Kipchoge triumphs in Italy

Olympic 5,000 metres silver medallist Eliud Kipchoge emerged from his long recess to win the 52nd Campaccio Cross Country permit meeting in San Giorgio, Italy on Tuesday.

It was the first competitive event for the Eldoret-based runner since his performance in Beijing last August. He used it to launch his season campaign in a bid to win a ticket to Amman, Jordan next March for the World Cross Country Championship.

Kipchoge beat eight-time European champion Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine in the 10km event. The title was last year won by compatriot Edwin Soi, an Olympic bronze medallist in 5,000m. Kipchoge set a time of 29:56 in cold conditions.

Lebid was second in 29:58 while Soi dropped back to fifth in 30:28. Kenyan Leonard Komon, a silver medallist in the 12km senior men’s race at last year’s World Cross Country Championship in Edinburgh, Scotland struggled to the third position in 30:12 while European under-23 champion and best home runner Andrea Lalli (30:23) was fourth.

Hungarian Aniko Kalovics, a winner in 2004, was a clear favourite and triumphed in the women’s 6km race with nearly 30 seconds margin (20:33). Home runners were next — Elena Romagnolo (21:02) and Federica Dal Ri (21:21). In fourth was former European cross country champion Tetyana Holovchenko of Ukraine.

It was a good test for Kipchoge , who heads to Scotland for the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country meeting on Saturday.

Kipchoge will face new challenge from former world Cross Country Championship 12km winner Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea, compatriot Mangata Ndiwa and Augustine Choge, the Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion.

The trio are among the elite runners who will skip the final KCB Athletics Kenya cross country meeting in Eldoret at Kambi Moto farm.

Top Kenyan runners have been competing in international meets in Europe and will be expected home on February 21 for the national trials.

Athletics Kenya secretary general David Okeyo has said he expected top runners who have been absent from the weekend meetings to show up in Eldoret.

“Eldoret will be a new challenge to the athletes. Being the core of our production chain, most elite runners who have been out will be keen to make their return while new talent is likely to be on display,” he said.

Additional reporting by EME News