2010 European Cross Country Championships


2010

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Good afternoon and thanks for joining us. It's the last athletics

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coverage of 2011 and we will be reviewing the last year but the

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main focus is the European Cross Country Championships and while it

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may be the last event of the year, for the athletes it's the start of

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the new season and for British athletes, the most important one of

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This is the King of the European Cross Country Championships this

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afternoon and he goes for title number 10. Andy Baddeley is hoping

:01:17.:01:25.

a winter in the mud will set him up for the summer of a lifetime. 2006

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saw Mo win this title and we won't see in this afternoon but we will

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look back at his fantastic 2011. Steph Twell is on the comeback

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trail after her horrific ankle fracture or after she fell over in

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a cross-country race back in February. This Championship is

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being held in Velenje in central Slovenia. 30,000 people, lovely

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castle and some strange local inhabitants. The European Cross

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Country Championships was held back in 1999 it when no Farrar, 16 years

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old, finished in 5th place. Mo Farah. There are six races in total

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Lots to look forward to. Brendan Foster is a long psych me. In one

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sense, you are the founding father other European Cross Country

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Championships. Going back to 1994 and 1995. Many years ago, we

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thought the European distance runners were being overwhelmed in

:02:51.:02:53.

the world championships by the Africans and we felt there was a

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need for the Europeans to have a staging post, and we figured the

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European Cross Country Championships would be that

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staging-post. It has had a long and healthy life and all of Britain's

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top distance runners including Paula Radcliffe have excelled

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themselves at this event. It has fulfilled his potential and has

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record entries this year. It's quite early in the air, almost part

:03:20.:03:27.

of the 2012 season. How do athletes that is into their schedule? It is

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part of 2012. You look at results from December, January and February,

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and compare them with the track events and the distance races from

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the summer, you will see an immense Coronation. All the middle distance

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runners have used Cross-Country as part of their training but the

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competition it brings is tough, it is enduring, a necessary

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competition and I feel if you look at the greatest ones, they have

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always been in the cross-country. You name them, he or she has used

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cross-country races as well as training as part of their Formula.

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It's generally been a very successful championships for the

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British team, hasn't it? We've always figured that Britain should

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be the strongest distance running nation in the world any more, but

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we always think it should be amongst the top distance running

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nations in Europe and we are thrilled we have now got the King

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of the castle, in the British team. Paula Radcliffe was a delightfully

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selected for a 5th Olympics the other day, so we have had major

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players but we have dominated this event and won more medals in the

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European cross-country championships than any other

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country, and that's what the youngsters need because it takes an

:04:39.:04:49.
:04:49.:04:49.

awful long time to go from a young runner Mo Farah, and this event

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help that journey. Paula Radcliffe has won this title back in 1998.

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Just selected for 2012. A very different stage of her career now.

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How do you think she will react to that selection and how do you see

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the year going for her towards the marathon? Is it did fantastic? Her

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5th Olympic Games. -- isn't it fantastic? I, member anybody who

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has done five Olympic Games. -- I can't remember anybody who has done

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five Olympic Games. She did well in Berlin and qualified quite rightly

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for the team. What a boost for her training in Kenya. Nothing more to

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do, selected for 2012, and how much is she going to enjoy that? The

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London Marathon has been a major stage. She has got a bigger stage,

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the Olympic Games, on the London Marathon course. That's in a few

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months' time and with Paula Radcliffe, it will be a great story,

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a great story. Andy Baddeley, a 1,500 metre specialist. You

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flattered to deceive with major championships, I think it is fair

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to say. How important is this in the build-up to the Olympics?

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important and I'm pleased to see him doing it because strength and

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endurance is what he needs for the track. I spoke to Steve Cram this

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morning. I asked him if he was still competing, would this figure

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in your armoury? He said he would certainly be using up Cross-Country.

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I think it's right that Andy Baddeley should do that because

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endurance is what you need in the 1,500 metres to put up a earlier

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today the first race was the women's junior race. It turned out

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to be pretty successful for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It

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Emilia Gorecka bided her time a little bit. Last year's silver-

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medallist set the pace. She has moved away to the front and has had

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to work hard to break the Romanian. She was hoping to move up from a

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bronze medal last year to the gold this year. She did it in fine style.

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Charlotte Purdue, she won it last year. Emilia Gorecka getting a gold

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medal and a great start for the British team. It's a title which

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not only they were aiming for individually but the team as well,

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so she has backed up behind her. Annabel Gummow, crossing the line

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in 6th place. Last year she got into the top 10, which gave us a

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really good base for which we went on to win the gold medal with Gemma

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Kersey and Katie Holt behind her. Annabel Gummow, a huge talent. The

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British team has really dominated this team in terms of team and

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individual. Russia did well, just three points away. Watch out for

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A great performance there from Emilia Gorecka and the British team.

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It's a great development stage, isn't it? A gold medal for Emilia

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Gorecka and a team. In a week which has been dominated by Europe, it's

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nice to hear the Union Jack being displayed. We had the senior

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women's race next. Patti Deano won the British trials for the Powell

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do you see her chances? -- Hattie I think she would have featured in

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the team championships and I am thrilled she is coming back. She

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should give it a good run for her money today. You have got your

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marching orders to go alongside You consider Portuguese team are

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just getting ready. They would have had high hopes are. She is trying

:09:09.:09:13.

to move up to that event for next year in the Olympic Games but

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dropped out of the cross-country trials so no Jessica Augusta for

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the Portuguese team which gives Great Britain high hopes once more

:09:22.:09:32.
:09:32.:09:32.

doing very well here. They have won the the silver medal here but Hatti

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Dean won the trials in fine style, some good experience in there. They

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you can see Freya Murray and Gemma Steel And has been in good form all

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year. They will have to go well to follow on behind Hatti Dean. It's

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hard to pick out too many away so really good competition in

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prospect. The favourite I would suggest could well come from Italy.

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And that is Nadia Ejjafini wearing sunglasses. I think she will go

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well today. Another one who has moved up into the marathon, a great

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mix of a track specialist, the 1,500 metre runners are right up to

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the marathon runners coming together in Cross-Country. 8,000

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metres in Velenje. As we have a flat course. 1,300 metres. And a

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short lap of 500. Five of along a laps and won a short one to add up

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to 8,000 metres. The weather is cold but find and drive. This

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course is proving to be not too much of a test in terms of

:11:07.:11:11.

traditional cross-country courses, if you like -- the weather is fine

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and dry. Nothing for the track specialists to worry about, though.

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The women's race under way. It's always a big sprint at the

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beginning to settle down and find yourself a place. And then settle

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down into a bit of a rhythm. We expect the British women to take

:11:33.:11:38.

their time a little bit. We saw Emilia Gorecka do that in the

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junior race. She ran smartly in the first three or four minutes of the

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race and then moved her way through and timed her effort perfectly.

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Nadia Ejjafini For Italy in the beginning. The Dutch athlete in the

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beginning there. Hatti Dean just tucked in the behind at the leading

:12:03.:12:10.

group. They are just settling down around this first of. Ancuta

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Bobocel. I apologise give it to the will to work out exactly where they

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are because there's a lot of turns and you can see they give a little

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bit at an impression. It will eventually be the finishing

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straight. And then they will head doubt on the first of five large

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laps. -- head out. Ireland had a good championships last year with

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Fionnualla Britton with a couple of surprise medals. The Great Britain

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team, before we started here today, 80 medals, 30 more than any other

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nation in these European Cross Country Championships. It just

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shows the dominance. When you think of the Portuguese and Spanish and a

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great pedigree in distance running, it highlights how well the last few

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years Great Britain has been doing in their endurance programme. It is

:13:09.:13:14.

certainly bearing fruit. They are all wearing chips on that there

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spikes, and it's working pretty well today. You can see on the

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screen of their exactly where they are at the end of each lap. The

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first 500 metres completed. Gemma Steel. Hatti Dean at leading up.

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:13:41.:13:42.

Brendan has joined me now. minutes. A personal best, I think.

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The you could see the way the athletes set of and I think their

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team manager said to them, don't go too quickly in the early stages.

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Hatti Dean at leading the British team were the Freya Murray

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alongside her. The British team is a good one. Julia Bleasdale, Freya

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Murray, Gemma Steel. The second order, away from the very fast

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opening park. The interesting thing is, gauging the effort. The course

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looks pretty favourable. We could only see what you can see. The

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course is not too heavy. It looks like a run has caused a rather than

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a real endurance test. Britain and Ireland is where we expect to find

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them, at the beginning. She could and a real chance in this one today.

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The Irish have done well in cross- country running well. Especially in

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the early races. Irish athletes have figured strongly over the

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:14:57.:14:57.

years. The first one was held a few years ago and it's a great

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tradition of cross-country running there. It's good to see Fionnualla

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Britton up there at the beginning. He plenty of for medalists in this

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race, of different age groups. As a Jonathan was alluding to, of course,

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we have seen the junior women's race already so six races

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altogether. Plenty of medals up for grabs. And the British team third

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league target every single one of those races individually and in the

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team event, as well, but this one in particular is, given the

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pedigree of Britain's women's distance running in the last 10

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years, it is one they really would like to wrestle back, if you like,

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because the silver medal in the last four years, I'm sure they

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would love to convert into gold. It's a good team. As I said, it's

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good to see Freya Murray and Gemma Steel Already in the front at ready.

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Elle Baker going through their already. The Italians will be good.

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The Portuguese, as I said, seriously, they have had their

:16:04.:16:14.
:16:14.:16:15.

chances dented. A good opportunity the British team through, closing

:16:15.:16:20.

up the pack. The early tactics, they have discussed this, it makes

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a lot of sense. There is Baker of UK running through. Back in about

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10 per place is the diminutive figure, the Scottish athlete who

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ran the few -- the Commonwealth Games a few years ago, she has been

:16:36.:16:45.

running well recently on the roads. In the leading group, Ejjafini in

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second place, Fionnulla Britton alongside her. Ana Dulce Felix in

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5th place. On the wide outside, the first of the British athletes. It

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is an open race, you would not want to predict the winner. You did not

:16:59.:17:03.

know who is coming into the race confident they can win it. You will

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get a run for your money from the British team. They are doing that.

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Looking back there, Hattie Dean is in about 15th place. Julia

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Bleasdale just behind her. It is looking good for the team events.

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Fionnulla Britton is looking strong in the individual event. Fionnulla

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Britton trying to push things on at a very early stage of the race.

