by Larry Eder
Great day of Cross Country in Hungary
BUDAPEST (HUN, Dec 9): Freezy and snowy conditions for first time at 19th European CC Championships in Szentendre Skanzen Open Air Museum some 30 minutes from Budapest City Center. Great Britain was the top country (and won its jubilee 100th medal in ECC history), but 14 teams won medals (the second ever highest number) and Bulgaria achieved its first ever at Euro Cross (as 27th country). Individual highlights for the first women senior succesfull title defence by Ireland´s Fionualla Britton (and sensational also team gold) and hattrick of wins by Italian Andrea Lalli who in the past got gold medals in junior and U23 categories (2006 and 2008). Favorite win for Briton Jess Coulson in women U23 race, unexpected 1500 m specialist triumph in men U23 race by Helsinki gold medalist Henrik Ingebrigtsen of Norway. Junior races had surprise winners in Serbian Amela Terzic (over British favorite Emelie Gorecka) and Poland´s Szymon Kulka. Europe confirmed it likes cross country with record participation of 511 runners from 35 countries. Next edition in 2013 will be held in Belgrade, Serbia on December 8.
OTHER NEWS
MELBOURNE (AUS, Dec 9): Luke Adams will join Jared Tallent on the start line for the men’s 50km walk at the 2013 IAAF World Championships after winning the Australian championship in an ‘A’ Qualifying time of 3:57:24. Excitingly for the Australian Flame team, Ian Rayson has staked his claim for the third and final spot after crossing the line second in 4:00:39, also an ‘A’ Qualifying time. In other events at the Australian 50km Race Walking Championships this morning, Brendon Reading won the men’s 20km event in a time of 1:26:24. This is his first qualifier for the Summer Universiade in Kazan next year. Tanya Holliday won the women’s race in 1:36:31. The boy’s 10km event was taken out by 2011 IAAF World Youth Championshipsrepresentative Jesse Osborne in a personal best time of 43:18, while Nathan Brill etched a second qualifier for the 2013 World Youth Championships in Donetsk next to his name bycrossing second in 43:44. Informs Athletics Australia.
HONOLULU (USA): With just over 31,000 entries as of 3:00 p.m. and another three hours of walk-up entry time remaining, the 40th Honolulu Marathon will likely be the second largest marathon in the United States in 2012 in terms of finishers. Allowing for 20% attrition (athletes who do not start or finish the race), nearly 25,000 should finish the race, making only the Bank of America Chicago Marathon larger within the 50 states this year. The race here boasts its largest field since 1997 when 33,682 athletes signed up and 26,495 finished. Last year’s event had 22,615 entrants and 19,078 finishers. Writes RRW.
SAN DIEGO (USA, Dec 8): The American high school cross country season came to an end at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships where Edward Cheserek successfully defended his national title in 14:59 and Anna Rohrer won her first championship after breaking from the field late after 17:25 in their respective races. From Race Results Weekly.
LEXINGTON (USA, Dec 8): Jacob Riley and Mattie Suver both bested fields of well over 200 runners Saturday in claiming open men’s and women’s individual titles during the USA National Club Cross Country Championships held at Masterson Park in Lexington. More than 100 teams and 1,200 competitors competed. Hansons-Brooks Distance Project took home top honors in the men’s open division with a score of 50 points while Team USA Minnesota won the women’s open division with a score of 70. Informs USATF.
