Fionnuala Britton McCormack, World XC, 2013, photo by PhotoRun.net
McCormack beats the field
ALCOBENDAS (ESP, Nov 27): Former two-time European cross country champion Fionnuala McCormack scored an emphatic victory in the senior women’s 8.06km at the Cross Internacional de la Constitucion in Alcobendas (IAAF CC Permit). McCormack clocked 28:18 to defeat two-time Olympic steeplechase finalist Etenesh Diro from Ethiopia by 38 seconds with Trihas Gebre a distant third in 29:31. Uganda’s Timothy Toroitich took his second big win in as many weekends with victory in the men’s senior 10.06km in 30:52 ahead of Eritrean teenager Aron Kifle (31:01), Kenyan steeplechaser Jairus Birech (31:06) and Bahrain’s El Hassan El-Abbassi (31:14). Ayad Lamdassem was the top domestic finisher in sixth (31:43) with European junior cross country champion Yemaneberhan Crippa from Italy seventh in the same time.