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Ejjafini an interesting athlete, born in Morocco and went to compete

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for borrowing. By marriage, she now runs for Italy, she has been clear

:17:42.:17:47.

to run for Italy for two years now. She is having a very good year, in

:17:47.:17:51.

the yacht -- longer distances, she has run a very fast marathon and

:17:51.:17:58.

half marathon, she has improved her personal best which is a good sign.

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She has picked up a few scalps on the cross-country circuit as well.

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She will be a very good to danger today. One of two people are there

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not being able to compete here, Freya Murray is just watching those

:18:11.:18:16.

go through. It is good packing from the British team. It is for inside

:18:16.:18:21.

the top 15, and that would be gold medal if they were able to maintain

:18:21.:18:30.

his position as. It is a hot pace being set here -- it's a hard place.

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She is taking it to them, the new- look Britain, she has broken the

:18:35.:18:45.
:18:45.:18:45.

field up Britain -- broken up the field. They are all well strung out

:18:45.:18:54.

behind this fast pace being set early on. You can see slowing-down

:18:54.:18:58.

-- lower down the field, the rest of the Irish team, but there is the

:18:58.:19:04.

leader, Fionnulla Britton, really head-down, determined. Clearly

:19:04.:19:08.

running to plan here. She is not holding back or running practically.

:19:08.:19:14.

She is saying, she is a very good steeplechase runner, nine minutes

:19:14.:19:18.

37 seconds, she ran the European Championships and finished 4th. The

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race is on the second lap now. Similar Britain is leading. Freya

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Murray being overtaken by Gemma Steel -- Fionnulla Britton is

:19:26.:19:32.

leading. Hattie Dean who won the British trials for this event, now

:19:32.:19:39.

the group is beginning to open up a little. Fionnulla Britton, Ejjafini

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and Ana Dulce Felix, all three names you would have put in a long

:19:43.:19:47.

list among the early part, but he would not have been able to pick a

:19:47.:19:50.

winner. You still cannot pick a winner. There are three of them

:19:50.:19:57.

starting to settle down with a gap. Fionnulla Britton ran really well a

:19:57.:20:02.

few weeks ago, which was in essentially the French trials.

:20:02.:20:07.

There were some Eva Prince -- Ethiopians running in the men's

:20:07.:20:17.
:20:17.:20:18.

race. Fionnulla Britton was only 10 or 11 seconds behind the winner,

:20:18.:20:24.

and was a long way ahead of the Turkish athletes who is in 5th

:20:24.:20:29.

place, Binniz Uslu, she is bringing that confident into the

:20:29.:20:34.

championships. She knows that Ejjafini is in great shape. Ana

:20:34.:20:38.

Felix, we would expect her to be in there or thereabouts. This is brave

:20:38.:20:44.

running from Fionnulla Britton, she looks comfortable. Gemma Steel, who

:20:44.:20:51.

beat Ana Felix, early on it, she is living through nicely. She set off

:20:52.:20:56.

comfortably and is moving through. Gemma Steel, the first of the

:20:56.:21:00.

British athlete, into 6th place. Fionnulla Britton is running

:21:00.:21:04.

powerfully and confidently. When an athlete tells -- get their head

:21:04.:21:10.

down and starts to drive, you can tell. Gemma Steel in six place.

:21:10.:21:16.

Freya Murray is in 10th place. So the team, the event is being blown

:21:16.:21:19.

apart. The gaps are being widened by the consistent pace of Fionnulla

:21:19.:21:24.

Britton, Ejjafini and Ana Dulce Felix, all three of them have

:21:24.:21:28.

distinguished themselves on the roads, in the country and on the

:21:28.:21:32.

track. But Fionnulla Britton, for the moment, concentration, you can

:21:32.:21:38.

see it in a map -- in her eyes. She is trying to break the field. She

:21:38.:21:41.

does not want two athlete sitting on her shoulder for nine much

:21:41.:21:45.

longer. This is the battle for the individual medals at the moment.

:21:45.:21:49.

Plenty of running left here. After the first two kilometres, Great

:21:49.:21:52.

Britain were in the lead in the team race but only just, from

:21:52.:21:58.

Portugal, by four points. Rest assured, those positions will

:21:58.:22:02.

change. Gemma Steel has moved up. She was in 11th place at that

:22:02.:22:07.

measurement, so she has obviously improved her position. Just

:22:07.:22:12.

watching behind, Freya Murray, the next, then Julia Bleasdale. Hattie

:22:12.:22:16.

Dean is the one I would have expected to have been further up,

:22:16.:22:22.

not quite sure what is going on with her. She had a great race at

:22:22.:22:31.

the trials. She is unable to replicate that today. That is our

:22:31.:22:34.

first athlete to drop out. The course is not actually that's tough.

:22:35.:22:40.

In terms of the Test. There is this one sticky area. Just look at Gemma

:22:40.:22:50.
:22:50.:22:54.

Steel there. That burst -- fast pace has put paid to a few athletes.

:22:54.:23:00.

Here comes Roxana Barca from Romania. The counters will be very

:23:00.:23:05.

important here. Julia Bleasdale coming through, Baker will be the

:23:05.:23:11.

4th accountable to operate Britain looking good for the team race.

:23:11.:23:15.

This is the thing about cross- country running. You have got the

:23:15.:23:20.

track specialists, 3000 metres, Fionnulla Britton, Ana Dulce Felix

:23:20.:23:25.

finished second in the Great North Run a few years ago. She is a half

:23:25.:23:29.

marathon specialist. And Ejjafini ran a good marathon recently. You

:23:29.:23:33.

have got the track runners, the cross-country runners, the road

:23:33.:23:36.

runners and the marathon runners all competing against each other. A

:23:36.:23:40.

good position now is being gathered by Gemma Steel of Great Britain.

:23:40.:23:45.

She is the leading candidate there, she is in 4th place. A little bit

:23:45.:23:49.

or adapt to the leading group, but she is an endurance athlete, Gemma

:23:49.:23:54.

Steel. -- a little bit of a gap until the leading group. But track

:23:54.:24:01.

specialist Fionnulla Britton, the marathon specialist Nadia Ejjafini,

:24:01.:24:04.

the Road runner Ana Dulce Felix, and Gemma Steel who have

:24:04.:24:09.

distinguished herself on the roads recently. She won the replay --

:24:09.:24:15.

women's race recently at the grey Birmingham run, that is when highly

:24:15.:24:24.

Gebrselassie won the man's race. Ana Dulce Felix is falling off the

:24:24.:24:28.

leading group. She has got a good gap into 5th and 6th place, as we

:24:28.:24:32.

look at the chasing group coming through. We are looking for the

:24:32.:24:37.

next British athlete, and there she is, Freya Murray. There are two of

:24:38.:24:41.

the other British athletes. That is Julia Bleasdale, and Baker, and

:24:41.:24:46.

then Hattie Dean, surprisingly, still running strongly but has lost

:24:46.:24:52.

a few places. Gemma Steel finished second to Hattie Dean at the trials,

:24:52.:24:56.

there was not much between them on that occasion. You would have

:24:56.:25:00.

expected Hattie Dean to be up here. She targeted eight finish in the

:25:00.:25:05.

top five or six at the least. Disappointing so far from her.

:25:05.:25:08.

Steeplechase is her main forte on the track. Gemma Steel has now got

:25:08.:25:14.

a medal within her site. Because gradually, she is starting to close

:25:14.:25:17.

up the group, and as that is happening, some pressure was

:25:17.:25:22.

applied with Ejjafini. That has put paid to Ana Dulce Felix, who is

:25:22.:25:27.

just starting to struggle. Gemma Steel will be coming up on her

:25:27.:25:31.

shortly, I'm sure. Gemma is picking them off here. The top two are

:25:31.:25:35.

still going well. Gemma Steel is moving nicely. Roxana Barca share

:25:35.:25:44.

coming through the picture. Freya Murray is behind them, about 11 or

:25:44.:25:49.

12 place. Good morning from Gemma Steel. There is still 10 or 11

:25:49.:25:52.

minutes of running left. When you see yourself reading through, you

:25:52.:25:58.

are catching people, you see the leaders are not moving away, that

:25:58.:26:02.

for a five-second lead, it is probably about three seconds now.

:26:02.:26:06.

She has got to keep pushing on, Fionnulla Britton has realised that.

:26:06.:26:10.

Really good. She looks relaxed, doesn't she? She has got two very

:26:10.:26:14.

good athlete ahead of her, Gemma Steel, but if Fionnulla Britton can

:26:14.:26:19.

break Ejjafini, she can have someone else to aim at. Impressive

:26:19.:26:24.

running so far from Manila Britain. She has come up here to try and run

:26:25.:26:29.

away from everyone else. Ejjafini ran a very good marathon recently,

:26:30.:26:34.

she is looking strong as the race goes on. You would not expect her

:26:34.:26:41.

to tire too much. Fionnulla Britton, who is powerful in the finished,

:26:41.:26:45.

she has got a lot of equipment. Now Gemma Steel is moving away from Ana

:26:45.:26:49.

Dulce Felix into third place. Can she forget about third and look

:26:49.:26:53.

ahead of her? Instead of thinking about the bronze-medal, can Gemma

:26:53.:26:57.

Steel, for the first time in a major championships, start thinking

:26:57.:27:01.

about a higher metal? Her endurance is there, we have seen that

:27:01.:27:06.

recently. She finished second in the trials. Many people thought she

:27:06.:27:10.

could have won that. But Fionnulla Britton looks a picture of

:27:10.:27:17.

concentration as she Rams those corners. -- rounds the corners. She

:27:17.:27:22.

has got a few yards ahead of her. Gemma Steel is closing Lee Gap,

:27:22.:27:28.

definitely opening a gap on Ana Dulce Felix. Four athlete there and

:27:28.:27:37.

then a big gap. Ejjafini is hanging on to Fionnulla Britton, but she

:27:37.:27:43.

looks determined to win this one. Two laps to go. Four minutes 50

:27:43.:27:50.

seconds for the previous lap, that is another nine minutes of running.

:27:50.:27:54.

That is really interesting for Gemma Steel. As soon as Ejjafini

:27:54.:27:58.

sought Fionnulla Britton put the foot down, she is starting to

:27:58.:28:01.

struggle. The stride length has shortened, the knees are not coming

:28:01.:28:05.

up anywhere near as much as they were, and Gemma Steel is looking a

:28:05.:28:11.

big threat to the by Irish athlete. Fionnulla Britton is looking

:28:11.:28:16.

comfortable, but Gemma Steel has got time here. At the end of the

:28:16.:28:20.

previous lap, Great Britain were leading the team race. Really good

:28:20.:28:25.

packing behind their point The next three are all together, Freya

:28:25.:28:29.

