2013 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country


2013

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Welcome to Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, and beautiful setting

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for a sporting event. Once again the capital plays host to R plates

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from round-the-world in the traditional start to the Latics

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year. The Great Edinburgh Cross Country. -- the of tactics. The

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action is sure to be explosive as through the years this place has

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been a happy hunting ground for some of the world's greatest

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Kenenisa Bekele, winning in Edinburgh. The best in the world.

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Winning by a long way, Tirunesh Dibaba. Linet Masai, wins easily

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here in Edinburgh. Asbel Kiprop, finishing like a champion. The

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surprise winner in Edinburgh! Another victory for Eliud Kipchoge,

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Mo Farah begins 2011 in winning Once again, this afternoon's time

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table is full of champions with the double Olympic gold medallist

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Meseret Defar taking on Vivian Cheruiyot, and the athlete she beat

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into second place in the Olympic Games. And there is that highly

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competitive team event. But in taking on Europe and the USA. The

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junior races took place earlier on this afternoon. And then there was

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live races, won 20 5:00pm, then men's eight kilometres team event

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and then the women's team event. Britain are the defending champions

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so let us see how they do. The first race is that stand-alone 3000

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metres. That is a tantalising the home straight. And it shall be

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Meseret Defar. After winning eight years ago, she comes back to retake

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the Olympic title. London was big for me. It felt like a marathon.

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And the people, the crowd... They were very close in the competition

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but if there is no competition, we are fence. That is something that

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is natural in athletics but tomorrow, I don't know... I don't

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know how she is or how I am. But I will try my best tomorrow. I know

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who I am in the cross-country because I have run on many tracks

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but cross country is also very nice. For the track preparation. I like

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cross-country because it is for people who do track and field. And

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then doing cross-country, you are preparing for the track and field.

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It makes me quicker on the track. From the track of the Olympic

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Stadium to Edinburgh, the athletes lined up behind me so good

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afternoon to Brendan Foster and traditional, we kick off here with

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three cracking races. This one is perhaps the cream of the crop in

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terms of international competitors. You have seen Meseret Defar and

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Vivian Cheruiyot but there are others who will have a good chance.

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Lisa Dobriskey, good to see her. The silver medallist in the World

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Championships. The finalist in the Olympics last year. And fit and

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healthy during the winter. Good to see her here. 2011 was a brilliant

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year for Vivian Cheruiyot. Twice the world champion, three times

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including the cross country. Did not quite get what she wanted from

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the Olympics but silver and bronze. That was some consolation for her.

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And that is a judgment of her very high standards. The gold medal in

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the 5000 pictures went to Meseret Defar, repeating that victory from

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2004. Not somebody who competes that often on the country. It is

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great to see both of them here. Look out for Genzebe Dibaba, she is

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just on the right of the group. She will also be a big threat. Other

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British athletes running well this year... Emily Stewart, you can see.

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Further back. Blonde hair. She has started the season pretty well. And

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Lisa Dobriskey and Emily Stewart, they will be taking on the might of

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Meseret Defar, Vivian Cheruiyot and Genzebe Dibaba. And happy New Year

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to Brendan Foster... Thank you. Great to see Lisa Dobriskey here,

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she was very disappointed with 10th place in the Olympics and lots of

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us had to down as an athlete to have a chance to win a medal, even

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gold. She was so close to being the world champion at few years ago but

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sadly, 2012 did not go her way and she settled just for being in the

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race, happy to be there and she said it was one of the greatest

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experiences of her life but she would have been happier if she was

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fully fit. Charlene Thomas on the inside. And Genzebe Dibaba, she was

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injured in 2012, she was one of the favourites going into the Olympic

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Games. Her sister one of the 10,000 metres. She was unable to get

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through to the final. She had some fantastic races earlier in the year

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and I thought she would win the Olympics 1500 metres. Behind her,

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Meseret Defar, she did win that race. And in marvellous style. One

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of the great races. Others to mention, you might have spotted

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that tall figure, Linet Masai, further back. And, of course, Sofia

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Assefa, she was the bronze medallist over the steeplechase.

