Coffee with Larry, March 30, 2024, The World Cross Country in Belgrade, Serbia, some thoughts

This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on track & field!

This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on all news on track & field!

Coffee with Larry, November 4, 2024, 55,6464 finish TCS New York City marathon! Abdi Nageeye and Sheila Chepkirui battle to the end for the win!

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This is Saturday, March 30, 2024.

This is Coffee with Larry, your daily podcast on all things track and field.

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Our topics:

1. The World Cross Country was a true success in Belgrade, Serbia.

BELGRADE, SERBIA – MARCH 30: Berehanu Tsegu of Ethiopia, Jacob Kiplimo, Leonard Chemutai, and Joshua Chptegei of Uganda, Samwel Chebolei Masai and Benson Kiplangat of Kenya compete in the Men’s Senior race during the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 2024 on March 30, 2024 in Belgrade, Serbia.
(Photo by © Adam Nurkiewicz for World Athletics

2. The LOC gets kudos for organizing the event at the last minute.

3. Tim Hutchings and Paula Radcliffe’s TV commentation was good. It is hard to build interest when coverage does not tell stories about the Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Ugandan teams. All news is local, so sports need to remember this.

BELGRADE, SERBIA—MARCH 30: Marta Alemayo of Ethiopia leads in the Women’s U20 race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 2024 on March 30, 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia.
(Photo by © Adam Nurkiewicz for World Athletics)

4. Beatrice Chebet and Jacob Kiplimo were the defending champions.

BELGRADE, SERBIA – MARCH 30: Beatrice Chebet of Kenya poses with a flag after winnig in the Women’s Senior race during the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 2024 on March 30, 2024 in Belgrade, Serbia.
(Photo by © Adam Nurkiewicz for World Athletics)

5. Kenya had a perfect 10 score in the women’s senior race.

6. Many European countries did not send teams. Norway sent one athlete (Karoline Grovdal).

7. Cross country, run on nearly groomed golf courses, has emasculated the sport. Participants can hurdle hay bales or run around them. Little mud and few hills have Americanized the courses. Cross Country courses on a global level in the 1970s were brutishly tough.

John Treacy, Ireland, World Cross Country Champ, 1978, 1979, photo courtesy of Athletics Ireland

8. Right now, the sport is glorified road racing. Most Europeans cannot compete with East Africans on such courses. If WA wants global competition, then make the courses tough.

See you on Monday, April 1, 2024.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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