Murray, Elle Baker and Julia Bleasdale. Julia is looking as if

:28:29.:28:34.

she is struggling a little. Hattie Dean behind her is their testing

:28:34.:28:38.

case he starts to falter. The silver medal for the team over the

:28:38.:28:43.

last four years could be turned to gold today, as long as they remain

:28:43.:28:46.

solid. With the experience in that team, the likes of Freya Murray,

:28:46.:28:52.

you are not going to see them fall apart. With Hattie Dean, you have

:28:52.:28:55.

got five counters in a pretty good position. Hats off to Fionnulla

:28:55.:29:01.

Britton, head down, higher elbows, just like Gemma Steel. She carries

:29:01.:29:07.

her arms very high. It is effective, and now in second place is the

:29:07.:29:13.

Italian, starting to struggle. Gemma Steel did forget about third

:29:13.:29:18.

place and went straight past the Italian. She got rid of Ana Dulce

:29:18.:29:24.

Felix and she is now settling down in second place. As I've said, her

:29:24.:29:27.

endurance, he is Ana Dulce Felix coming through, her insurance is

:29:27.:29:32.

her strength. Fionnulla Britton is sharper, quicker on the track and

:29:32.:29:35.

better at 1500 metres than Gemma Steel, but look at how working hard

:29:35.:29:40.

now. The gap is not very much at all. There is still a lot of

:29:40.:29:43.

running to happen here. Fionnulla Britton is clear and the pressure

:29:43.:29:48.

is now on have. It looked as if it was a winning lead, but Gemma Steel

:29:48.:29:51.

is not giving up the chase. She looks across to her left

:29:51.:29:55.

occasionally, she is getting good encouragement and information from

:29:55.:29:59.

the insurance team, led by the manager, Ian Stewart, who is

:29:59.:30:04.

looking after these athletes and got them prepared for this event.

:30:04.:30:07.

Gemma Steel is running the international race of her life.

:30:07.:30:09.

Fionnulla Britton, more accomplished on the track and more

:30:10.:30:16.

accomplished at with speed, has she got the endurance of this last lap?

:30:16.:30:18.

She is still a picture of concentration. Gemma Steel is

:30:18.:30:22.

building up a good distance behind her into 4th place. The British

:30:22.:30:32.
:30:32.:30:34.

team, as you said earlier, are plenty of time and I think the

:30:34.:30:38.

British team, the completion of that lap, the position through,

:30:38.:30:47.

there is only five points actually. Four counters. Top four finishers,

:30:47.:30:52.

that's what counts. Gemma Steel Along with Freya Murray and Elle

:30:52.:30:57.

Baker, but Portugal still close enough to be a threat, so they have

:30:57.:31:01.

got to hold those positions and keep working hard in these latter

:31:01.:31:11.
:31:11.:31:16.

stages as they head along there before. Back in 1999. Bash hosted.

:31:16.:31:26.
:31:26.:31:37.

-- hosted. It was pretty good -- sitting Britain. This does it

:31:37.:31:42.

them, this type of course. Making sure she doesn't give any

:31:42.:31:48.

encouragement to Gemma Steel Here. Trying to follow in the footsteps

:31:48.:31:53.

of the only other Irish winner of this women's race here. Felix

:31:53.:31:59.

moving into third place. That gap is not getting any bigger. If

:31:59.:32:05.

anything, it's just closing slightly. It may be two and a half

:32:05.:32:10.

seconds now. Gemma Steel. It she could just put her under some

:32:10.:32:15.

pressure there, entering the last lap, it she could make Britain

:32:15.:32:18.

think she is catching her, put some doubt in her mind, to get close

:32:18.:32:24.

enough, you are right, she can finish well. But she is close

:32:24.:32:32.

enough to be a threat. On the last lap now. Fionnualla Britton,

:32:32.:32:38.

setting off with will determination. She finished 16th in the world

:32:38.:32:42.

cross-country championships. Gemma Steel Has had a terrific year,

:32:42.:32:46.

building towards this. Her confidence has been increasing.

:32:46.:32:52.

That's the most important thing about this. She has had ability. We

:32:52.:32:56.

have seen some performances from air over the years but this has

:32:56.:33:02.

been so good for her. She won in Yorkshire earlier this year which

:33:02.:33:09.

gave her confidence and then one the Birmingham race and having her

:33:09.:33:17.

photograph taken with Gebrselassie. She can believe it. Italy in 4th

:33:17.:33:23.

place now. It looks as though they will be the four. Will there be any

:33:23.:33:29.

changes? The only might be in second and third place but

:33:29.:33:35.

Fionnualla Britton, she looks powerful. She doesn't look over her

:33:35.:33:41.

shoulder. Proper preparation for this event. Knowing what she was

:33:41.:33:49.

doing. She is running strongly now. Gemma Steel Is in second place. The

:33:49.:33:52.

best international race she has ever run and this will be another

:33:52.:33:58.

step forward for her. Here is a Felix. Roadrunner extraordinary on

:33:58.:34:05.

occasion. Fionnualla Britton, surely she's not going to give up

:34:05.:34:11.

this one? Gemma Steel, for the first time, looks tired. Of Felix

:34:11.:34:17.

has got her with in her sights now. No signs of weakness now from

:34:17.:34:27.

Fionnualla Britton, stride length moving nicely across the ground.

:34:27.:34:35.

Gemma Steel Is under pressure now. Felix has got it the look of

:34:35.:34:39.

someone of struggling on the last lap. Gemma Steel Has a personal

:34:40.:34:45.

bests on the track. A medal here would be really good for her. A

:34:45.:34:51.

really good performance. I'm just watching the Portuguese go through

:34:51.:34:56.

as they head round this last lap or so it will be close for the team

:34:56.:35:02.

race. If it Felix get ahead of Gemma Steel, it's almost a two

:35:02.:35:12.
:35:12.:35:16.

point so winner, isn't it? -- swing. Fionnualla Britton, she is racing

:35:16.:35:20.

around there now. Gemma Steel Needs to keep going now. She is not going

:35:20.:35:26.

to give this one up now. She has been in second place for long

:35:26.:35:34.

enough. Ireland, a great tradition in this race. Gemma Steel Coming

:35:34.:35:40.

under pressure from Felix. Their team at race is an issue.

:35:40.:35:46.

Fionnualla Britton, she looks brilliant. The team score is that

:35:46.:35:54.

it's extremely close. Even at this finish between them it could be the

:35:54.:36:00.

determining factor but there goes Fionnualla Britton, a fantastic

:36:00.:36:05.

performance by the Irish lady. Here is the race for second place.

:36:05.:36:12.

are level on 44. At the end of the penultimate lap, so that would put

:36:12.:36:19.

Portuguese ahead. -- 44 points. They haven't dropped places, and

:36:19.:36:29.

the Portuguese athlete has been a moving through. Fionnualla Britton,

:36:29.:36:34.

now approaching the finish. This area is a sticky to negotiate but

:36:34.:36:43.

the competition have been no match for the Irish athlete. Back in 1994,

:36:43.:36:49.

the Irish won the gold medal individually. Fionnualla Britton, a

:36:50.:36:54.

little glance at the camera there. She can now relax. There is the

:36:54.:37:01.

finish, 150 metres ahead also. Felix, the silver medal, and Gemma

:37:01.:37:05.

Steel Has done well for bronze. And that could be a significant as far

:37:05.:37:13.

as the team race is concerned. The champion will come from Ireland.

:37:13.:37:20.

4th last year, gold this time for Ireland. Fionnualla Britton, a

:37:20.:37:25.

dominant victory. Felix, improves to the silver this year and Gemma

:37:25.:37:30.

Steel, the best one of her career so far, taking the individual

:37:30.:37:36.

bronze and how happy is Fionnualla Britton? The Irish don't need any

:37:36.:37:41.

excuse to celebrate, do they? Gemma Steel Should be proud of her

:37:41.:37:46.

performance there. So the question is, let's watch the athletes coming

:37:46.:37:53.

through. Italy, we knew she was in 4th place. Germany coming through.

:37:53.:38:03.

I'm watching now for the other canter for Portugal. She has lost a

:38:03.:38:11.

couple of places. Dropped from 6th to 8th. Freya Murray, second across

:38:11.:38:17.

the line for Great Britain and then it will be Bleasdale. Will that be

:38:17.:38:24.

enough? It could well be. Elle Baker crossing the line as well.

:38:24.:38:28.

That's the third canter for Portugal coming in. I'm going to

:38:28.:38:35.

look at Brendan. He is brilliant at maths. Better than a computer.

:38:35.:38:44.

go to the computer and I will do the mental arithmetic. Fionnualla

:38:44.:38:49.

Britton, a victory like this gives you so much confidence. You win a

:38:49.:38:54.

European title and then you can translated into next year. A big

:38:54.:38:58.

year, of course, for all of the distance athletes but this might

:38:58.:39:01.

just give her the lift she can translate into something on the

:39:02.:39:08.

track as well. Fionnualla Britton Wins the individual race and Great

:39:08.:39:18.
:39:18.:39:25.

and it looks like it will be enough to hold off Portugal but Fionnualla

:39:25.:39:29.

Britton and Gemma Steel Were terrific and Great Britain ran well

:39:29.:39:33.

as a team. The athletes still finishing. I think there's an

:39:33.:39:40.

opportunity to go from the national stage into the international stage

:39:40.:39:42.

in be European Cross Country Championships, which validates this

:39:42.:39:52.
:39:52.:39:52.

event. Fionnualla Britton Will gain an awful lot from this. So that was

:39:53.:39:55.

a really, really good race and a good performance by the British

:39:55.:40:04.

team. And a good overall day here. A good course. Good conditions.

:40:04.:40:10.

There is the other four counters. They're just crossed the line and

:40:10.:40:15.

find out that their team mate has won the individual gold. They will

:40:15.:40:19.

be absolutely delighted with that. Just to confirm the other positions

:40:19.:40:26.

for the British athletes. Julia pleased a, their team. Elle Baker,

:40:26.:40:33.

14, Hatti Dean, 18th place. Emily works dropped out at the beginning.

:40:33.:40:41.

She was struggling with breathing problems. She actually dropped out.

:40:41.:40:48.

All five counters finished in the top 18. Nobody able to contest that.

:40:48.:40:55.