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Another Ethiopian to watch out for. Three kilometres, very much a mix

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of the good track specialists such as Charlene Thomas and Lisa

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Dobriskey and then the Kenyans and Ethiopians mixing up with great

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cross-country talent. 300kilometre collapse, there are longer laps to

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come but they basically stayed on the bottom field. Three laps and

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the first one looks fairly content just to stay together. Amy Campbell,

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the leader at the moment. The bigger names happy to sit towards

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the back. Meseret Defar in the blue vest at the back, running like it

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is a track race. Settling into the pace. On the inside, Vivian

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Cheruiyot. Look at the year she had in 2011, the world cross-country

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champion, the world 5000 metres champion and 10,000 metres champion

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and she came to the Olympic Games as a big favourite for the distance

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races but she met her match with two with the audience, Tirunesh

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Dibaba and then with Meseret Defar in the 5000 metres. After team-mate,

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Linet Masai, leading them a long through one lap. The first

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kilometre behind them. Now, Linet Masai, more pronounced over long

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distance, knows she has to put on the pace and t8 macro decides to go

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with her. -- Genzebe Dibaba. was a long way behind in 10,000

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metres in Spain recently. That would suggest that maybe she isn't

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quite as fit as she would like to be. She has decided she isn't going

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to leave this for the big sprint finish. She is such a graceful

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runner but is a great cross country runner as well. The conditions

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under foot are pretty good, given the wet weather that every word has

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had. As good as you could have expected. Mice, warm January day

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with some muddy patches but generally, the conditions are

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pretty good. I am amazed, I thought it would be saturated but the

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weather has been drying off and we have had such a wet winter, such a

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wet here, I thought this would be treacherous but it isn't too bad.

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Linet Masai, not having much difficulty, we are looking at real

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talent. Genzebe Dibaba, she came here and won the junior cross-

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country championships in 2008, and since then she has moved into the

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senior ranks, the world indoor champion and one of her best

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performances. We will see some outstanding performances in the

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future from the younger sister of Tirunesh Dibaba. There she is.

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Stretching along in second place. Behind Linet Masai. Meseret Defar

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moving into third place. And Lisa Dobriskey moving well. Just behind

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the big names, Emily Stewart is having a very good winter. She is

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at Newcastle University. She has been getting lots of local support.

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And then three days ago she ran her personal best indoors at 3000

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metres. She is doing well and she will have her eyes very much set on

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Lisa Dobriskey, just coming off the group. Three of them pulling away,

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Vivian Cheruiyot will have to try to close that gap and bring that

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group of four runners closer. As they come towards the end of the

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second lap. Genzebe Dibaba looks very comfortable. Meseret Defar

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working to stay with them. Linet Masai trying to stretch them out.

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But Genzebe Dibaba, really good transition into the senior ranks,

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the world junior champion on the country and the track. In 2010,

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over 5000 metres. She was top ranked. She can run below four

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minutes in 1500 metres. The world indoor champion, Genzebe Dibaba,

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takes over. Linet Masai and then the Olympic 5000 metres champion,

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Meseret Defar, the three of them together and that was a reasonably

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quick first lap and Ulster were second lap but then, Genzebe Dibaba

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takes over. Linet Masai, who has made her work, and then Meseret

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Defar, who we don't see very often in the country. The first time was

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in the world junior cross country championships back into 1002. And

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we also saw Vivian Cheruiyot them. But young Genzebe Dibaba, she

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promised such a lot last year. And her favourite position for the

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Olympics but she was unable to do that. Meseret Defar ticking very

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close order and both Ethiopians will be very competitive, here.

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Meseret Defar on the track possesses such great pace, she

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talked about changing her training and she chose not to run in the

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10,000 metres against Tirunesh Dibaba and concentrated just on

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5000. Ulster people did not reckon on her being as good as she was.

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She has such pace to burn and Genzebe Dibaba will know that,

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pushing on, she won't want to have her on her shoulder. Linet Masai

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has also gone, now. And that looks like 4th place. She has to put the

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pressure on. Has to get that gap and she will want more than 10

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metres. She is doing her best. will be a very good race. Genzebe

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Dibaba, the speed behind her. The renowned speed of Meseret Defar in

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second place. Once again, taking on the talented sister. This time, the

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younger one, the world cross country champion. Genzebe Dibaba,

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stretching out like a true 1500 metres runner. Meseret Defar coming

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under pressure and this will be a very strong finish from both it the

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Oddbins. Has t8 macro done enough? Once you start looking behind, you

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except that the lead is the way. And that gap is one which Meseret

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Defar, even have your best, we struggle with. Genzebe Dibaba in

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talk of moving up to the marathon. But this could well be the new name

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over the next two or three years, Genzebe Dibaba. She looks really

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strong, really comfortable, and it is a final victory here in

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Edinburgh, for Genzebe Dibaba. 9.46 the winning time. Defar takes

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second. Masai hangs on for third, ahead of Assefa. Emily Stewart runs

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well, she might get fifth. They will be close on the line. There is

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your top four there. Cheruiyot just ahead of Stewart and Lisa Dobriskey.

