Unstoppable Mathew Kipsang continues World Cross Country Tour dominance

Kenya’s Mathew Kipsang pipped Rodrigue Kwizera to victory at the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event on Sunday, 23 November, maintaining his winning streak that is quickly establishing him as a title contender.

The 30-year-old Kenyan remains unbeaten on his European Cross-Country Tour as he has won successively in Cardiff, Soria and Atapuerca.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news

On Sunday, home runner, Spain’s Daniel Arce, was a lonesome leader at the start of the men’s contest, held over 6.82km. Although his margin never surpassed six seconds, Arce led for 2.6km before he was reeled in by the pack of favourites that was always led by Kwizera, while Kipsang travelled quietly in the middle of the large group.

Following a relatively slow penultimate 2km circuit, which took 5:56, Kwizera picked up the pace at the bell. His change of speed whittled down the lead group to six athletes, including Kipsang, Burundi’s Emile Hafashimana and the Spanish trio of Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Said Mechaal and the national 10km record-holder Ilias Fifa.

Lemngole breaks 14-year USA College Sports jinx in cross country title defense

Kwizera’s pace soon paid off, as first Hafashimana, then Mechaal, and finally Fifa could not maintain the change of speed.

The trio of Kwizera, Kipsang and Ndikumwenayo entered the closing kilometre in a single file, but the latter lost any chance of winning with some 350m remaining as he began to lose ground.

Kwizera tried desperately to lose Kipsang over the closing stages, but the in-form Kenyan managed to remain close to the Burundian despite a brisk circuit timed at 5:35.

Kipsang finally unleashed a powerful sprint to overtake Kwizera, as he had done a week earlier at the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Soria. The Kenyan clocked 20:05 to win the race, ahead of the Spaniard duo of Kwizera (20:06) and Ndayikunda (20:14).

In the women’s race in Atapuerca, Kenya’s Sheila Jebet clocked 22:34 to finish second, as world and Olympic silver medalist Nadia Batoccletti won in 22:21.

'We look like a village team' - Maureen Okumu opens up on struggles in Kenyan women’s hockey

Kenyan-born Kazakh runner, Daisy Jepkemei, took the final podium place in 22:35. The 19-year-old Jebet was competing in her third consecutive race of this season’s World Cross Country Tour.

Her first was at the Cardiff Cross Country Challenge in Wales on Saturday, 8 November, where she clocked 20:31 to finish second in the women’s 6.4km.

She also finished second at the Soria International Cross Country after timing 27:55 in the women’s 8km.

Deaflympics: Kenya bags marathon silver to conclude successful outing in Tokyo

Leading results

Women (6.8km)

1 Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 22:21

2 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 22:34

3 Daisy Jepkemei (KAZ) 22:35

4 Megan Keith (GBR) 22:37

5 Majida Maayouf (ESP) 23:23

Men (6.8km)

1 Mathew Kipsang (KEN) 20:05

2 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 20:06

3 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 20:14

4 Ilias Fifa (ESP) 20:16

5 Said Mechaal (ESP) 20:20