Finally a gold. That's right. Formula One start statistics coming

:40:55.:41:05.
:41:05.:41:08.

from the computer by Steve Cram, now at these cross-country events.

:41:08.:41:13.

It helps cover the story of the race. Good news for Great Britain

:41:13.:41:17.

and and individual bronze medal, and we will wait for official

:41:17.:41:20.

confirmation. As far as we're concerned, it is gold in the team

:41:20.:41:30.
:41:30.:41:31.

JONATHAN EDWARDS: Congratulations to Fionnualla Britton other come

:41:31.:41:36.

back of Steph Twell is where the big stories. In February she had a

:41:36.:41:42.

triple fracture of her ankle. Today she ran in the under 23 race. We

:41:42.:41:51.

can join them as they just about to pushing on. She has got her team-

:41:51.:42:00.

mates there with her. Naomi Taschimowitz. And Beth Potter.

:42:00.:42:04.

Great Britain have dominated this would have not Walker not far

:42:04.:42:14.
:42:14.:42:22.

behind. Who is going to win? -- Jews on the comeback trail. Running

:42:22.:42:28.

with three plates in her ankle. -- but she is on the comeback trail.

:42:28.:42:33.

Emma Pallant, a silver-medallist last year. We had been expecting

:42:33.:42:41.

the three medallists from asked it to can be here. Christina Jordan

:42:41.:42:46.

from Spain a late withdrawal. That us that the way open for the

:42:46.:42:51.

British athletes. They have dominated the race so far. Behind

:42:51.:42:57.

them, Germany trying to get involved. What a story for Steph

:42:57.:43:02.

Twell. She has worked so hard, put all of the same dedication she

:43:02.:43:07.

normally puts into her training into her rehabilitation, left no

:43:07.:43:12.

stone unturned, and this is certainly not hurt completely back,

:43:12.:43:19.

but it's very, very encouraging from her so far. No question about

:43:19.:43:23.

the team race here. For the first time, Emma Pallant pushing on a

:43:23.:43:32.

little bit. They know each other so well. Mick Woods coaching both of

:43:32.:43:37.

them. It's a very good performance from Naomi Taschimowitz, the

:43:37.:43:41.

Cambridge University student, mixing it here with the two of them.

:43:41.:43:49.

She was ahead of Emma Pallant in the trials but all the sudden, Emma

:43:49.:43:54.

Pallant has stretched out. She's hoping this will convert do

:43:54.:44:01.

something in the summer for her, but look behind. Steph Twell. Naomi

:44:01.:44:05.

Taschimowitz coming under pressure from behind. Can they hang on to

:44:05.:44:10.

second and third and make it a British clean sweep here?

:44:10.:44:14.

Individual medals in their hands at the moment. Team medal, certainly

:44:14.:44:18.

gold for Great Britain. Emma Pallant stretching out at the front

:44:18.:44:21.

and she comes into the twisty section as they approached the

:44:21.:44:28.

finish. It's a pretty deceptive ending. Normally you expect 300

:44:28.:44:32.

metres straight run into the finish line, but you have got to turn

:44:32.:44:36.

right and then left and then left and then right. And suddenly the

:44:36.:44:39.

finish appears out of nowhere. A sticky section through this area

:44:39.:44:45.

here, not as bad as some think it could be. They have managed to cope

:44:45.:44:49.

pretty well and Emma Pallant looking so Greene here. Just

:44:49.:44:53.

putting a bit of acceleration, and now Steph Twell trying to hang on

:44:53.:44:58.

to second place here. Naomi Taschimowitz with company behind

:44:58.:45:05.

her. Walker coming through for 4th for Great Britain. Good support

:45:05.:45:11.

from the British crowd. Scottish flags in the background. A big

:45:11.:45:16.

Scottish contingent in the British team this year. Emma Pallant, not

:45:16.:45:19.

looking behind, concentrating on her own of form and now she's got

:45:19.:45:22.

to hold it together all these last couple of hundred metres and the

:45:22.:45:32.
:45:32.:45:38.

all the time. Behind them, Taschimowitz rallying a little bit,

:45:38.:45:43.

going past Steph Twell. She is lacking a bit of pace at this stage

:45:43.:45:51.

of her comeback. Kanti hang on for a Middle? -- can she hang on for a

:45:51.:45:58.

medal? British distance women's running his in such good hand. It

:45:58.:46:03.

is a bit like being strength and depth, the likes of Emma Pallant

:46:03.:46:06.

and Steph Twell at her best would be more than capable of contesting

:46:06.:46:12.

the senior race as well. They have taken the decision to go into the

:46:12.:46:20.

23 and under race. It is there to the one, and why not target it? The

:46:20.:46:23.

British team choose to contest all of the age groups, they have been

:46:23.:46:27.

totally dominant in this one. They have won the gold medal in the team

:46:27.:46:30.

race for the last four years in this race. Steph Twell is now

:46:30.:46:35.

trying really hard, she has got to put on some pressure in the last

:46:35.:46:42.

150 yards. Gold medal goes to Emma Pallant. Will it be acclaimed -- a

:46:43.:46:52.

clean sweep? Taschimowitz take the silver, Steph Twell is just run out,

:46:52.:46:56.

the German athlete gets the bronze. A great performance for the British

:46:56.:47:00.

team, backed up by Hannah Walker coming through in 7th place to

:47:00.:47:09.

insure the Goldberg will. -- the gold medal.

:47:09.:47:19.

A good run from Steph Twell on the comeback train. A great performance.

:47:19.:47:22.

They will be back in the summer, Emma Pallant in particular on the

:47:22.:47:30.

track, and hope the Steph Twell as Double gold for Britain there and

:47:30.:47:35.

Emma Pullen looked very good. was a very good performance, that

:47:35.:47:41.

is a fantastic group that Mick Woods has gone, she -- she has got

:47:41.:47:44.

athletes coming through all the time. Steph Twell coming back from

:47:44.:47:48.

horrific injury and she is part of it. He will be thrilled, it is

:47:48.:47:52.

great to get the individual medal, but in cross-country it is nice to

:47:52.:47:55.

get gold individually and in the team race. She has had a great day

:47:55.:48:01.

but the British team have had a terrific day. Gold in the women's

:48:01.:48:06.

race in the women's race for Britain as well. Some good

:48:06.:48:10.

performances, and will step up from Gemma Steel who has been promising

:48:10.:48:13.

and running well on the roads. She has got great stamina, she is not

:48:13.:48:20.

so much of a track runner. Longer distances will really be have 40. -

:48:20.:48:24.

- her forte. A great performance from Fionnulla Britton from Ireland,

:48:24.:48:28.

she is a great athlete, there have been some great athletes from

:48:28.:48:32.

Ireland in the past, she has been in their shadow, Sonia O'Sullivan,

:48:32.:48:36.

but now she has stepped up with a gold medal. They will be

:48:36.:48:41.

celebrating in Ireland. Ireland support these championships

:48:41.:48:46.

extremely well. It is great to see her win a gold medal. We used to

:48:46.:48:50.

seem sunnier or Catrina, about is a great one for Fionnulla Britton.

:48:51.:48:58.

Crate full confidence as well, -- great for confident as well. It is

:48:58.:49:03.

good to stand on the podium. Yes, she was 16 in the world cross

:49:03.:49:06.

country, she was the first European in that, but you do not get any

:49:06.:49:10.

medals for that. When they take out the Africans, which are dominating

:49:10.:49:14.

cross-country running, this gives her a chance of. She steps on to

:49:14.:49:18.

the rostrum in first place, and the confidence you get from that is in

:49:18.:49:22.

Perth -- incredible. It is really good, I am very pleased for her.

:49:22.:49:26.

She has been in the steeplechase, 1500 metres, she has been working

:49:26.:49:33.

well, running well on the words. Some good news from France

:49:33.:49:39.

yesterday, Holly Bleasdale breaking the British record. She jumped for

:49:39.:49:42.

me to 71 in the pole vault, a great start. The Olympic season is

:49:42.:49:47.

starting already! We will take a pause from cross-

:49:47.:49:51.

country and look back at the 2011 season, and there is only one place

:49:51.:49:59.

to start and one man to look at, and that is Mo Farah.

:49:59.:50:06.

Mo Farah begins 2011 in winning style again.

:50:06.:50:10.

Mo Farah finds something extra! This will be a superb performance

:50:10.:50:18.

from Mo Farah! Mo Farah defending his title, it

:50:18.:50:28.
:50:28.:50:43.

will be gold for Great Britain! It is Mo Farah! He is tying up in

:50:43.:50:47.

the closing stages, and he gets there in the dying strides! He

:50:47.:50:57.
:50:57.:50:57.

denies Mo Farah the medal that he Into was the home straight, he

:50:57.:51:02.

relinquished the lead in the 10,000 metres, is he going to do it again?

:51:02.:51:10.

Mo Farah starts to draw away! It was only silver in the crust --

:51:10.:51:15.

10,000, it is gold this time for Mo Farah! This time he got it right!

:51:15.:51:20.

This time he found the strength to hold on! What a performance from Mo

:51:20.:51:28.

You can't watch that without smiling. It really was an amazing

:51:28.:51:32.

year for Mo Farah, couldn't have happened to a nicer Dyke -- die.

:51:32.:51:39.

What did he make of it? -- it couldn't of happened to a nicer man.

:51:39.:51:43.

It has been a great year for me, unbelievable in what I have

:51:43.:51:50.

achieved in such a short time. It was in the last two world

:51:50.:51:54.

championships, I had been outside medals. Early on this year, I moved

:51:54.:51:59.

to America, to be coached by Alberto Salas our commander said,

:51:59.:52:06.

if I can have any chance of getting a medal, something needed to change.

:52:06.:52:11.

I am glad I made that choice. If you would have said to me six or

:52:11.:52:16.

seven months ago, you will be, you what can have won world medal, I

:52:16.:52:22.

would have grabbed that. But to come away with two, that was

:52:22.:52:26.

amazing. Started of the the 10,000 metres, having run a decent time at

:52:26.:52:31.

the beginning of the year. I knew I was capable of getting a medal and

:52:31.:52:35.

