Ethiopia's Abebe Dinkesa, who only finished 41st at last year's IAAF World Cross Country Championships, was the upset winner at today's BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country at Holyrood Park.
Dinkesa covered the 9.3 km course in a very swift 26 minutes and 51 seconds, beating Kenya's Mangata Ndiwa, the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships junior champion, by three seconds. Three-time IAAF World Road Running Championships gold medalist, Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea, finished third in 26:55. Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, the 2008 Olympic Games 5000m silver medalist, and Uganda's Boniface Kiprop, 10th in the Beijing Olympic 10,000m, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in 26:58 and 26:59. Eight-time European cross country champion, Sergey Lebid of Ukraine, finished a distant 10th.
Linet Masai, Kenya's 10,000m record holder and the pre-race favorite, won the women's 5.6 km contest by a wide margin. Her 19 minute and two second clocking was 11 seconds up on Ethiopia's Mestewat Tufa, the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships silver medalist. Kenya's Viola Kibiwott finished third, just one second behind Tufa, and Britain's top junior athlete, Steph Twell, finished a solid fourth in 19:16. American Emily Brown was seventh in 19:33.
England's Andy Baddeley lived up to his top billing in the men's 4 km short cross which featured British athletes. Last year's world list leader at the mile (3:49.38), clocked 12 minutes and 17 seconds, beating Steve Vernon by three seconds. Miler Tom Lancashire was third in 12:23.
NOTE: Look for complete results in Monday's Race Results Weekly --Ed.
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