Kenenisa Bekele loses to Kenyans in Edinburgh, UK
EDINBURGH, UK — SIX-time world cross-country champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia floundered in fourth as Joseph Ebuya led a Kenyan 1-2-3 at the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country.
Ebuya, 22, and compatriot Titus Mbishei, roared clear of the rest of the field and while another Kenyan, Eliud Kipchoge – the 5000m Olympic silver medallist – as well as Bekele clung to their coattails, they romped home before Ebuya pulled ahead in the closing stages.
Bekele was hot favourite to take gold, having secured his sixth world cross-country title in Edinburgh in 2008 but the three-time Olympic champion was out of contention at the halfway stage and had to settle for fourth in the snow.
The 27-year-old Ethiopian has boldly spoken of targeting a number of world records this season, both indoors and outdoors, but he admitted poor preparations cost him dearly in Holyrood Park.
"You can see that the weather made it very difficult," said Bekele. "I think I was slightly out of shape today which also didn't help.
"And I think I made a mistake in my preparations. I have been here for a few days but because of the snow I have not been able to train and I've missed out on two or three sessions."
But while Bekele slipped up in the snow, there was no stopping Ebuya and Mbishei who raced each other into a sizeable lead before doing battle for victory.
And eventually it was Ebuya, a former world junior silver medallist over 10,000m who took victory, shaking his head in disbelief as he crossed the line in first place with Bekele nowhere to be seen.
Mbishei fell away in the closing stages but still eased over the line to take silver while bronze went to Kipchoge ensuring Bekele's return to Edinburgh was an unhappy one.
Source: MoreThanTheGames.co.uk
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