I just had to get out there and give it 110%. Fortunately came

:52:35.:52:40.

close but not close enough. I was disappointed, really. I thought as

:52:40.:52:43.

capable of winning the gold but did not quite have it. I learnt a lot

:52:43.:52:51.

from that race. I just had to be strong, and go home, get in that

:52:51.:52:56.

ice bath, eat well and come back two days later and get through to

:52:56.:53:02.

the five K. To be world champion, it means so much to me. It did not

:53:02.:53:07.

quite sink in, but over time, it is sinking in. As an athlete, it is

:53:07.:53:13.

something you dream of, something you train for. It is just hard work

:53:13.:53:19.

and grafting. But it means a lot. It does not stop there. As an

:53:19.:53:24.

athlete, you know you want to do what you can, and be the best. You

:53:25.:53:30.

just keep training, keep focused and stay injury-free. Being a world

:53:30.:53:35.

champion means so much to me. It pays off, that hard work. Once you

:53:35.:53:43.

get a taste of it, you just more. - - you just want more.

:53:43.:53:49.

We mentioned at the start of the programme, that he ran in Velenje

:53:49.:53:54.

in 1999 as a 16 year-old. It has been some journey. A fantastic

:53:54.:53:59.

journey. It has been such a pleasure, because in 2007, 2009, to

:53:59.:54:03.

me, he was becoming the best distance runner in Europe. He was

:54:03.:54:09.

not able to give it on the world stage, he was not even able to win

:54:09.:54:12.

the 2006 European's. I have always felt frustrated because I know how

:54:12.:54:17.

good he has been. He changed things in the last few years, the British

:54:17.:54:22.

Insurance system that Ian Stewart has revamped, he got him a link

:54:22.:54:26.

with Alberto in America. This formula he has now got his

:54:26.:54:31.

brilliant. He is such a nice guy. He has worked so hard. Even in that

:54:31.:54:38.

conversation, he is not reflecting on the glory, he -- he is

:54:38.:54:42.

reflecting on the hard work, he even mentioned the 10,000 metres

:54:42.:54:48.

and his eyes Bath. He lost the 10,000 marginally, but he had the

:54:48.:54:51.

strength to come back and win the 5000. Those races were so

:54:51.:54:56.

competitive, he came back competitively and still won it. He

:54:56.:55:00.

has always had speed and stamina, he has always been a great kid, he

:55:00.:55:04.

is now a great athlete. It is such a pleasure to be able to talk about

:55:04.:55:09.

Mo Farah, a British world champion at 5000 metres. Did you ever think

:55:09.:55:14.

he would be as good as this? It is a surprise that he has done what he

:55:14.:55:18.

has done? I always thought he was as good as this, but I thought he

:55:18.:55:22.

would never get there. He has got such a lot of speed, more speed

:55:22.:55:25.

than most British endurance runners have ever had, and he has never

:55:25.:55:30.

been in a position to use it. Tactically he grew up in the last

:55:30.:55:38.

years. Ben to get, European 50101000. -- don't forget. He is

:55:38.:55:42.

such an inspiration, he is such a nice guy. He has worked for every

:55:42.:55:46.

single thing he has got. That is what I believed distance running is

:55:46.:55:51.

all about, and he epitomises it. was a great year. If there was one

:55:51.:55:55.

dark cloud on the horizon, it happened in Brussels, where

:55:55.:56:00.

Kenenisa Bekele only came back after a terrible world

:56:00.:56:04.

championships and produced this performance. I think it took us all

:56:04.:56:08.

by surprise. We were in the north- east watching this with Mo Farah,

:56:08.:56:12.

and we knew that Kenenisa Bekele Ali, who dropped out of the 10,000

:56:12.:56:19.

metres, double Olympic champion in 2008, he suddenly comes back and

:56:19.:56:24.

runs the fastest time in the world, on basically a poor training

:56:24.:56:29.

preparation. You know, this ban is probably the greatest distance

:56:30.:56:35.

runner. He is going to do more things in the future. For me, it

:56:35.:56:39.

was like, Mo Farah is going to win the Olympics, and then suddenly, it

:56:39.:56:44.

is a big Reminder, don't forget the champion, Kennelly Siddiqui, don't

:56:44.:56:54.

forget his power and strength. -- Kenenisa Bekele early. He will be

:56:54.:56:57.

significant in London, and him and Mo Farah together in a race will

:56:58.:57:04.

make it a bit highlight. All that do to Mo Farah's mindset? He had

:57:04.:57:08.

looked upon him as almost a god- like figure, had as he cycled to

:57:08.:57:10.

the deal with him doing that and then going through the winter

:57:10.:57:14.

season? -- how does he psychologically deal with him doing

:57:14.:57:22.

that? Well, he has gone on to become a champion. He is starting

:57:22.:57:25.

to get used to being the world champion, the idea that he was back

:57:25.:57:34.

on the scene, the idea that it was a disappointment from Mo Farah.'s

:57:34.:57:39.

point of view. But in January, cannily set the Keighley will run

:57:40.:57:46.

in the Edinburgh run. People start his year in Edinburgh. When he was

:57:46.:57:50.

doing his press conference, he said, what I am really looking forward to

:57:50.:57:54.

his taking on Mo Farah in London in front of his home crowd because I

:57:54.:58:02.

want to make the 10,000 metres one of the big races of the Games. That

:58:02.:58:05.

sounded the bells for me, he is not only going to run the Olympics, he

:58:05.:58:10.

is actually singling out Mo Farah to go head-to-head. It will make it

:58:10.:58:16.

a good race. That is all I can say, it will be a great race. Let's face

:58:16.:58:19.

it, this man, three-times Olympic champion, he is not going to give

:58:19.:58:24.

his title of weight easily. mentioned it there, Edinburgh

:58:24.:58:31.

cross-country, that is coming up in January. You can watch it on BBC

:58:31.:58:41.
:58:41.:58:46.

That is just the start of a son -- and stunningly of athletics on the

:58:46.:58:56.
:58:56.:58:56.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds

:58:56.:59:36.

BBC. -- a stunning view of It's going to be incredible. I

:59:36.:59:40.

can't wait. Now back to catch up with the rest of the action from

:59:40.:59:49.

more success for Great Britain in the junior race. It was a runaway

:59:49.:59:56.

win for that tall Russia and added a cross country title to the junior

:59:56.:00:00.

steeplechase title he won on the track but what a good run from

:00:00.:00:05.

Richard Goodman behind him. He really fought hard to come through

:00:05.:00:10.

for the silver medal. Jonny Hay was more fancied to get among the

:00:10.:00:15.

medallists. He has finished 5th in this junior race two years ago but

:00:15.:00:19.

this time, winning a medal and that was good enough to lead at the

:00:19.:00:26.

British team to the gold medal overall. Jonny Hay, 8th. Kieron

:00:26.:00:35.

Clement, in 11th place. -- 9th place. It was Great Britain, who

:00:35.:00:41.

stood on top of the rostrum. Ian Stewart Grand and a surprise gold

:00:41.:00:47.

Another gold medal for the British junior men which means there's one

:00:47.:00:52.

more race to catch up with, the men's under 23 is and once again,

:00:52.:01:02.
:01:02.:01:06.

second and 4th in his last two attempts. No doubt about the winner.

:01:06.:01:13.

He won it at ease. Up at 200-metre, great season for this man last year.

:01:13.:01:17.

Showing that he has got the strength as well but again, another

:01:17.:01:22.

good performance. James Wilkinson, after a disappointing run in the

:01:22.:01:27.

trials, only just scraped into the British team, and came through

:01:27.:01:34.

really, real well, ahead of Norway. James Wilkinson coming ahead of of

:01:34.:01:38.

the rest of his team-mates when, at the trials, he was last of those

:01:38.:01:44.

who got selected. Silver medal for him adding to Britain's tally, in

:01:44.:01:47.

what is proving to be a very, very a successful at the been in

:01:47.:01:50.

Slovenia and that is good enough for the team to take the silver

:01:51.:02:00.
:02:01.:02:16.

That up to date. Of course, Sergiy Irish team will be happy, of course,

:02:16.:02:26.
:02:26.:02:38.

after their win. Can he won 10 think they will be hoping to do

:02:38.:02:45.

well there. Spain it could be the favoured, the man who Sergiy Lebid

:02:45.:02:52.

struggles with her. Plenty have got chances in this. Sergiy Lebid, who

:02:52.:02:58.

I think surprise everyone to come back and win a game last year

:02:58.:03:04.

unbelievable performance. The only athlete to have completed every

:03:04.:03:06.

single European cross-country Championships going all the way

:03:06.:03:14.

back to 1994. Almost a false start there. One or two keen to get away

:03:14.:03:24.
:03:24.:03:24.

there. Always a bit of a sprint. It inevitably settles down. In the

:03:24.:03:29.

world cross country, you have to do this because they don't slow down.

:03:30.:03:39.
:03:40.:03:40.

The under 23 winner, you can see him doing well already, Chadhi. The

:03:40.:03:49.

athletes settled further back. At these very, very early stages. La

:03:49.:03:57.

Roser, of Italy. Ayad Lamdassem, he has been in such good form, the

:03:57.:04:05.

Spanish athlete. I'm pretty sure he is somebody I think we'll watched.

:04:05.:04:13.

He is a wily old character, a radio. It's just gone under one minute.

:04:13.:04:23.
:04:23.:04:25.

He's made it in 52 seconds. We talk a Sergiy Lebid, his nine titles.

:04:25.:04:27.

European Cross Country Championships, the men's, lots of

:04:27.:04:32.

good athletes have tried to win this. Of for Sergiy Lebid to come

:04:32.:04:42.
:04:42.:04:44.

back year after year... Took time to win this title. -- Mo Farah took

:04:44.:04:51.

time to win this title. Just because he doesn't perform quite as

:04:51.:04:58.

well on the track... There he is in the picture, in the blue and yellow.

:04:58.:05:03.

Quite a long way back on Sergiy Lebid. It doesn't mean his prowess

:05:03.:05:10.

should be diminished in any way. He has been playing games. He said

:05:10.:05:15.

there was too much snow in Russia to go training. I'm not sure I

:05:15.:05:20.

believe that. There probably was no but I don't think he would not go

:05:20.:05:24.

running just because it's snowing. He probably knew it was going to

:05:24.:05:34.
:05:34.:05:40.

every single race, both individually and in their team a.

:05:40.:05:43.

They have one four of the team raised is out of the five so far,

:05:44.:05:50.

so the men have got something to lift up to -- live up to here. This

:05:50.:05:53.

could be our best performance at the European Cross Country

:05:53.:06:01.

Championships. James will come sun, 22nd in the trials. -- James

:06:01.:06:10.

Wilkinson. He comes here and finishes second. Behind a world

:06:10.:06:16.

class 1,500 metre winner. Richard Goodman, a surprise silver, as well.

