Kamworor, Tirop lead Kenya cross domination

BEIJING

Kenyan athletes dominated the World Cross-Country Championships in China on Saturday, with Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor taking the men's crown, while Agnes Tirop became the youngest senior women's winner for 30 years.

Kamworor completed the 12 kilometre course in Guiyang, in China's southwestern province of Guizhou, in 34 minutes 52 seconds - eight seconds ahead of Kenyan 5,000m specialist Bedan Karoki, while Ethiopia's Muktar Edris finished third on 35 minutes six seconds.

However, the country lost junior women’s 6km and junior men’s battle to Ethiopians Letesenbet Gidey and Yasin Haji respectively.

The 22-year-old Kipsang, who is the 2011 World Cross junior champion, lived up to his promise as he weathered a strong challenge from fellow Kenyan Bedan Karoki and Ethiopian Idris Muktar to win in 34:52 minutes.

KAROKI SECOND

Karoki wound second eight seconds later in 35:00 to complete Kenya's Holy Grail with the Ethiopian coming in third in 35:06.

Kipsang, the 2014 World Half Marathon champion, Karoki and Muktar engaged each other in a threesome battle with three laps to go before the two Kenyans assault proved lethal in the last lap with Karoki ahead. Kipsang would take command to go all the way for victory to ensure that Kenya retained the title they won through Japheth Korir in 2013, in Poland. Korir made history as the youngest ever senior men's winner aged 19.

Kipsang became the sixth Kenyan to win the title after John Ngugi, Paul Tergat, who won five times each, William Sigei, Joseph Ebuya and Korir.

Kipsang’s tactical performance suggested he was acutely aware of Karoki’s superior sprint finish as the 22-year-old, who largely plies his trade as a marathon runner these days although he has the 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships as his target this summer, was the most insistent in pushing the pace after dropping Muktar at the start of the final lap.

TIROP MAKES HISTORY

Tirop is the youngest senior women's winner since an 18-year-old Zola Budd in 1985.

"I was trying to push the pace from the start. I had no fear," Tirop said after her victory, according to information released by the organisers.
"I was just trying to run my own race."

Jebet, the junior silver medallist in 2013 in Poland, crossed the line in 26:01 after bursting from Ethiopian Senbere Teferi in the last 200m. The Ethiopian settled for silver in 26:06 as Jebet ensured the title remained in Kenya with the defending champion Emily Chebet finishing sixth in 26:18 behind compatriot Stancy Ndiwa 26:16. Irene Cheptai came home seventh in 26:26.

Kenya won men’s team title while Ethiopia went for the women’s title.

Kenya lost its junior women's title to Ethiopia who also retained junior men's title.

Geoffrey Korir (23:47) and Alfred Ngeno (23:54) won silver and bronze, losing to Yasin Haji 23:42 but the Kenyans won the team title.

The best Kenyan finisher in women’s 6km was Daisy Jepkemei (fourth) in 19:59 behind Ethiopians Letesenbet Gidey (19:48), Dera Dida (19:49) and Etagegn Woldu (19:53), who swept the podium places.