Kiprop fails at Edinburgh final hurdle

Jan 11, 2009

BONIFACE Kiprop was again failed by the finishing kick, surrendering his lead and settling for fifth in the Bupa Great Edinburgh International cross country race Saturday evening. The event took place in the Scottish capital.

GREAT EDNBURG X-COUNTRY
Selected results
Men’s 8.9km race

1. A. Dinkesa (ETH) 26:51
2. M. Ndiwa (KEN) 26:54
3. Z. Tadese (ERI) 26:55
4. E. Kipchoge (KEN) 26:58
5. B. Kiprop (UGA) 26:59
6. M. Kipyego (KEN) 27:06


By Norman Katende

BONIFACE Kiprop was again failed by the finishing kick, surrendering his lead and settling for fifth in the Bupa Great Edinburgh International cross country race Saturday evening. The event took place in the Scottish capital.

With three-time defending champion Kenenisa Bekele out with injury, Ethiopian Abebe Dinkesa sprinted away from the lead pack to claim the title. He beat race favourite and 2007 World Cross Country champion Zersenay Tadese.

At the muddy windswept Holyrood Park –– venue for last year’s World Cross Country, Kiprop headed a large group of largely African athletes for much of the first two laps.

But drama unfolded at the last climb when Dinkesa built an over 20m lead which saw him race to victory.
M. Ndiwa, who won the Athletics Kenya Cross Country series in November, pulled ahead of Kipchoge on the final climb to take a noteworthy second.

Tadese closed in and passed a struggling E. Kipchoge to take third from the Kenyan as Kiprop, the early leader, wound up fifth.

Meanwhile, the Uganda Athletics Federation has introduced mountain running on its calendar, to attract more athletes competing in the event.

During the past two years, Uganda has been doing well in the new event, only certified and approved by the International Association of Athletics Federation last year.

Geoffrey Kusuro won a junior gold in 2007, while Martin Toroitich won silver in last year’s senior event.

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