:06:16.:06:22.

The confidence the team get. A lot of the training camps, a way in

:06:22.:06:27.

Kenya, training together, working together. They all work of each

:06:27.:06:31.

other, if you like, and they come into these races full of confidence.

:06:31.:06:35.

I would like to see the men taking this conference on to the world

:06:35.:06:45.
:06:45.:06:46.

stage. It it took Mo Farah to show confident on the world stage.

:06:46.:06:49.

you need the European stage as a stepping stone because these days

:06:49.:06:52.

you can't go from the British championships to the World

:06:52.:06:57.

Championships, because of Africa, their dominance and talent, it's

:06:57.:07:07.
:07:07.:07:10.

extremely difficult task. No has taken years. Mark Draper there.

:07:10.:07:16.

Great Britain in that strong team. The interesting thing, for me, the

:07:16.:07:20.

confidence in athletes. Training is necessary. You have got to do it,

:07:20.:07:29.

but conference takes an athlete through the stages. Bekele. Ireland

:07:29.:07:35.

also in that leading group. The interesting thing here, this race,

:07:35.:07:39.

unlike the World Cross-Country Championships, it goes at a steady

:07:39.:07:44.

pace. In the world championships, they go quickly and never slow down

:07:44.:07:48.

for for the British team are running to orders. Ian Stewart has

:07:48.:07:51.

done a really good job bringing them together, the strength of

:07:51.:07:55.

British distance running. Today, it's been a fantastic day through

:07:55.:08:04.

the group's. Cannot the British men's team -- can at the British

:08:04.:08:09.

men's team, particularly the top team, you would like to see how

:08:09.:08:14.

well they can do without Mo Farah. And de Vernon making his way

:08:14.:08:20.

through the field. He won the trials earlier this month. -- Andy.

:08:20.:08:26.

I expect him to run well. I notice they are doing it cagily. I'm

:08:26.:08:31.

looking at the yellow and blue of Sergiy Lebid of the Ukraine. He's

:08:31.:08:36.

in about 10th place there, picking his way through. He will take it

:08:36.:08:40.

easy early on and then move forward. He has been a phenomenal cross-

:08:40.:08:47.

country runner. Could he win a 10th time? In the modern day spot, you

:08:47.:08:52.

don't get many achievements in the modern-day sport where any athlete

:08:52.:09:02.
:09:02.:09:07.

10, does. We have had two short laps, 500 metres each. Twisting and

:09:07.:09:12.

turning. Settling down. Most of the British athletes are halfway down

:09:12.:09:18.

the field. Well done, he's come all the way from Monaco. The problem

:09:18.:09:23.

with Monaco, there's not much cross country. You have got to run up and

:09:24.:09:32.

down the beach at or on the roads. There are hills, mind you.

:09:32.:09:36.

fastest 10,000-metre runner in at 2011 in this race today is one of

:09:36.:09:43.

the British athletes. James Walsh. Trained by Mike Baxter, who I used

:09:43.:09:53.
:09:53.:10:10.

coach in Leeds. James Walsh ran run this year. That's an

:10:10.:10:20.
:10:20.:10:26.

move up. Andy Burnham of. A tough year for him. -- Andy Vernon. He

:10:26.:10:32.

didn't get selected for the European Championships. Then he

:10:32.:10:37.

came to these cross-country championships last year. He had

:10:37.:10:42.

high hopes of doing well here. He dropped out with breathing problems.

:10:42.:10:47.

So it is very much looking to put the record straight here today. I

:10:47.:10:51.

certainly don't think anyone would say he's a real contender for a

:10:51.:11:00.

medal. He himself has targeted top five of. After that, this man here,

:11:00.:11:08.

Bekele, running for Belgium, now. He moved to Belgium when he was 16.

:11:08.:11:13.

He's having a very good year as well. He has been training in

:11:13.:11:20.

Ethiopia training for this. He felt those first three, does work a

:11:20.:11:24.

little bit slow for his liking so he is pushing things on it a little.

:11:24.:11:30.

Plenty of good run as back there. There is Andy Vernon. 31st place in

:11:30.:11:37.

the British team. Content to run together. That's one criticism of

:11:37.:11:42.

the men. Taking a Mo Farah out of it, the rest of them can be took

:11:43.:11:49.

circumspect. Sergiy Lebid was behind but has moved himself into

:11:49.:11:55.

the race. Look where Sergiy Lebid was now. It Andy Burnham wants to

:11:55.:12:00.

come in the top five, he should get into that group now. The course is

:12:00.:12:05.

not proving an obstacle. It's the kind of course you would have

:12:05.:12:11.

enjoyed running, Steve of. It is flat, decent grass. Are you trying

:12:11.:12:16.

to say I was not very good on the mud? He you were not very good on

:12:16.:12:26.
:12:26.:12:30.

track runners, you should feel very much at home, feeling that

:12:30.:12:40.

confident. It's flat, no hills, that's right. Sergiy Lebid. 8th

:12:40.:12:45.

place. Just at the back of that chasing group. Bekele is making an

:12:45.:12:51.

effort now. He should take a closer look here. I think he's doing that,

:12:51.:12:56.

moving to the outside. Andy Vernon moving through the field now,

:12:56.:13:02.

deciding it's time to get on with the race. The team are in 7th place

:13:02.:13:06.

at the moment, in terms of teams, because they are all outside the

:13:06.:13:12.

top 30 at the end of a previous lap up towards the end of the next one.

:13:12.:13:17.

As a pack, they need to move through, but individually, as well,

:13:17.:13:20.

particularly I would have liked to have seen an de Vernon moving

:13:20.:13:28.

closer. -- Andy Vernon. They can't afford to let Bekele go ahead too

:13:28.:13:38.
:13:38.:13:39.

much. There he is. His squad went a little bit after the hundred metres.

:13:39.:13:49.
:13:49.:13:50.

-- quarter -- quad. 34 countries at least taking part and most of them

:13:50.:13:55.

supporting the event across the age groups. The French, doing

:13:55.:13:58.

incredibly well there. They are all looking at each other and letting

:13:58.:14:05.

this man build a sizable lead. Yes, it's early. His lead is getting

:14:05.:14:12.

bigger. You've got to start thinking about it now. He ran a

:14:12.:14:16.

good cross-country race in Ireland. He's a bit surprised to see the gap

:14:16.:14:21.

as wide as it is. He knows he's not running excessively quickly. Safety

:14:21.:14:27.

in numbers there. If the man at down the track is not very good. If

:14:27.:14:34.

that the man at down the track has the pedigree that Bekele has, he's

:14:34.:14:38.

also got the pedigree of this, and you would not let him go so much

:14:38.:14:42.

and have this gap, because he could suddenly start running off that

:14:42.:14:46.

front and accelerating. Representing Belgium now where he

:14:46.:14:54.

has lived since he was 16. The field at stretching up behind him.

:14:54.:14:58.

There is Andy Burnham, the first British man coming up behind Sergiy

:14:58.:15:03.

Lebid. Running a sensible, tactical race. That's the right thing to do.

:15:03.:15:06.

Further down the field for the rest of the British athletes. Look at

:15:06.:15:16.
:15:16.:15:23.

Baddeley, there's Mark Draper. Our computer expert Steve Cram will

:15:23.:15:27.

tell us the positions and have used guest -- second. Or you could watch

:15:27.:15:34.

the screen, which are think you will prefer! It is good to see Andy

:15:34.:15:41.

Vernon. He has taken advantage of the slow pack, he has not had to go

:15:41.:15:48.

too fast. Lamdassem needs to start worrying, he cannot let Bekele keep

:15:48.:15:55.

running away. And a recent race he won, it was a good field, Ethiopia

:15:55.:16:01.

and and Eritreans. Have you seen James March go through -- James

:16:01.:16:08.

Walsh? Yes, I have seen him. Andy Baddeley is in 37th place. Team

:16:08.:16:14.

Wise, Great Britain have some work to do to get amongst the Ruddles. -

:16:14.:16:22.

- the medals. Belgium is leading, Bekele, he is not overcooking this.

:16:22.:16:26.

Things are starting to break up a little bit. Lebid is struggling,

:16:26.:16:32.

interesting. The chasing group has just started to put their foot down

:16:32.:16:40.

a little. And Lebid is not at the front of that group. But he is

:16:40.:16:50.
:16:50.:16:51.

moving well. They are not halfway yet. It is ringing some danger

:16:51.:16:56.

bells, that lead, they do not want to see it getting any bigger. Seven

:16:56.:17:00.

or eight seconds, when it becomes 10 to 15 seconds, you're in trouble.

:17:00.:17:07.

Finally, the chase is on. Initially, Brendan O'Connor at this point...

:17:07.:17:13.

Let's look at the team standings. France, Spain, Portugal. It will

:17:13.:17:21.

change. Britain were lying 7th, they have improved. To mega-bid

:17:21.:17:31.
:17:31.:17:33.

laps completed, four more to go, they are almost at the third. I

:17:33.:17:36.

really thought Lamdassem would come here and dominate this race, he is

:17:36.:17:40.

in third. If he is going to have a good summer next year, it is the

:17:40.:17:50.
:17:50.:17:57.

sort of race he would want to win. right next to each other, and Lebid

:17:57.:18:03.

are struggling. James Walsh just behind Lebid and Andy Vernon.

:18:03.:18:11.

Remember this face, 10,000 metre race, too short lapse and six long

:18:11.:18:20.

lapse. The Lapps are about 600 metres. Bekele is approaching the

:18:20.:18:24.

halfway point, he has not run too quickly, but suddenly the gaps are

:18:24.:18:34.
:18:34.:18:34.

beginning to open. There is Nigel Lebed, away -- Serhiy Lebid, next

:18:34.:18:40.

Andy Vernon. The dominance that he has built up in these championships,

:18:40.:18:45.

Lebid, it looks like that is over today. You do not win a race from

:18:45.:18:49.

that far back, especially when there is some talent as there is in

:18:49.:18:58.

front of him. The French have been trying to keep the chase going. Now

:18:58.:19:05.

Amdouni, former junior champion. Chahdi has joined that group, the

:19:06.:19:10.

other Frenchmen. They wanted to get some help, he was looking for

:19:10.:19:18.

Chahdi to try and move things on. Also, J Sweeney is going rate for

:19:18.:19:25.

Ireland, on the back of Fionnulla Britton's performance. He has put

:19:25.:19:34.

himself right in the next. -- right in the mix. He was 21st in that

:19:34.:19:39.

race last year, that was a disappointment. There is Ryan

:19:39.:19:45.