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That got quicker and quicker, they ran 3.32, 3.12 and 3.03. Gradual

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pressure applied all the bay. She is strong, quick enough, she has

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run 3.57 for it and you have a great athlete on your hands. He is

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great. Her sister the greatest female dis tans runner of all times.

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Three times Olympic champion. This young lady, 1500 metres is her

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future. Here they go. -- distance. A class field overall. Linet Masai,

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happy to lead in the early stage, but she knows she has to do it like

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this, she knows she has to try and run the finish out of the talented

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Ethopians round her. Vivian Cheruiyot in a bad patch. We are

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down do the world indoor champion against the Olympic 5,000 metre

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champion, Meseret Defar.. Genzebe Dibaba stretching, looking like a

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true sprinter. Powerful, strong, comfortable on that course, there

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she goes. Another victory 234 Edinburgh -- in Edinburgh for

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Genzebe Dibaba. The world June yon yor champion from 2008, she beats

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Dibaba's winning time five seconds ahead of Meseret Defar. She will be

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happy with that. Linet Masai takes Defar and Genzebe Dibaba. We have

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two more live race, both part of the team challenge, Great Britain

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and Northern Ireland taking on the USA, taking on Europe, Britain won

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this title last year, I think they have a handful this year. It is the

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men's 8k race up first. There have been a couple of junior races which

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have formed part of that challenge. Well, the men's or junior men's

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race was held at 6 kilometre, a lot of the pace from the middle was set

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by one of the American new talents, he couldn't get away from the group

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and Jonathan Davis was doing well for the British team. Hanging on in

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there. Gradually though, after Davis tried to pull away, we got

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down to a group of four as they came into the latter stages. It

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Jonathan Davis in fourth place, the first of the British athletes to

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cross the line. Really really good race, very competitive. Europe

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getting off to a good start. The team race all-important though.

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Individually, one and two for His dad is watching him here.

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Britain having to settle for third place. Those points will be crucial.

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It is the overall points tote that will will determine the winning

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team. Europe getting off to a good junior women's race. A course Great

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Britain's junior women among the best in the world, they have

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dominated European cross-country running in the junior age group.

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Jess Judd showing her capabilities on the country and well backed up

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Judd who hung on for second. But Great Britain, as Rebecca Weston

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finished in third finished in top six positions, showing their

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dominance in this age group, of course that was very good news for

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the team race. Clarify the individual positions first. This is

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events so that mean's Britain's total was ten points, that made up

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for a slightly disappointing performance in the junior men's.

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Well, a great performance from the junior women, we can see what that

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means for the team's standings overall. Ath add the points

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together and that means a ten point gap between Britain and Europe,

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first place to second place with USA somewhat adrift. That was quite

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a performance from the whole team. It was fantastic. I mean it was

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great to turn round and see the girls behind me. It's a very young

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team, so it means great prospect for the future. In ters of your

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performance, you won here last year, happy hunting ground? Yes, it is a

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fantastic course. I love the terrain, it is a great set up to

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start 2013 for me. I felt strong today and I am happy. What are the

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rest of your plans? I would love to go to the World Cross. It is my

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final year as a junior girl. The main aim would be to challenge the

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Africans there. I got a taste of that last year, I would love to go

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out and see what I can do and face that challenge again. Terms of

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strength and depth, we look back to the European cross-country in

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Budapest. Things look good on the women's side. Yes goodbye is

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getting strong and it is fantastic to be part of such a strong team

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and hopefully great thing also come. What about the men's and women's,

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do you fancy your chances of holding on the overall title?

