East Africans Dominate, US Disappoints At Worlds

East Africans Dominate, US Disappoints At Worlds

Mar 28, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
East Africans Dominate, US Disappoints At Worlds



Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor won the men's senior 12k in 34:52 at World XC. ©Image of Sport

FULL RESULTS

Kenya Goes 1-2, Ethiopia Wins Tiebreaker In Men's Senior Race, Derrick 24th
 
2014 World Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor broke away from his Kenyan teammate Bedan Karoki Muchiri in the final 300m to win the men’s senior 12k title in 34:52. The African XC champ Muchiri was 2nd in 35:00. Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris rounded out the individual medals with his 35:06 third place finish.
 
The team battle between Kenya and Ethiopia was even better than advertised, as the two African rivals tied with a final score of 20 points. Ethiopia eventually won the gold, however, as their fourth man placed 7th, while Kenya’s fourth man was 12th. The victory was Ethiopia’s second consecutive World Cross gold. 
 
Bahrain grabbed the bronze with 54 points
 
After nabbing a surprising silver in 2013, Team USA finished a disappointing seventh with 131 points in their encore performance. Chris Derrick led the Americans with his 24th place finish (36:45), while Ryan Vail (37:27) was 34th, Patrick Smyth (37:31) 36th, and Bobby Curtis (37:32) 37th to round out the scoring for the United States.

Chris Derrick finished 24th to lead the Americans in Guiyang. ©Image of Sport

GOLD: Ethiopia = 3-4-6-7 = 20 points*
 
SILVER: Kenya = 1-2-5-12 = 20 points
 
BRONZE: Bahrain = 10-11-15-18= 54 points
*won via tiebreaker

Ethiopia Slides Past Kenya In Women's Senior Race, Sara Hall 20th
 
19-year-old Agnes Tirop of Kenya won the women’s senior 8k in 26:01. Ethiopia would take the team title in a very low scoring affair, 17-19 over Kenya. Senbere Teferi (26:06), Netsanet Gudeta (26:11), and Alemitu Heroye (26:14) finished 2-3-4 for Ethiopia, with Mamitu Daska’s 8th place finish rounding out the scoring for the champions.


Agnes Tirop won the women's senior race in 26:01. ©Image of Sport

The American women finished 5th in Guiyang with 128 points, led by Sara Hall (28:19) in 20th. Hall’s individual finish was very impressive considering that she just ran the LA Marathon on March 15th, a brutal 2:48 performance in her debut. 2015 US XC champion Laura Thweatt was 29th in 28:49, followed by Mattie Suver (29:00) in 34th, and Brie Felnagle (29:19) in 45th to round out the scoring.


Sara Hall placed 20th at World XC, the best finish by an American in Guiyang. ©Image of Sport

GOLD: Ethiopia = 2-3-4-8 = 17 points
 
SILVER: Kenya = 1-5-6-7 = 19 points
 
BRONZE: Uganda = 14-24-30-33 = 101 points

Kenya Scores Lone Team Win In Men's Junior Race, Ethiopia's Haji Wins
 
Yasin Haji of Ethiopia stayed patient behind the Kenyans for the majority of 8k race, and was rewarded with a kicking finish to win in 23:42. The Kenyans, however, would get the last laugh, as they finished 2-3-4 with Geoffrey Korir, Alfred Ngeno, and Dominic Kiptarus, respectively. Rodgers Chumo rounded out the scoring for Team Kenya by placing 10th, totaling a slim 19 points. Ethiopia would finish second with 33 points, followed by Eritrea with 52 to complete the African sweep. 


John Dressel was the top American in the men's junior  race, finishing 27th. ©Image of Sport

Team USA finished in sixth place with 132 points, led by future Colorado Buffalo John Dressel in 27th (25:25). Connor Mantz was 29th (25:28), Oklahoma State freshman Cerake Geberkidane was 34th (25:46), and Eric Hamer finished 42nd (25:58) to round out the scoring for the Americans. 
 
GOLD: Kenya = 2-3-4-10 = 19 points
 
SILVER: Ethiopia = 1-7-8-17 = 33 points
 
BRONZE: Eritrea = 6-13-14-19 = 52 points

Ethiopians Score Measly 11 Points In Women's Junior Race
 
Ethiopia sweeps women’s junior race:  Letesenbet Gidey wins in 19:48, followed by her teammates Dera Dida (19:49) and Etagegn Woldu (19:53). Mihret Tefera completes the scoring for the Ethiopians by placing fifth. 
 
Top American was Colorado freshman Kaitlyn Benner in 27th. Team USA finished 8th. 


Colorado freshman Kaitlyn Benner was the top American in the junior race, 27th. ©Image of Sport

GOLD: Ethiopia= 1-2-3-5 = 11 points
 
SILVER: Kenya= 4-7-10-12 = 33 points
 
BRONZE: Bahrain= 8-9-15-20 = 52 points