Tanzania: Kenyan Cheruiyot Wins Women’s World Cross

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

21 March 2011

Punta Umbria — Kenya’s pair of world outdoor middle-distance champions Vivian Cheruiyot and Linet Masai left their stamp on the women’s world cross-country on Sunday.

Cheruiyot, the reigning world, African and Commonwealth champion at 5000m clocked 24min 58sec over the 8km course to finish 9sec ahead of compatriot and reigning world 10,000m champion Masai, winning her third successive silver.

American Shalane Flanagan took a surprise bronze, a further 3sec adrift, for a first US medal since Deena Drossin won silver in 2003.

Five-time bronze medallist Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia missed out on another podium finish after Flanagan produced a fine spurt with 500 metres to go.”I feel very happy because I finished 8th three times in the short cross-country,” Cheruiyot said.

“I’m very happy about Linet’s silver as well because we are friends outside competition and we also train together. It’s a great result to be the first team.”I hope to defend my title at the next championship,” added the diminutive 27-year-old who hails from a peasant farming background.

Masai couldn’t hide her disappointment at failing to top the podium.”My goal was to win this championship because I’m strong and running well, but once again I finished second,” she said.

Flanagan added: “I am exhausted! The race was very hard from the beginning.”I tried very hard to be at the same level and I’m so tired. I’m so happy and very, very proud of my whole team.”

Kenya defended their team title, on 15 points, with arch-rivals Ethiopia taking silver (29) and the Flanagan-inspired United States bronze (57).

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