The World Cross Country Championships ended today in Australia. Without Belgians, because our country did not send a team to down-under. Traditionally, it was Africa on top: Kenya won the country classification ahead of Ethiopia and Uganda. The image of the day was provided by the Ethiopian Letensenbet Gidey. The top favorite seemed unthreatened on his way to the title, but literally collapsed 30 meters from the finish.
Gidey is not just anyone. The 24-year-old Ethiopian is the world record holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters on track and in the half marathon.
On the dry and sandy course in Bathurst, 4 women were still eligible for the title in the final kilometers. Gidey watched the cat out of the tree for a long time, but placed a gear in the final lap that no one knew an answer to.
She seemed on her way to victory, but she cramped completely in the last straight and crashed 30 meters from the finish. The Kenyan Batrice Chebet sped past her, but also the Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselama and the Kenyan Anges Jebet Ngetich.
Gidey was helped across the line in fourth place by her coach, but that help resulted in her being disqualified.
Watch the dramatic finish (after 40 seconds):
Uganda top in men with Jacob Kiplimo
With the men, things went faster from the start and the peloton used to be thinned out under the impulse of the Ugandan title defender Joshua Cheptegei, the world record holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
Only his compatriot Jacob Kiplimo, the Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor and the Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi could follow. In the final round it was not Cheptegei, but his compatriot Jacob Kiplimo who turned out to be the best. He won by far ahead of Aregawi and Cheptegei.
The winners of the World Cross Country Championships:
