "It was very hard." Nonetheless, at the same point where Bekele had established his final lead, Dibaba drew even with Kiplagat, and when they entered the final run-out she unleashed her impressive kick, winning by five seconds over Kiplagat.

"It's true that in Ethiopia we have very strong runners like Gete Wami and Derartu Tulu," said Dibaba, "and other people may compare me to them, but I don't really believe I have reached their level yet."

"The Kenyan fans were yelling to me today," said Kiplagat, who was born in Kenya and still lives there part of the year. "They said, 'Come on, our child, we want to see you win.'"

Australia's Benita Johnson, the 2004 champion, finished fourth in 25:43.

Ethiopia dominated the team race, with Meselech Melkamu finishing third, Wude Yimer fifth, and Mestawet Tufa seventh to score 16. Kenya took second with 39, and Kayoko Fukushi's sixth-place finish led Japan to an unexpected team bronze with 80 points. The USA women finished fifth with 91, behind Australia's 87, with Blake Russell in eleventh leading the USA team.

In the women's junior race, the Kenyan team locked up the team scoring by the second of three laps, with Pauline Korikwiang, Veronica Wanjiru, Mercy Kosgei and Emmy Chepkirui pulling away from Ethiopia's Workitu Ayanu at the end of the second lap. Korikwiang won the sprint to the finish, but only barely: she and Wanjiru were given the same time. This was Wanjiru's second consecutive second-place finish in this race. The Kenyan team scored a perfect 10 points.

Behind Kenya's top-four sweep, Ethiopia packed in three finishers, with Belainesh Gebre catching Ayanu at the finish for team honors. Hosts Japan placed five runners in the top twenty to take third.

The competition resumes tomorrow, capped by the men's 12 km long course event.

Day 1 Summary of Medalists:

SR. MEN SHORT COURSE:
Individuals - 
 1. Kenenisa Bekele, ETH         10:54 Gold
 2. Isaac Songok, KEN            10:55 Silver
 3. Adil Kaouch, MAR             10:57 Bronze

Teams - 
 1. Kenya                        21 points Gold
 2. Ethiopia                     48 points Silver
 3. Morocco                      53 points Bronze


SR. WOMEN LONG COURSE:
Individuals - 
 1. Tirunesh Dibaba, ETH         25:21 Gold
 2. Lornah Kiplagat, NED         25:26 Silver
 3. Meselech Melkamu, ETH        25:38 Bronze

Teams - 
 1. Ethiopia                     16 points Gold
 2. Kenya                        39 points Silver
 3. Japan                        80 points Bronze


JR. WOMEN:
Individuals:
 1. Pauline Chemning Korikwiang, KEN  19:27 Gold
 2. Veronica Nyaruai Wanjiru, KEN     19:27 Silver
 3. Mercy Jelimo Kosgei, KEN          19:45 Bronze

Teams - 
 1. Kenya                        10 points Gold
 2. Ethiopia                     29 points Silver
 3. Japan                        58 points Bronze 

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