Cam Levins, NCAA Champ and now, Nike pro athlete, won the Canadian Cross Country Champs over the weekend. Many eyes were on the IAAF Gala for the 100th anniversary of the federation. This was my first Gala and I was most excited about meeting some of my heroes and interviewing them, so watch for upcoming interviews! 

A. BELETE WINS

ROESELARE (BEL, Nov 25): Some of the top European runners tested their shape before European Championships at this Lotto CrossCup and EA Permit event. Ethiopian-born Almensh Belete who runs for Belgium took a very precious win in women race on the difficult and heavy course in a good 21.26 beating Kenyan Cynthia Kosgei to second but far in 21.43 and home veteran Veerle Dejaeghere in 21.47. A good startinglist in men race with a final duel between winner Patrick Ereng in 28.33 and the second, Belgian champ, Bashir Abdi in 28.34. Third place for Edwin Tarus 28.40 over Evans Kipkoech 28.46. Fifth place for Eurocross champ Atelaw Bekele in 28.59 with a no sure position about a doping-problem and sixth Italian Daniele Meucci 29:10 not very confident with the course but wants to be ready for Budapest.

BRITTON THIRD

LEFFRINCKOUCKE (FRA, Nov 25): Very windy day in North of France at the EA Permit race „Cross de l´Acier”. A great duel in men between Kenyan Kangogo and Eritrean Tesfaldet let this race be very exciting for the public. At the end of a very close sprint Cornelius Kangogo won in 28.14 on 9,95 km. Second was Nguse Tesfaldet with the same time. In third position Albert Rop in 28.16 and fourth Jacob Kendagor in 28.36. Great Ethiopian battle in women where Mekasha Waganesh won sure in 21.23 in front of Haftamnesh Haylu in 21.29. Third place for European cross champ Fionnualla Britton from Ireland in 21.34 very near to right shape for defense of her title in Budapest.

FELIX IN TOP SHAPE

TILBURG (NED, Nov 25): Great races at this EA Permit CC race (the third of the weekend) as European champion on the track Ana Dulce Felix won the women 8 km in 27:39 ahead of home Adrienne Herzog 27:45 and Germans Eleni Gebrehiwot 28:09 and Sabrina Mockenhaupt 28:16. Men 10 km saw Belgian Dame Tasama winning in 30:27 ahead of the Dutch Khalid Choukoud 30:33. Third Ukrainian Ihor Geletiy 30:39. Best Dutch runners won also the national titles.

MANAGERS MEETING WITH IAAF AND SDL

BARCELONA (ESP): The Association of Athletics Managers had a very successful Annual General Meeting in Barcelona on the day after the IAAF Centenary Gala and IAF World Athlete of the Year Awards. Now in its seventh year the AAM met with some of the major stakeholders in the sport including the IAAF, represented by Vice President Bob Hersh, General Secretary Essar Gabriel and Competitions Director Paul Hardy; and the Samsung Diamond League Board, represented by Patrick Magyar, Jean-Pierre Schoebel and Petr Statsny. Paul Doyle was elected on the AAM Board replacing Ray Flynn.

OTHER CC RACES

ALCOBENDAS (ESP, Nov 25): 31th edition of „Cross of Alcobendas” and double eritrean triumph. Solid races by Spanish athletes busy to qualify for EuroCross. Eritrean Medhin took the lead after 1km and pushed till end to win this important cross-country after two second places. Teklemariaam Medhin was timed with 28.23 and second was first Spanish, very good race for him, Ayad Lamdassem in 28.38 while third Alberto Lozano 28.43. Only fourth in 28.49 olympic bronze medallist in steeple Abel Mutai of Kenya. Diana Martin in women tried to be very close to eritrean Weldu till the half when the African start to push. Nazaret Weldu won in 26.30 beating Diana Martin second in 26.39 and Alessandra Aguilar third in 26.45.

TORRES VEDRAS (POR, Nov 25): Cross of Torres Vedras was the qualifier for Portugal runners for Eurocross. Jose Rocha won the men race in 33:12 beating Antonio Silva 33:24 and Rui Pinto who was also top U23 runner 33:30. Sara Moreira dominated the women competition in 27:44 ahead of Ercilia Machado 28:15 and Analia Rosa 29:05.

MARATHONS

LA ROCHELLE (FRA, Nov 25): Kenyan Chentan Bushendich won this marathon in North of France in fast 2:09.12 with a good gap over Nahashon Kimaiyo in 2:11.44 and third Kenyan David Toniok 2:12.14. Ethiopian Zerfe Boku won in women in 2:32.59 in front of Joyce Kandie from Kenya 2:38.57 and home Marie Audie Thimonier in 2:40.21.

FIRENZE (ITA, Nov 25): More than 8000 classified runners were there for Florence Marathon. Till halfway the race was paced by Swedish Mustafa Mohamed in 1:05.40 at 21k and then lead by Shumi Negesse able to push a little till 35k and then created the gap giving him the winning. Shumi Negesse won race in 2:09.59, second Berga Birhanu Bekele in 2:10.38 and third Wakeyo Habtamu Assefa in 2:10.55. The women winning time was 2:30.08 by Dulume Shuru Diriba. Moroccan Hanane Janata took silver in 2:34.21 and Johanna Kykyri of Finland as third in good 2:38.27.