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think so. People are telling us what the scores are, so everyone

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going into the next race knows how we are standing. Hopefully we will

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hang on to it this year. Well done. Last year as a junior so good luck

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for it. What a great performance there. The next race is the men's 8

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k. Let us hear from the respective k. Let us hear from the respective

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team captains, starting with Bobby Mack. We don't get a lot of

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opportunities to run cross-country in the US. I prefer the European

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cross-country courses more, they are more challenging than the US

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ones, so happy to be here. I hope as a team, that we can go out and

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run as well as we did in the European Championships. If we do,

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we can come away with a win, we have a strong USA team, a strong

:23:45.:23:52.

European team, there is no reason, if we pack well, we can win it.

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am happy, I am captain, and I prepare the team for a win tomorrow.

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It is not unrealistic to say I would love to be on the podium. I

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knowly have to run well. If I am one or two percent off, it could be

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tenth place, it would be solid but there won't be anything between us,

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I want to run well, but I want to run well for the team The US US

:24:21.:24:27.

team, the European team, the British team, perfect race. We have

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a good group, most guys were selected for this team came on a

:24:31.:24:34.

course that was muddy and challenging, I think they, this

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course will cater to them better course will cater to them better

:24:40.:24:42.

than in the past. So Bobby Mack second here last year. I wonder

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what he will do this year. The team challenge is interestingly poised.

:24:47.:24:55.

Ten points in it. Let us see how this event goes. Yes, I think the

:24:55.:24:59.

men are going to have to do particularly well. I think the

:24:59.:25:03.

senior women have a good strong squad, but the men will have to

:25:03.:25:07.

stand up here and run well against some stiff European opposition, in

:25:07.:25:16.

particular, you can see last year's winner on the left, Sergiy Lebid,

:25:16.:25:26.
:25:26.:25:26.

they have Ayad Lamdassem of Spain. He was 15th in the recent edition

:25:27.:25:30.

and the different conditions of Hungary they face. Bobby Mack, by

:25:30.:25:36.

far the most experienced of the American team. The rest of the team

:25:36.:25:42.

are inexperienced, so I am not sure they will have high hopes here. And

:25:43.:25:47.

it is great to see Steve Vernon leading the British team. He has

:25:47.:25:52.

had a good come back. He has half an eye on world mountain running

:25:52.:25:57.

Championships later in the year. He wants to run well here. Andy Vernon

:25:57.:26:02.

will be alongside him. Jonathan Taylor, they are the three top

:26:02.:26:12.
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names here. An intriguing race here, we have eight kilometre, which will

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be four two kilometre laps. added spice, if you like, of a log

:26:21.:26:30.

to be negotiated, or more than one, two-and-a-half foot high. We were

:26:30.:26:34.

deciding whether we would put our foot on it, and stream to negotiate,

:26:34.:26:41.

so as Macwas saying, a nice good cross-country test. One or two

:26:41.:26:46.

muddy patch, one or two obstacles to overcome. The team race, I think

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the most intreesing part, individually a good few of the guys

:26:49.:26:53.

will want to finish the top three. Andy Vernon sh is the first to show

:26:53.:26:58.

at the front. -- is the first to show at the front. He was aiming

:26:58.:27:01.

for the Olympic games for the 10,000 metres last years got

:27:01.:27:07.

injured. Now he is on his way back, he has promised well, I have been

:27:07.:27:12.

impressed with him on occasion, he is setting off quickly, there is a

:27:12.:27:16.

talented field, particularly some of the Europeans. Steve verning

:27:16.:27:20.

behind him and Jonathan Taylor alongside him too. So the three

:27:20.:27:24.

British athletes who we figureed will be close to the front are in

:27:24.:27:29.

there and close up to the front. I am looking at Sergiy Lebid, who was

:27:29.:27:31.

disappointing in the European Cross-Country Championships where

:27:31.:27:36.

he has won it nine times. There he is in the blue vest. Just inside

:27:36.:27:43.

there. Looking at that he is in the middle. He has a race in, over New

:27:43.:27:46.

Year and Spain, it was a real return to form for Sergiy Lebid, so

:27:46.:27:50.

he has come here, full of confidence. That is good to see.

:27:50.:27:55.

The British team are in position in good position, packing well, being

:27:55.:28:00.

led by Andy Vernon, who likes to run at the front. A strong runner,

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more distinguished over the country than on the track, but one day he

:28:05.:28:11.

will run a good track race, I think. Sergiy Lebid was third in that race,

:28:11.:28:15.

as you said a return to form Brendan. I just, the European, he

:28:15.:28:19.

never got involved. A few of the athletes struggled with the

:28:19.:28:23.

underfoot conditions. It was very very cold, and although there was

:28:23.:28:29.

lots of snow on the ground, it was hard icy conditions, and some ran

:28:29.:28:35.

very well. It is interesting some of the results since then.

