Kenya’s reigning World Cross Country championships silver medallist
Abraham Chebii and Spaniard Rosa Morató captured thrilling sprint
victories at the 52nd Cross Internacional Zornotza - EAA Permit.
Chebii outkicks Kiprop
Running in cloudy but pleasant conditions, seven men remained in the
vanguard at the four kilometre point which was completed in a fast
11:53, but another 2:55 kilometre split by Kiprop was enough to leave
all his rivals behind by the midway point except Chebii, with fellow
Kenyan John Cheruiyot Korir and Eritrea’s Tesfayohannes Mesfin 20
metres behind. Further back, Ukraine’s six-time European Cross Country
champion Sergiy Lebid ran alon in fifth, with a solid advantage over
Spain’s Alberto García and José Ríos.
The young Kiprop, who was fourth at 10,000 metres at both the 2004
Olympic in Athens and the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, tried
to accelerate away from his fast-finishing pursuer Chebii several times
but to no avail: attempts by Kiprop to disrupt Chebii with his surges
served only to ensure a second place for himself as the Kenyan hardly
blinked.