Ethiopia has claim their first ever clean sweep of all four individual gold medals at the 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships at the Holyrood Park, Edinburgh,
Scotland.
Genzebe Dibaba got the drums rolling by taking the junior women’s 6km, followed by Ibrahim Jeilan in the junior men’s 8km event, then Tirunesh Dibaba in the senior women’s 8km and Kenenisa Bekele in the senior men’s 12km to put to rest the ghost of the nightmare that was Mombasa 2007.
This feat replicated the 1994 achievement of Kenya when William Sigei (senior men), Helen Chepgeno (senior women), Philip Mosima (junior men) and Sally Barsosio (junior women) all swept the four gold medals at stake.
Ethiopia only success in the heat of Mombasa, Kenya last year was the women’s senior team title with Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese and the Netherlands’ Lornah Kiplagat taking the senior men’s and women’s title.
Kenya however got the team titles in the senior and junior men’s race, a disappointing turnover for the East African country.
Dibaba Junior keeps the family flag up
Genzebe Dibaba emulated her elder sister Tirunesh, who won the junior title in 2003, in style and guile as she won the three-lap 6km course by sprinting across the finish line in 19:59 seconds to add a fifth World Cross gold to the Dibaba family’s kitty.The 17-year-old said after the race: “I’m very happy. I didn’t expect to win. I only thought that I would get a medal, but, after the first two laps were over, on the third lap I realised that I could win.
“I am really happy to emulate my sisters [Tirunesh and Ejagayehu].
The weather was good today.
“My sister [senior women’s 12km champion, Tirunesh] gave me good advice before the race; I have looked up to her for so long,” she added.
Kenya’s Irine Chepet Cheptai, who settled for the second place in 20.04 seconds, attributed her second place to her ability to hold on despite the wind and cold at the Park.
“I am not used to the cold environment here but I managed to hold on. Despite the wind I still had extra energy to kick and that’s why I became second, she said.
“I am eyeing the World Junior Championships in Poland next month,” Cheptai added.
Dibaba’s teammate Emebt Etea took the bronze medal in 20.06 seconds and was relieved after being stretchered from the course due to heat exhaustion in Mombasa last year.
Etea said: “Mombasa was very tough last year. It was very hot and I was very ill. I took me about three months to fully recover.
“I am very happy the weather was not as we feared. We heard that it would be really cold but it was comfortable.”