:28:35.:28:40.

Lamdassem went in as the favourite. He is in fourth place on the ropes.

:28:40.:28:47.

Even was saying this is going to be his race, it wasn't to be. The

:28:47.:28:50.

winner looked incredibly comfortable. He ran across that

:28:50.:28:53.

ground. That is what cross-country is about. You have different

:28:53.:28:57.

courses, different conditions under foot and different people rise to

:28:57.:29:03.

the top. Today is different to that one. The results we have here, from

:29:03.:29:06.

the European cross-country championships. Freezing cold, very

:29:06.:29:10.

difficult, frozen ground under foot, today we have ten degrees out there,

:29:10.:29:18.

as we look at Sergiy Lebid. The British athletes alongside him.

:29:18.:29:22.

There is Lamdassem. He looks impressive, some of them aren't too

:29:22.:29:28.

happy about it. But Andy Vernon, the leader, alongside him, Tom

:29:28.:29:34.

Humphries on the inside. Jonathan Taylor, in third place. It will be

:29:34.:29:40.

interesting to see how he goes. Coached by Gordon Surtees who has

:29:40.:29:44.

good athletes and Jonathan Taylor's ambition is to run well over the

:29:44.:29:49.

steeplechase, and I am sure he will one day, he is in good hands with

:29:49.:29:53.

Gordon who knows about distance running, winter running and

:29:53.:30:03.
:30:03.:30:10.

USA, where he is based. Hoping to come back. Hoping to go to the

:30:10.:30:14.

world championships later in the year. The World cross-country

:30:14.:30:23.

Championships are only held every two years. It'll be interesting to

:30:23.:30:27.

see how many of the better British athletes will want to be part of

:30:27.:30:33.

that team. Good to see Tom Humphries, Jonathan Taylor, Andy

:30:33.:30:37.

Vernon, Steve Vernon tucked in as well. Doing very well at the moment

:30:37.:30:44.

and I suspect the Americans might struggle. Most of the American team

:30:44.:30:47.

were picked from the National Club Championships, club athletics isn't

:30:47.:30:54.

their normal strong. And it was a very muddy course, it was

:30:54.:30:59.

apparently very muddy that day and it was more like a European course.

:30:59.:31:06.

Bobby Mack moving through. The winner that day, Ripley. We might

:31:06.:31:11.

see them moving through the field. Generally, that standard in the USA

:31:11.:31:17.

isn't the same as some of the events where it is about collegiate

:31:17.:31:20.

teams and the athletes who are running for some of the huge

:31:20.:31:26.

companies. It is pretty wide open, some very good at the Ritz. Not

:31:26.:31:32.

much better than the general group. You will have to position yourself

:31:32.:31:39.

as they come towards the end of the first lap. They will run for two,

:31:39.:31:44.

to laps and Tom Humphries from Great Britain is leading. This race

:31:44.:31:50.

will change in the later part. Reasonably quick, so far. They are

:31:50.:31:53.

really stretched out and they aren't really running comfortably

:31:53.:31:57.

but the point of this race is really to try to gauge the effort.

:31:57.:32:07.
:32:07.:32:09.

Andy Vernon running well in second place. Sergiy Lebid. 6.01, pretty

:32:09.:32:17.

swift. No big spent so far. Tom Humphries is stretching along.

:32:17.:32:21.

Jonathan Taylor in that group, running well in that small gap that

:32:21.:32:31.
:32:31.:32:33.

is appearing behind them. The Great Britain men doing well. Looking at

:32:33.:32:42.

the standings, Great Britain and very much to the fore. We have got

:32:43.:32:47.

five, 7th, 9th and 10th. Easily winning the team race at the moment.

:32:47.:32:54.

Europe have got their big guns at the front. Carles Castillejo. I am

:32:54.:32:58.

looking for Hassan Chahdi, I was looking for him to be closer up.

:32:58.:33:03.

