Bekele won’t be back to defend his title in Japan

On Track, with Annelise Jerling

ETHIOPIA’S Kenenisa Bekele completed a historic double by storming to the men’s 12km title at the 34th World Crosscountry Championships in a windy and wet Fukuoka in Japan on Sunday and then surprisingly announced he would not be back.

The 23-year-old, who is a double winner of the IAAF Athlete of the Year, became the first man to win both the 4km and 12km titles for five years in a row following his triumph in Saturday’s 4km race and now boasts 18 world athletics championships medals, one more than the previous best of 17 held by Paul Tergat.

Bekele, the Olympic and world 10 000m champion, broke away from his closest rivals with a powerful finish, and crossed the line in 35:40, three seconds clear of team mate Sileshi Sihine.

The bronze medal went to the Japan-based Kenyan, Martin Mathathi (35:44).

Immediately after the race Bekele announced that he might not race in the World Crosscountry Championships ever again as he felt he had achieved everything.

Bekele further stated that he had been racing the event for six years and wanted to step aside and make way for his younger Ethiopian team-mates. Kenya regained the men’s team title with Eritrea second and Ethiopia third.

In the 4km race, held on Saturday afternoon, Bekele always looked in control and finished the race in 10:54. The silver medal went to Isaac Songok, of Kenya, with Moroccan Adil Kaouch third. Benjamin Limo, the 500m world champion was placed fourth and helped Kenya win the team title.

In the women’s 8km event, Lornah Kiplagat took the lead from the start and looked set for victory. However, with 300m to go, reigning champion Tirunesh Dibaba closed in on Kiplagat and broke clear to win in 25:21. Ethiopia took the team gold, Kenya the silver and Japan the bronze.

Last year’s world junior crosscountry champion Gelete Burika succeeded in adding the senior women’s 4km title in 12:51, with Priscah Jepleting second in 12:53 and Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia, who like Burka and Dibaba, was once world junior champion, third in 12:54.

In Berlin, another string of Kenyan athletes dominated the half marathon races on Sunday.

Paul Kosgei won the men’s race, whilst Edith Masai, triumphed in the women’s race.

It was a Kenyan sweep in the men’s competition with favourite Kosgei winning in a new record time of 59:07.

Team-mate Evans Cheruiyot finished 22 seconds adrift with Wilfred Paragon in third.

Masai ensured a Kenyan double by winning the women’s race in a record time of 67:17, some 18 seconds ahead of American runner Deena Kastor with Kenya’s Mary Ptikany in third over two minutes behind the winner.

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