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Songok wint Kenyaanse trials

Songok in de Kenyaanse modder

Door Omulo Okoth

Er stond geen maat op Isaac Songok in de Kenyaanse trials. Hij was in de korte cross met overmacht de sterkste. Wereldkampioen 5000 Benjamin Limo werd slechts vijfde in de korte cross. Ook bij de dames was er een verassing niet Ochichi maar Prisca Jepleting werd winnares van de korte cross. De WK cross teams voor het WK in het Japanse Fukuoka werden na afloop bekend gemaakt. Het 34e WK cross wordt op 1 en 2 april georganiseerd.

Mannen korte cross
World 5000m champion Benjamin Limo survived a punishing course which included a 200m muddy stretch, to make the 4km team after finishing sixth in 12:34. “The course was too muddy. But I am fine with the result and I hope to win medals in (Commonwealth Games) Melbourne and Fukuoka,” said Limo.Up front Isaac Songok, won in 12:16 ahead of reigning World Junior XC champion Augustine Choge (12:21). Yusuf Biwott was third, 12:262004 Athens Olympics steeplechase medallists Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech were well beaten. Kipruto, Athens silver medallist, was fifth in 12:33 but, like Limo, was selected in the team for Fukuoka. Koech, the bronze medallist in Athens, finished in 13th place and missed his chance. Sammy Kipketer, and the 2003 track sensation, Abraham Chebii, were 14th and 11th respectively in the 4km race.

Mannen lange cross
Teenage student, Hosea Macharnyang, running his second national race as a senior, won the 12km race in 39:18. Macharnyang, who turns 20 in June, was second during the national championships last month. Moses Masai, who won that race, today dropped out half way due to illness, but was named in the World XC team by selectors, who said he must prove himself in the pre-champs training camp.Macharnyangs victims included John Kibowen, a previous winner of two World Cross short race titles, who finished in fifth position but made the team too. The 2001 World 10,000m champion, Charles Kamathi, finished in seventh place and missed selection.Macharnyang maintained his position in the leading group throughout the race, running with Kibowen, Martin Irungu, Simon Kiprop, Kamathi, Simon Arusei and Abraham Cherono. But before the bell lap, Cherono and Kamathi dropped back as the rest battled for the front positions. The final battle was very much between Macharnyang, Kiprop and Irungu, and with 200m to go, Macharnyang was clearly in control and he won by more than 60 metres.“I want to prove it at the World Championships,” said the winner. “This is just a start of big things to come,” confirmed the year three student at Kapcherop Secondary School in the Marakwet highlands of Rift Valley Province.

Dames korte cross
Athens Olympics 5000m silver medallist, Isabella Ochichi, suffered her biggest defeat at home, with a fifth place finish in the womens 4km race. Ochichi, who was the 2005 World Cross 4km bronze medallist, was graceful in defeat and said it had prepared her well for the task ahead. “I have got the endurance that I wanted and I can assure you medals in Melbourne and Fukuoka,” said the police officer.Ahead of Ochichi, Prisca Jepleting won (14:20) with Beatrice Rutto in second place, and Beatrice Jepchumba, in third place after leading the break up of the lead pack early in the race. Alice Chelagat Kimeto aan de leiding in de 8 km cross bij de dames

Dames lange cross
Alice Kimeto won in 29:37 ahead of Mercy Wanjiru (29:49). Everline Wambui, the national 10,000m champion, finished ninth but was selected in the team instead of Monica Wangare, who was sixth.

Junioren
World junior silver medallist, Veronica Nyaruai Wanijuri, beat Pauline Korkwaing, in a sprint finish in the womens Junior 6km race after the two ran neck-and-neck for the entire race, while in the Junior men 8km, Mangata Ndiwa won (25:54) in close fought race with Joseph Ebuya 25:56

De WK teams

Senior men 4km:
Isaac Songok, Augustine Choge, Yusuf Biwott, Edwin Soi, Brimin Kipruto, Benjamin Limo;

Junior men 8km:
Mangata Ndiwa, Joseph Ebuya, Muinde Matheka, Ronald Komol, Robert Ndiwa, Gideon Ngatunyi;

Senior men 12km:
Hosea Macharnyang, Simon Kiprop, Martin Irungu, Simon Arusei, John Kibowen, Mike Kigen, Moses Masai;

Junior women 6km:
Veronica Nyaruai, Pauline Korkwaing, Mercy Kosgei, Pamela Lisoreng, Gladys Chemweno, Emmy Chepkirui;

Senior women 4km:
Prisca Jepleting, Beatrice Rutto, Beatrice Chepchumba, Nancy Wambui, Isabella Ochichi, Vivian Cheruiyot;

Senior women 8km:
Alice Kimeto, Mercy Wanjiru, Faith Chemutai, Ednah Kiplagat, Consolata Chemutai, Everline Wambui.

De uitslagen

Senior men 4km:
1. Isaac Songok 12:16
2. Augustine Choge 12:21
3. Yusuf Biwott 12:26
4. Edwin Soi 12:30
5. Brimin Kipruto 12:33
6. Benjamin Limo 12:34

Junior men 8km:
1. Mangata Ndiwa 25:54
2. Joseph Ebuya 25:56
3. Muinde Matheka 25:59
4. Ronald Komol 26:00
5. Robert Ndiwa 26:23
6. Gideon Ngatunyi 26:28

Senior men 12km:
1. Hosea Macharnyang 39:17
2. Simon Kiprop 39:29
3. Martin Irungu 39:34
4. Simon Arusei 39:37
5. John Kibowen 39:41
6. Mike Kigen 39:42

Junior women 6km:
1. Veronica Nyaruai 21:30
2. Pauline Korkwaing 21:35
3. Mercy Kosgei 22:06
4. Pamela Lisoreng 22:13
5. Gladys Chemweno 22:13
6. Emmy Chepkirui 22:15

Senior women 4km:
1. Prisca Jepleting 14:20
2. Beatrice Rutto 14:24
3. Beatrice Chepchumba 14:32
4. Nancy Wambui 14:36
5. Isabella Ochichi 14:41
6. Vivian Cheruiyot 14:49

Senior women 8km:
1. Alice Kimeto 29:37
2. Mercy Wanjiru 29:49
3. Faith Chemutai 29:54
4. Ednah Kiplagat 30:08
5. Consolata Chemutai 30:14

© IAAF