Tom Humphries has kept a very good, hard place on the slap so they are

:33:03.:33:10.

breaking up. I thought there would be a bigger group for the first

:33:11.:33:14.

four kilometres but Tom is going out with real intent, really

:33:14.:33:17.

stretching and giving them something to think about. He needs

:33:17.:33:22.

to settle down, he has got a group clear, there is a good bunch and

:33:22.:33:26.

some good athletes around him. Some athletes that would normally beat

:33:26.:33:31.

Tom Humphries so he does not be to be exposed, he needs to settle down.

:33:31.:33:37.

I am looking at Sergiy Lebid, he looks altogether different today

:33:37.:33:40.

than from the European cross country championships. Looking down

:33:40.:33:45.

the team, the Americans are moving through. The younger athletes

:33:45.:33:53.

running strongly, and there goes Tom Humphries with a few yards

:33:53.:33:58.

ahead of Sergiy Lebid. Jonathan Taylor, who won the trials for the

:33:58.:34:08.
:34:08.:34:10.

European Championships. Andy Vernon. 5th place. And there they go.

:34:10.:34:15.

Stretching it out, moving along nicely. Tom Humphries, is he trying

:34:15.:34:20.

to win this at this early stage? is very early and the quality of

:34:20.:34:25.

the men behind would suggest that it would be a brave effort but if

:34:25.:34:28.

you are feeling good on the day, you have to run the way that you

:34:28.:34:32.

feel. He knows where he sits in terms of the other British athletes

:34:32.:34:38.

and he has finished behind Jonathan Taylor and Steve Vernon this year.

:34:38.:34:40.

He is an are feeling very good today, thinking this is the right

:34:40.:34:45.

pace. This is the sort of course I like moving on. He looks

:34:45.:34:51.

comfortable enough. And that gap is starting to form. I just saw Carles

:34:51.:34:54.

Castillejo coming to the front of that group, he was feeling like he

:34:54.:35:01.

might want to close that gap. Nobody else was interested. So,

:35:01.:35:06.

there is a lead of about him metres for Tom Humphries as he goes

:35:06.:35:10.

through three kilometres and another five kilometres to go.

:35:10.:35:14.

Humphries looks relaxed, he looks comfortable but he has never found

:35:14.:35:19.

himself in a race of this colour. He is as bad as me over the

:35:19.:35:24.

hurdles! He has never found himself in a race of this calendar with a

:35:24.:35:29.

lead like this. He has to contain himself and settled in his mind. He

:35:29.:35:34.

is thinking before the halfway point, he has got this one, but

:35:34.:35:40.

there is a lot of running to come. It is now about mental control, he

:35:40.:35:45.

looks comfortable, the course isn't doing him any disservice as he

:35:45.:35:51.

comes off the main field and on to the hilly part. Andy Vernon moving

:35:51.:36:01.
:36:01.:36:05.

into second place. See hymn coming into third place. -- Ayad Lamdassem.

:36:05.:36:10.

Bobby Mack has gone through, the other American, Jacob Riley, the

:36:10.:36:16.

winner of the club championships, taking closer order, closing down

:36:16.:36:22.

on the Danish athlete, representing Europe, the Abdi Hakin Ulad. But

:36:22.:36:28.

Tom Humphries leading. Breaking up as far as the team race goes and

:36:28.:36:37.

the Americans doing much better. Just looking for Hassan Chahdi, he

:36:37.:36:43.

was the 19th place and he is now in about him days. The French man who

:36:43.:36:47.

won the silver medal at the European cross country started very

:36:47.:36:53.

slowly. He has picked up about nine places in the last kilometre. In

:36:53.:36:59.

the old days at Edinburgh they went all the way to the top of haggis

:36:59.:37:04.

hold but you can see in the background, that Rocky crop,

:37:04.:37:11.

looking dangerous, it has been worn away. And they come back down on

:37:11.:37:15.

this, this can be a tricky section. The ground is falling away to the

:37:15.:37:20.

right and you have to negotiate a bend. You need good balance. Thomas

:37:20.:37:25.

doing pretty well. They have to jump across the stream on the way

:37:25.:37:35.

out and on the way back again. Good grounds as well. Plenty of races,

:37:35.:37:39.

Junior and local events, people have been taking part all morning.

:37:39.:37:44.

Look at Bobby Mack, really my thing through. Sergiy Lebid started to

:37:44.:37:51.

struggle just a little bit. Britain won, too. Europe in third, Europe,

:37:51.:37:56.

