Kenya grabbed six of the nine gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade. The remaining three golds went to the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Uganda.
Kenya is known as the best endurance running country in the world, but on long track distances, Kenyan runners have faced resistance, especially from neighboring Ethiopia and Uganda, but also from European countries.
One good example is the Norwegian two-time world champion in men’s vitos Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
The cross-country world championships held in Serbia’s capital Belgrade on Saturday showed that the endurance running scepter remains firmly in East Africa. The medal tally consisted of just four countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Great Britain, who took bronze in the medley relay.
Kenya stood out from its neighboring countries with its six gold medals, as Ethiopia grabbed two golds and Uganda one.
Three-time European cross-country champion Karoline Bjerkeli Grövdal was the best European runner in the 14th women’s 10 km race. Kenya took no less than five top places with its championship again By Beatrice Chebet under. Grövdal was one minute and 44 seconds behind the leader.
In the men’s competition, last year’s championship was successfully defended by Uganda Jacob Kiplimo.
Grövdal said For the Norwegian public broadcasting company NRK, that in his opinion, the World Championship terrains are a tougher competition than road or track races. Each country can enter six athletes – and in Kenya, all six could be potential champions.
– I have three European Championship golds from cross-country running, but the World Championships cross-country is one of the toughest competitions. I don’t think people quite realize the level of competition, Grövdal said.
The fact that the world champion Chebet was only fourth in her country’s qualifiers speaks volumes for the level of Kenyan female runners. Also in the World Championship, Chebet followed his teammates and said that he had confidence in the fitness of the whole team.
– After the cross-country qualifiers in Kenya, we trained together, ate the same food. We were one team, which helped us to a good result here, Chebet commented.
The conditions for the competition were extremely difficult: the temperature had already risen to 25 degrees in Belgrade and the spring sun was shining from a clear sky. The route had muddy and bumpy spots, hay bales and other obstacles.
The stewards and medical staff were in a hurry at the finish line, as they helped the exhausted runners forward, even with wheelchairs.
– Shockingly tough competition, Grövdal said.
There were no Finnish runners in the World Cup terrains.