Athletics: Farah scores a brilliant win in the snow

Published on Friday 7 January 2011 12:41

The runners came despite the weather which closed Edinburgh Airport till noon on Saturday but, by some miracle, came too late to affect athletes arriving, and Holyrood Park duly delivered another glorious spectacle for television of the BUPA Great Edinburgh Cross Country.

Britain's Athlete of 2010, Mo Farah, delivered, the Africans delivered (though not in the same package) and all that was missing was a home hero.

Not even Steph Twell could provide something to cheer for her adopted country for whom she made a 1500 metres bronze medal debut in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last October.

But, in fairness, this 21-year-old whole-hearted competitor who so loves the venue had warned that she might not be able to match her previous two fourth places, though to finish seventh, inside her top tight target, was certainly no disgrace. "I am a bit disappointed," she confessed after coming home a full minute behind the very impressive winner Linet Masai (Kenya), who covered the six snow-covered kilometres in 20:24, and over half minute down on her training partner Charlotte Purdue, who was fourth (20:49).

"It was a tough race but I knew I wasn't where I was last year fitness-wise," said the three times European junior champion, who was typically generous in her praise of Purdue: "It's nice to see her up there, she's such a fighter in training and it's wonderful to see her in the mix in this quality of race."

But she did overhaul England team-mate Hattie Dean for the honour of being first Briton after the Sheffield steeplechaser had bravely battled with the leaders in the early stages.

Up front Masai simply flew over the snow, her long legs seemingly oblivious to the conditions as she recorded her second victory in three years in Edinburgh.

Her fellow Kenyan, Vivian Cheriuyot, struggled by contrast and was overhauled on the final lap by Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia), who finished strongly in 20:32, four seconds clear of the World 5000 metres track champion and only eight seconds down on Masai.

In the absence of the injured Freya Murray (EAC), the honour of top home Scot went to Beth Potter (Glasgow), who only turned 19 ten days ago and surely has the potential to be a "home hero" in the very near future.

In finishing 15th in 22:26 Potter was only three seconds down on the European champion Jessica Augusto of Portugal, whose distaste for the conditions had seemed fairly obvious from the start.

Potter led the West to victory in the women's inter-district team race with 49 points to the East's 61 and Scottish Universities 82.

Emma Raven (Central) was top East finisher in 23rd place with Diane Lauder (Gala) 28th and Sarah Inglis (Lothian) 31st.

Capital reps Laura Dunn and Jennifer MacLean (both EAC) were 36th and 48th respectively.

The double European 5000 and 10,000m track champion Mo Farah made amends for his poor form last year when he scored a brilliant victory in the new event, the 8k men's International Team Challenge.

"That was really good, last year I didn't run so well here so I wanted to prove something," said the 27-year-old Somali-born star, who is just back from altitude training in Kenya and heads off to New Mexico soon to try the rarefied air there.

"I enjoyed this - I've worked hard for this and deserved it.

"But now I want to move on and give it my all for the track Worlds in Daegu," he added.

Content to stay back in the pack over the opening short laps of the tough course, Farah showed his strength crossing the road to go up the infamous "haggis knowe".

Moving level on the first ascent, he powered away second time round: "I knew Lebid and the other guys were strong finishers and I wanted to get away."

But the nine times European champion Sergey Lebid could only finish fourth and it was the American Galen Rupp who chased Farah home, with the third-placed Spaniard Ayad Lamdassam leading the European Select (50 points) to a narrow team victory over the Americans (53), with the Brits (69) third and GB under-23/u-21 fourth (163).

A splendid run by Glasgow University student Derek Hawkins for the British Under-23 side was the Scottish highlight, Hawkins not only leading the young Brits home in 22nd place in 26:49, but also finishing well clear of Scottish champion Al Hay (Central) who was 31st in 27:36.

Their clash at the Nationals in Falkirk next month should be worth seeing.

Hay, who like Twell was in Delhi with the Scotland team, had the satisfaction of leading the East (35) to a team win over West (61) and Scottish Universities (91). Murray Strain (Hunter's Bog Trotters) was 33rd (28:07).

Winner of the long race back in 2005 and twice a podium finisher since, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge was an impressive first time winner of the men's 4k challenge in 13:12 from fellow countrymen Asbel Kiprop (13:18) and Brimin Kipruto (13:19), with Stockport Harrier Steve Vernon fourth, ahead of Britain's top 1500m man Tom Lancashire. Buried in 16th place in 14:05 was US-based Capital middle-distance star Kris Gauson. The former Scottish 1500m champion was just edged out of 15th and the honour of top Scot by Chris Mackay (Inverclyde).

Doug Selman (Corstorphine) was 19th in 14:35.