McLeod, it was one of his best races in the trials, it looked

:19:45.:19:50.

really good and was not far away from the sprint but she -- sprint

:19:51.:19:54.

finish that took place between Mark Draper and Annie Vernon. Nine and

:19:54.:19:58.

is trying to pick his way through. There is a big gap, Lebid is trying

:19:58.:20:08.
:20:08.:20:10.

to rally a little bit in that no- man's land. He wants to be in the

:20:10.:20:13.

Forward group, and Andy Vernon, the effort he has made to get up there,

:20:13.:20:17.

it might be troubling him as well because he is not able to pick

:20:17.:20:21.

things up. It looks as if it is going to be a tough run for the

:20:21.:20:24.

British team. They are going to have to really improve their

:20:24.:20:28.

positions, if they are to get amongst the team of medals. We have

:20:28.:20:35.

had such a good play for Great Britain, six gold medals already.

:20:35.:20:39.

This is starting to look like a bit of a disappointing end to the day

:20:39.:20:43.

for Great Britain. Week expected more from Andy Vernon. Hopefully he

:20:43.:20:46.

can turn it on in the second half of the race. The team supporting

:20:46.:20:51.

him, allowing those gaps to open. There is Andy Vernon coming through.

:20:51.:21:00.

James Walsh was there, Ryan McLeod. Mark Draper was there, but they are

:21:00.:21:09.

a fairly long way back. There is one of the top men in the French

:21:09.:21:15.

team, it looks as though he is limping. He would have been amongst

:21:15.:21:21.

their counters. He's finished 4th individually last year, dropping

:21:21.:21:23.

out would not put paid to their chances because they are still

:21:23.:21:30.

going pretty well. In fact, they have got four others inside the top

:21:30.:21:34.

20 at the moment. Hopefully for them, it is not going to affect

:21:34.:21:38.

their chances too much. But Bekele's League is, they were

:21:38.:21:44.

catching him, there was some effort but they have backed off again. It

:21:44.:21:47.

went from eight seconds to six seconds, I suspect it has got

:21:47.:21:52.

bigger again. I do not think the group is doing as well. I would

:21:52.:21:59.

suggest that the gap is at least the same all has got bigger. He has

:21:59.:22:03.

been very lucky, he has found himself with a lead without having

:22:03.:22:07.

to run hard to gain it. They have let him go off, the pace was not

:22:07.:22:11.

difficult in the early part. There is Joe Sweeney, running a great

:22:11.:22:16.

race. Andy Vernon just ahead of Serhiy Lebid, whose long reign he

:22:16.:22:23.

has come to an end here. There is James Walsh, and Ryan McLeod just

:22:23.:22:27.

behind Lebid. They have almost played into the hands of Bekele,

:22:27.:22:32.

they have let him go away. He had not had to start running hard yet.

:22:32.:22:36.

They are watching each other, sometimes when you are in a group

:22:36.:22:41.

you get a false hope that they know what they are doing. Nobody is

:22:41.:22:44.

pushing the pace. Somebody has got to strike out here, and Bekele is

:22:45.:22:48.

going to be handed an opportunity. It is a bit early to say whether he

:22:48.:22:55.

is going to win or not. But you would not swap his position he is

:22:55.:22:58.

in now, with the effort he has made to get there, with any of the

:22:58.:23:03.

chasing group. He has got a chance, it is up to him. He has won

:23:03.:23:07.

recently, you can tell by the All way he is working that he has not

:23:07.:23:12.

had to work too hard yet. He has got this gap, he has got a group

:23:12.:23:17.

behind him who are taking safety in numbers and it is not working out.

:23:17.:23:21.

You could say on a track that this was a pacemaker going too quickly.

:23:21.:23:24.

But here, you have got a man who has got an opportunity to win it,

:23:24.:23:34.
:23:34.:23:36.

he has ABILITY and talent to win it and it is being handed to him.

:23:36.:23:39.

you are wondering why that man was getting watched, he is running for

:23:39.:23:48.

the Slovenian team. Just two laps to go, for Bekele of Belgium who is

:23:49.:23:54.

looking comfortable and relaxed. He has not in any way changed his form.

:23:54.:23:58.

Now the chase is really on. They have finally realised they have got

:23:58.:24:05.

to get moving. Andy Vernon is picking some athletes of, he is

:24:05.:24:11.

striding out really well. He has only got another 10 minutes of

:24:11.:24:17.

running, maybe less. It looks like Chahdi has moved into second place,

:24:17.:24:25.

Lamdassem of Spain is in third. Joe Sweeney is at the back of the group,

:24:25.:24:33.

the Dutch athlete has got himself of there as well. Joe Sweeney is

:24:33.:24:37.

starting to struggle, the big tall man from Ireland. It was six

:24:37.:24:41.

seconds, then it went out to nine, almost 10 seconds, and it is down

:24:41.:24:45.

to eight seconds again. Maybe they are playing a bit of cat and mouse

:24:45.:24:49.

here. You have got to really shifted to make up eight seconds in

:24:49.:24:55.

3000 metres. It is double but this man has to get tired. And any man

:24:55.:25:01.

who has broken away from the chasing group, Chahdi. That is the

:25:02.:25:06.

only one who looks like he really wants to have a crack at closing

:25:06.:25:13.

the gap. But Bekele looking strong. Bekele looking strong, and

:25:13.:25:19.

beginning to drive now. Chahdi for France, he has now brought out of

:25:19.:25:23.

the group and he is making an effort. The gap is not too strong,

:25:23.:25:28.

but the gap behind him is growing a little as well. Lamdassem, we

:25:28.:25:32.

thought he would be a real danger, we thought he would have a chance,

:25:32.:25:39.

we thought it would be all set up for Serhiy Lebid to win. But there

:25:39.:25:42.

probably was snow in his training camp, seeing the way he is running,

:25:42.:25:52.
:25:52.:25:54.

it looks like he has not run like snowshoes! Is it too late? They

:25:54.:26:01.

might catch the leader. Joe Sweeney has moved on, he looked like he was

:26:01.:26:04.

struggled. But this man is still moving really well and is halfway

:26:05.:26:09.

round his penultimate lap, not too far from the finish of that lap.

:26:09.:26:13.

And then he will know that it is not too far to go. Once you are

:26:13.:26:18.

into the last lap, a big, storming finish. He just looks so relaxed.

:26:18.:26:23.

You have got to assume he has got something left. Joe Sweeney of

:26:23.:26:27.

Ireland in third place. A little gap between him and the chasing

:26:27.:26:30.

group. Lamdassem should have been a bigger danger than he has proven to

:26:30.:26:40.

be, in 4th place, then a big gap until Andy Vernon. The first of the

:26:40.:26:43.

British athletes moving into the top 10. That will obviously help

:26:43.:26:46.

the team situation but they have a lot of work to do to get amongst

:26:46.:26:52.

the medals. Alongside the lake, it was created, this was a mining town.

:26:52.:26:59.

These lakes have not been there that long, they closed the minds

:26:59.:27:03.

here and created a valley, a recreational area where the cross-

:27:03.:27:08.

country course is. It has been anything and nice view, not being

:27:08.:27:14.

at enjoyed by the athlete, they are just concentrating and trying to

:27:14.:27:19.

get a medal. Joe Sweeney looks a bit ponderous, he needs to get a

:27:19.:27:23.

gap if he is going to win a medal on this last up. He is certainly

:27:23.:27:28.

making an effort, Joe Sweeney. Magdalen Bridge is getting some

:27:28.:27:34.

information from the inside about what is happening behind him. --

:27:34.:27:37.

Bekele is getting some good information. It looks like he's got

:27:37.:27:41.

to keep going at this pace, and he is going to win it. But Joe Sweeney

:27:41.:27:47.

is trying to bring the group back into contention. The familiar name

:27:47.:27:51.

of Bekele, looking over his shoulder, he probably can't believe

:27:51.:27:55.

that the gap is as big as it is. He wants information, he is getting it

:27:55.:28:01.

from his coach. There is the bell, 1500 metres to go for the leader.

:28:01.:28:04.

Are they going to rush together, the chasing group? Are they going

:28:04.:28:09.

to close down the gap? Bekele is looking strong and powerful. There

:28:09.:28:13.

is the time, let's have a look at what the gap is. It is down to six

:28:13.:28:21.

seconds. Joe Sweeney and Bekele -- Lamdassem, Chahdi were in that

:28:21.:28:26.

group. Only the first eight of these athletes will be selected to

:28:26.:28:30.

compete for Europe in January in Edinburgh, taking on the USA. There

:28:30.:28:35.

are eight of them there together. You would feel sorry for Bekele if

:28:35.:28:38.

he gave it up, but you also feel that the there is no one in that

:28:38.:28:43.

chasing group who deserves to win this one because of the way they

:28:43.:28:46.

have played this race in terms of Bekele. They have let him get away.

:28:46.:28:56.
:28:56.:28:57.

And Andy Vernon running well, he could have been a bit closer.

:28:57.:29:04.

Earlier on, they were not going too quickly and he might have found

:29:04.:29:08.

himself in contention for a medal and that really compels you forward.

:29:08.:29:13.

He is night at the moment, it looks like too big a gap to close. Can

:29:13.:29:20.

one of the closing group get towards Bekele? It is still a six

:29:20.:29:28.

second gap. Bekele is running strongly. Jose Russia is running

:29:28.:29:34.

well, or have they given up on chasing him? There is the leading

:29:34.:29:40.

Slovenian athlete, I suggest. He has not got far to go now, Bekele.

:29:40.:29:46.

He can sense that the chase is on. Look at Jose Rocha, who has got

:29:46.:29:52.

such pace. The finish is so twisting and turning, it is not

:29:52.:29:56.

easy to get a rhythm going. You can sense that the threat is now there.

:29:56.:30:00.

The threat is now there and they are racing each other. But is

:30:00.:30:04.

bringing them back into contention. I am hoping now, because of the

:30:04.:30:07.

negative approach they have made to this race, I am hoping Bekele can

:30:07.:30:14.

hang on. He got a gap which he did not work too hard for, he tried to

:30:14.:30:19.

hold it, and it is now being closed. I hope he can hang on. The chasing

:30:19.:30:22.

group did not do enough, they did not work together, they did not try

:30:22.:30:27.

to pressure him. Here they are now with a chance of trying to win this

:30:27.:30:31.

race, a race that he deserves to win because of the way he has won.