BEIJING (CHN, Nov 25): Tilastopaja informs that Ethiopian Tariku Jufar in 2:09:39 and home Jia Chaofeng in lifetime best 2:27:40 won the 32nd Beijing Marathon. Second Eliud Kiptanui 2:10:15 and third Solomon Molla 2:10:20. Best home runner Yin Shujin was sixth in 2:12:30. 21-year-old Army athlete Sun Lamei was the runner-up in a top personal best 2:27:55, more than 13 minutes faster than her debut in 2009 at the age of 18. 27-year-old Sun Weiwei in third place also good quality 2:28:03.

OSAKA (JPN, Nov 25): Mongolian record holder Ser-Od Bat Ochir won the Osaka Marathon in 2:11:52 ahead of Yasuyuki Nakamura 2:15:37. Russian Oleg Kulkov was fourth in 2:16:53. Women winner legendary Romanian and former world champion Lidia Simon 2:33:12 ahead of Kenyan Julia Mombi 2:34:16 and Yuki Ino 2:43:24.

KAMPALA (UGA, Nov 25): Kenya and Uganda runners unleashed what they are made of when they secured top flight finishes in most of the races in the 9th edition of the MTN Marathon. Kenya’s Dominic Kangor Kimwetich clocked 2:15:59 with David Tarus 2:16:55 and Glibert Masai 2:18:45 coming in second and third. With 18,283 registered participants in this year’s edition organizers failed to beat the current record of 22,000 (2009), and the statistic came only close to 2,000 entries short of last year’s (20,000). Informs New Vision of Uganda. Women winner Immaculate Chemtai clocked 2:55:10.

OTHER RESULTS

HYDERABAD (IND, Nov 25): Running only on his third race at 10 km distance, Ethiopian Geremew provided a stunner when he captured the men’s crown in Jamba Cloud Hyderabad 10K in high quality 27:36. Under 28 also second Kenyan Nicholas Kipkemboi 27:37, third Jackson Kiprop of Uganda 28:16. Best Indian Rattiram Singh as 8th 30:16. The women’s honour went to another Ethiopian Yebrqual Melese in 33:21 ahead of Beatrice Mutai 33:36 and top home runners Sudha Singh 35:18. As much as 2,500 runners took part in the 10k race while another 6,000 in Mazza run. Bollywood Megastar Chiranjeevi, former All-England Badminton champion Pullela Gopichand and ace tennis player Sania Mirza were among the celebrities who graced the occasion to cheer the participants.

MACHIDA (JPN, Nov 24): At Hachioji Distance Yusuke Hasegawa beat Kenyans at the 10 000 m in very solid 27:50.64. Second Patrick Mwendo 27:54.82 and third Alex Mwangi 27:54.86 with fourth Tsuyoshi Ugachi also sub 28 (27:55.29).

LEVICOTERME (ITA, Nov 25): Second and last selection-race for Italian team for Eurocross. Silvia Weissteiner is back and won women race in 24.03 on 7 km course. Second Angela Rinicella 24.13 while third was Claudia Pinna in 24.18. Italian legend of cross-country Gabriele De Nard won easily men-race on 9 km in 27.29 creating a good gap with the second Kaddour Slimani (Moroccan-born) who closed in 27.43 in a close sprint with mountain-runner Alex Baldaccini third in 27.44.

VANCOUVER (CAN, Nov 25): Cross Country fans watched some great races with the 2012 Canadian Cross Country Championships at Jericho Park. Cameron Levins and Megan Brown were crowned the 2012 Canadian Champions in the senior race while Dylan Brown and Jillian Forsey took the junior titles. Defending senior champion Cameron Levins pulled through a tight 10-kilometer race to win his third straight title crossing the line in 29:41 just ahead of Mohammed Ahmed in 29:42. Kelly Wiebe won the bronze in 29:45. In the senior women’s 7-ki
lometer race Megan Brown clocked in with 23:05 minutes just ahead of Kate Harrison (23:12) and Natasha Fraser (23:21).

SZENTENDRE (HUN, Nov 24): Test races at the course of December European Championships were Hungarian Championships. Men 8 km winner Albert Minczer achieved 26:26 ahead of Sandor Szabo 26:43 and Gabor Faldum 27:11. In women 6 km veteran Krisztina Papp got 21:42 ahead of Reka Czebei 22:05 and Zsofia Erdelyi 22:18.

SANTURCE (ESP, Nov 25): In the 24th edition of the Santurce race in Bilbao region at 17 km Eritrean Kidane Tadese won in 47:51 in close finish over Kenyan Cyprian Kotut also 47:51. Best Spanish Eliseo Martin as 8th 48:50. Top woman was Kenyan Joan Chelimo in 53:51.