Bekele suffers shock defeat at Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry

Race review: Bupa Great Winter Run - Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, January 7, 2012

Double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele, already looking towards the defence of his 5000m and 10,000m titles in the summer, intended to kickstart his campaign at the Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry on Saturday.

Bekele has scored five successive World Cross short court successes in the past, but he suffered a a shock defeat on Saturday. The world's greatest ever distance runner looked a shadow of his former self as he finished well down the field in 11th position in the International 3k race at the IAAF Permit event meeting in Holyrood Park.

There were no excuses from Bekele as he struggled in a race which included two other 2008 Olympic gold medallists, Kenyan's Asbel Kiprop, the 1500m champion and Brimin Kipruto, winner of the 3000m steeplechase in Beijing.

Fortunately Kiprop, a former World Junior cross country winner, upheld the trio's reputation when eventually scoring a relatively easy success by five seconds from an elated Briton Jonny Hay, in a time of 9:20.

They were followed by defending champion Eliud Kipchoge, who finished runner up behind Bekele over 5000m in China, who took third in 9:26, a time he shared with fourth finisher Juan Carlos Higuero of Spain, with Bekele reduced to a jog 16 seconds behind them.

Photo: Men's 3k © Nova International

Bekele, despite suffering his second defeat over the lush Holyrood Palace course, and who dropped out of the 10,000m final during last year's World Championships, remains confident his performance did not send out the wrong message.

"The course was okay and my shape is not good, that's the reason," said Bekele, "I'm 50/50 at the moment and I was not confident before the race. It is too early in the year to be in great shape.

"My goal is to build up for the Olympics and I want to do it slowly. I'm not happy with the result but what can I do about it. I wanted a good position but my body was not ready."

While Bekele is reflecting on a second non-podium finish at the meeting in the last three years, British teenager Jonny Hays was celebrating finishing second behind Kiprop and holding off defending champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya.

Hay, a European junior track 5000m bronze medallist and coached by the highly respected Mick Woods, said: “It went off quite slowly but I just sat in there with them.

“I could hear Mick all around the course which gave me a real confidence boost. When I came off the final downhill into the home straight I was getting faster and faster and I thought 'I’ve just got to for it now'.”

Kiprop, his eyes already fixed on the defence of his title at the London Olympics, admitted he was surprised to have won the race which included his world class fellow African runners.

"This was a great race for me," said the 2011 runner up, who then later in the year went on to win the World 1500m crown in Daegu. "I came here last year and this victory proved my preparations are good."

Kiprop, who broke clear in the final kilometre, added: "I expected Bekele and the others to come up on me and I was surprised when they didn't respond."

The race was undoubtedly the highlight of the meeting. However it also staged an exciting Team International Match between the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, the United States and a Europe Select side.

The host nation triumphed from the American's and the European visitors although their only individual victory came in the junior women's race won by European junior gold medallist Emelia Gorecka.

Photo: Men's 8k © Nova International

The senior men's 8km event saw Ayad Lamdassem run a perfect race to score a comfortable win ahead of Bobby Mack and more importantly Atelaw Bekele, who beat him for the European Cross Country title in Velenje last month.

The Spaniard, looking fresh as a daisy, produced a scorching finish when flying away in the final 250m from Bekele who had looked powerful in the early stages but then was caught by Lamdassem, Jonny Grey with his American colleague Bobby Mack just off the pace.

While Lamdassem who, after his determined sprint crossed the line in 25:44 was never going to be caught, Mack who finished sixth last year, raised his game to snatch the runner up slot when his late spurt saw him pass Bekele on the line both sharing the same time of 25:47.

"I knew it would be hard because of the elite athletes who I would have to beat and were in the race," said Lamdassem. "Bekele is a very strong cross country runner and after Velenje, I was determined to beat him.

Fionnuala Britton, in her first race since clinching the European Cross Country title, produced a display which was even more dominant than when whipping the opposition on that occasion.

The Irishwoman, who many believe could emerge in the footsteps of Sonia O'Sullivan if she can continue her momentum on the track where she is planning to race 5000m and 10000m at the Olympic Games, bided her time for the first kilometre.

Then the Europe Select team captain quickly hit the front and although tested initially by Gemma Steel, third behind her in Velenje. pulled well clear of the Briton with a pulsating final two kilometre circuit of the Royal Park.

It saw the 27-year-old finish 20 seconds clear of Steel who chased her pluckily to the end with her Brit team mate Elle Baker coming through to grab third in 22:08.

After the festivities over the the holidays where I relaxed, I felt the pressure," said Britton. "I suppose I knew I was the person everyone was going to to try and chase down and that's what happened."

Britton, an international class 3000m steeplechaser and eyeing the Olympics, added: "I've been told I need to up my distance and I've finally accepted the fact."

Ethiopian-born Kirubel Erassa ran a perfect race to win the junior men's 6km race. He kept to his race plan when Mark Shaw and Kieron Clements of Great Britain made a determnined break 11:30 into the contest.

Erassa, who moved to the USA in 2005, gradually hauled in first Shaw then Clements before unleashing a powerful finish which carried him to a comfortable victory.

The 18-year-old winner, who has a twin sister and nine other siblings, crossed the line in 19:56 with fast finishing Clements and Shaw posting marks of 19:57 and 19:59 behind him.

Gorecka was also rewarded for her patience when taking the junior women's 4km title after staying with the pack rather than chase the USA's Erin Finn who blasted away after the start.

She bided her time before beginning her pursuit and hauling in her American rival before the halfway point and then stamping her mark on the race.

The 17-year-old, still a junior until the end of 2013, then piled on the pace to win by a huge margin in 14:48. She was followed by the American pair of Aisling Cuffe and Molly Seidel who clocked 15:09 and 15:16.

Photo: Women's 6k © Nova International

Race Results

International Team Match

Men's Senior (8km)

Junior (6km)

International 3Km

Women's Senior (6km)

Junior (4km)

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