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IAAF.org: Sihine and Dibaba take Newcastle honours
two late additions to the elite field dominated proceedings
2004-01-04
Newcastle, UK - Ethiopian teenagers took the honours in today’s Great North Cross Country - IAAF Permit - meeting, beating world class fields over a muddy course in the north east of England.Sileshi Sihine, who turns 21 later this month, kicked away from Kenyas World 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge in a race that saw World half and marathon record-holder Paul Tergat beaten as much by the conditions as the opposition.
The women’s race also came down to the closing stages as two late additions to the elite field dominated proceedings, Tirunesh Dibaba getting the better of European cross country silver medallist Elvan Abeylegesse.
Sihine, the World 10,000m bronze medallist in Paris behind compatriots Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie, pushed the early pace and found Kipchoge was his nearest rival, with the pair finally pulling well clear of Tergat on the fifth of seven laps.
Going into the final lap Sihine kicked ahead but Kipchoge, eyeing the senior World cross long race in Brussels next march rather than the junior gold, responded in the final half mile in yet another Kenyan v Ethiopia battle.
For full article on iaaf.org - click here
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