:30:31.:30:36.

He does not deserve to lose, certainly. The pressure is on. Can

:30:36.:30:40.

they finish? If there were two of them, he could spring, can a

:30:40.:30:46.

sprint? He is looking nervous now. Now it is all for Bekele to win if

:30:46.:30:56.
:30:56.:30:57.

by the lakeside. And then they will take a couple of right-handers.

:30:58.:31:03.

Some more twists and turns to negotiate but Bekele has picked up

:31:03.:31:08.

his pace and is being cheered on by the crowd. In second place now to

:31:08.:31:14.

Russia and then Portugal. And then Spain. He may come under a threat

:31:14.:31:21.

from behind but look at that gap now. It is 3.5 seconds and Bekele

:31:21.:31:25.

looking leaden-footed for the first time. He is looking over her

:31:26.:31:30.

shoulder as well and wants to concentrate on his running. This

:31:30.:31:36.

would be a blow for Bekele to lose it now. He deserves to win it. Can

:31:36.:31:40.

he keep going? Every corner, a look behind and checks mentally in his

:31:40.:31:48.

head, ticking off the seconds. Russia is looking behind, not ahead.

:31:48.:31:54.

Maybe now, Bekele can sense the victory is his, because of the

:31:54.:31:59.

Russian has given up, looking behind at the Belgian in front,

:31:59.:32:04.

worried about his medal. He's not even think about the gold medal at

:32:04.:32:09.

this front. He has got a good pace but is not going to challenge this

:32:09.:32:13.

man. He can see the finish line. He has led from the beginning, pretty

:32:13.:32:23.
:32:23.:32:28.

much, and it will be a good victory the European cross-country champion.

:32:28.:32:36.

The Russian get the bronze. Then it Joe Sweeney from Ireland, a good

:32:36.:32:40.

performance getting into the top fine. Andy Burnham will be the

:32:40.:32:46.

first British athlete across the line. It's going to be... There he

:32:46.:32:54.

is. Crossing the line. The team that race is something which, well,

:32:54.:33:03.

as we have just seen Ryan a cloud crossing the line. James Walsh. --

:33:03.:33:13.
:33:13.:33:15.

The French will be gold medal favourites. Andy Baddeley crossing

:33:15.:33:20.

the line, as well. Have they done enough to get themselves amongst

:33:20.:33:26.

the medals? Every single British teams are far have done that. Four

:33:26.:33:32.

golds and macro or won silver in the other age groups. -- and one

:33:32.:33:38.

silver in the other age groups. It was an intriguing race, one or two

:33:38.:33:43.

disappointing performances from some of the big names. No 10th

:33:43.:33:47.

victory for Sergiy Lebid from the Ukraine. No British athletes but it

:33:47.:33:57.
:33:57.:33:59.

was a familiar name, who won the The British team finishing top of

:33:59.:34:03.

the medal table. If that time of year when we hand out a few awards

:34:03.:34:13.
:34:13.:34:16.

and has none more coveted than this Thank you very much. It's an honour.

:34:16.:34:24.

David Beckham. I'm a truly honoured. So many people to thank. AP McCoy,

:34:24.:34:33.

British Sports personality of the Mark Cavendish has won the world

:34:33.:34:41.

title. Congratulations. 200 in a Test match against Australia.

:34:41.:34:51.
:34:51.:35:04.

a performance. Champion of the Mo Farah, a leading contender but

:35:04.:35:09.

not the only British world champion. Died Greene won the 400 metres

:35:09.:35:15.

hurdles and his his thoughts on 2011. In 2000 it, I was on the

:35:15.:35:20.

upward curve, everything was going well. Until 2008. I had a few

:35:20.:35:25.

injuries. The next thing I know, I was not running as well. That was

:35:25.:35:32.

the first time I questioned whether or not I could make it, because I

:35:32.:35:36.

thought other athletes, do they have as many injuries as me? Are

:35:36.:35:41.

they more talented, perhaps? Are they working harder? I doubted

:35:41.:35:47.

myself. It made me into a stronger person. I would never have had the

:35:47.:35:53.

success I have had but I didn't have that setback back in 2008. It

:35:53.:35:57.

makes me appreciate the good times. Up until that final, I did

:35:57.:36:03.

everything in my power to be in the best shape possible. I believe I

:36:03.:36:08.

could win that final. But only based on the fact I trained so hard.

:36:08.:36:11.

I wanted to do justice out there and know I had trained hard for

:36:11.:36:17.

this, and I wanted the gold medal and I deserved it after the hills I

:36:17.:36:21.

have run up and the weather I have endured. I don't understand the

:36:22.:36:27.

magnitude of what I have achieved, I think. For me, it's the next step

:36:27.:36:30.

after being in the top 10 last year and win the Commonwealth and

:36:30.:36:34.

European titles. I thought it a natural progression but why look at

:36:34.:36:41.

by medals, I feel pride. I've had so many people telling me

:36:41.:36:43.

congratulations and telling me where they were when they watched

:36:43.:36:49.

the race. We will talk about him in a few

:36:49.:36:55.

moments. How would you says that championships? Top of the medal

:36:55.:37:00.

table. It was great, some really good performances, individually. In

:37:00.:37:04.

the women's race, Gemma Steel, silver medal, a step forward for

:37:04.:37:08.

her. The men's team were disappointing but it won a silver

:37:08.:37:12.

medal. That's pretty good win the silver medal with that, not the

:37:12.:37:16.

best performance. Overall, we have been terrific today and been top of

:37:16.:37:23.

the medal table continuing, so this event fits into our scheme. There

:37:23.:37:28.

are the women getting the medals. Gemma Steel and Freya Murray

:37:28.:37:35.

amongst them. I'm really pleased. The momentum about distance running

:37:35.:37:39.

and cross-country running, it's good to see. It's good to know the

:37:39.:37:43.

athletes are taking this seriously. They will both be supported by

:37:43.:37:48.

Paula Radcliffe, the best cross- country female we have ever had,

:37:48.:37:55.

and Mo Farah. Below that, everyone is coming along nicely. It's been a

:37:55.:38:00.

good event. A good course to run a long. And a good performance by the

:38:00.:38:06.

British team. There has been a revival. You talk about Ian Stewart.

:38:06.:38:11.

Definitely, but it about getting more people doing it, more people

:38:11.:38:15.

going and having the chance. This is the event where they can have

:38:15.:38:19.

the chance, and I think things are looking good. In the Olympics, we

:38:19.:38:25.

can't wait for it. Looking at this event today, it will be nice to see

:38:25.:38:30.

how many can compete in the Olympic Games. The team it ended up with a

:38:31.:38:36.

silver medal in the men's. They did. I was disappointed. It seems to

:38:36.:38:44.

happen year on year. Ryan finished 14th and 15th and 16th. They need

:38:44.:38:48.

to be close up. It's not the World Championships, a crazy pace. More

:38:48.:38:54.

confidence. Everything else, brilliant. The juniors don't mind

:38:54.:38:58.

and get involved. I think we haven't done as well in the senior

:38:58.:39:03.

event over the years in age group, so disappointing. Everything is

:39:03.:39:12.

looking good. And I think the programmes in place, I'm coaching

:39:12.:39:17.

is part of that as well, and the support available, but the

:39:17.:39:23.

competition, dare I say it, if you have a whole bunch of people

:39:23.:39:28.

wearing British vests, seen as top in Europe, in the world, everybody

:39:28.:39:35.

aims high. But what is happening with distance running. Today draws

:39:35.:39:43.

a line under the season. No, this is the start. I except that, OK.

:39:43.:39:47.

the can India, yes. Preparation, winter time, getting ready, being

:39:47.:39:54.

strong, and then finishing it off in the summer. -- yes, the calendar

:39:54.:40:02.

year. What about 2012? Reasons to be cheerful? I think so, yes. If

:40:02.:40:08.

you had said to be back in 2006- seven, looking ahead, I was not

:40:08.:40:13.

sure how well we were going to do. We were never going to win 14

:40:13.:40:17.

medals in athletics, never. Six medals in the Olympic Games was

:40:17.:40:22.

great. Olympic medals are really, really hard to win. I think Britain

:40:22.:40:28.

are going to go into it with maybe nine genuine chances, of which five

:40:28.:40:32.

or six of very good. The top two or three in the world in their event.

:40:32.:40:38.

Not a bad place to be. Can you remember the British team going

:40:38.:40:43.

into an Olympic cycle with perhaps five serious gold medal chances?

:40:43.:40:52.

Jessica Ennis, die Greene, Mo Farah and Phillips Idowu were. When you

:40:52.:40:55.

look yourself, Steve Backley, Denise Lewis, there were four or

:40:55.:40:59.

five in Sydney we thought could win the gold medal. We ended up with

:40:59.:41:08.

six overall. And I think four 4th places. That's right. The other

:41:08.:41:12.

thing is, the medal table for athletics comes from every corner

:41:12.:41:17.

of the world. Not just certain countries in Europe. It's every

:41:17.:41:24.

single country in the world, Grenada who have won adults in the

:41:24.:41:27.

world champion to this year. It's tough in athletics, because it's a

:41:27.:41:34.

global sport. We are fortunate but the most exciting thing is London.

:41:34.:41:41.

Under we have a bunch of people who made do it. We will have a good run

:41:41.:41:45.

for our money and it will be a fantastic Olympics and I can't wait

:41:45.:41:49.

for it. Michael Johnson said that he thought it might be a

:41:49.:41:55.

disadvantage for our athletes with the pressure. That down to the

:41:55.:42:03.

individual, Jonathan. If you're an team eerie one some tickets, and

:42:03.:42:08.

say, can you popped in before you go to the Games... Let's not talk

:42:08.:42:13.

about tickets. But that can be a ticket but how you do with it is

:42:13.:42:18.

down to the individual. They will be out of the bubble of it, going

:42:18.:42:23.

to Portugal, able to prepare properly. It's not just the medals.

:42:23.:42:27.

I want to see the British athletes in the final sport that I would

:42:27.:42:30.

love to see, in every event, a British athlete getting to the

:42:30.:42:37.

final. That would be a big step up. That's possible for the the message

:42:37.:42:41.

about tickets is one thing we don't forget, you can watch it on the BBC.

:42:41.:42:48.

Thanks, guys. Plenty of sport coming up. After as, the UK snooker

:42:48.:42:58.
:42:58.:43:19.

championship from Wembley. Mark So that's it for the 2011 athletics

:43:19.:43:25.

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