4th place and you have 5th and 6th place. That was a good performance

:37:56.:38:03.

to the halfway point. Two laps to go for Tom Humphries. Andy Vernon

:38:03.:38:11.

looking strong and second place. Another consistent six minutes, two

:38:11.:38:18.

kilometres. Andy Vernon in second place. C Tywydd, Bobby Mack.

:38:18.:38:22.

Jonathan Taylor just struggling a little bit. This is a surprise so

:38:22.:38:26.

far from Tom Humphries, this is a real opportunity for him to grab

:38:26.:38:30.

the headlines, grab a position and the American brothers running

:38:30.:38:38.

through. Elliot Krause, Jonathan Peterson. And now, what is Andy

:38:38.:38:42.

Vernon going to do in second place? Will he worked hard to close the

:38:42.:38:48.

gap or will he settle with the athletes around him? Some big gaps

:38:48.:38:57.

appearing. Anyone any further back, Jacob Riley, behind that second

:38:57.:39:02.

group, is too far off, Charlie might have moved up but he is a

:39:02.:39:07.

long way behind the leader. In fact, the chasing group. The European

:39:07.:39:12.

silver medallist, like Sergiy Lebid, starting to struggle. Carles

:39:12.:39:17.

Castillejo going OK. And second place last year, Bobby Mack, right

:39:17.:39:24.

in the next. With Steve Vernon, further back and Andy Vernon. He

:39:24.:39:29.

looks in a good position. That is very close. Great Britain just

:39:29.:39:34.

kidding. But those positions are changing, this is half-way. It is a

:39:34.:39:39.

total points in the junior races, this race and the women's race, and

:39:39.:39:46.

that will determine the team challenge. Bobby Mack leading the

:39:46.:39:54.

chasing group. Jacob Riley from the USA, who won the trials in this

:39:54.:39:58.

from the USA, finding himself in a good position. Steve Vernon coming

:39:58.:40:02.

through with Tom Humphries, now he must settle down and try to win the

:40:02.:40:10.

race. He has a gap, it is decent. Now, how strong is he? Can he last?

:40:10.:40:16.

This is a real test on his penultimate lap. Sergiy Lebid,

:40:16.:40:26.

drifting from the chasing group. Ayad Lamdassem looking promising.

:40:26.:40:30.

The difficulty for the likes of Ayad Lamdassem and Sergiy Lebid and

:40:30.:40:36.

even Bobby Mack, Andy Vernon knows about Tom Humphries but they do not,

:40:36.:40:40.

they will be wondering what to do, whether they should close this,

:40:40.:40:45.

will this man come back? The gap has stayed the same. It has

:40:45.:40:48.

extended just a little bit from this time on the last lap. But they

:40:48.:40:54.

cannot keep letting him go away. If he has that 50 metres lead in the

:40:54.:40:58.

last lap, and he is still strong, that becomes very difficult to

:40:58.:41:04.

close down. They have to think, this next, to, somebody in the

:41:04.:41:08.

script has got to take a risk and push on. Bobby Mack looks like the

:41:08.:41:12.

one thinking of doing that, that second group is itself being

:41:12.:41:18.

stretched so perhaps Bobby Mack and Ayad Lamdassem are trying to close

:41:18.:41:26.

this. Tom Humphries has run well. He will want to see some more yards,

:41:26.:41:35.

hurdling better, that was pretty good! The gap is just closing a

:41:35.:41:39.

little bit, coming under pressure. This is the tough part of the race,

:41:39.:41:44.

when he has led the race as much as he has, he will want more of a gap.

:41:44.:41:48.

Bobby Mack is in that group but there is a good shot other leader,

:41:48.:41:54.

Tom Humphries. Running some good 1500 metres races in his time and

:41:54.:42:00.

he comes down on to the far side of the course and that suggests, to me,

:42:00.:42:05.

that there is a race happening behind him. Five athletes behind

:42:05.:42:09.

them and you don't want to have to pick which one of them will finish.

:42:09.:42:14.

The second American, just behind that, Bobby Mack, second last year,

:42:14.:42:21.

can he do better? Now, I can sense that the chase is on. It is but

:42:21.:42:26.

they are not willing him in. This is a good part of the course for

:42:26.:42:33.

Tom Humphries, you can see him negotiating the stream and up and

:42:33.:42:39.

then back down the other side. Not so easy to run quickly. You can see

:42:39.:42:46.

how he is bouncing across the ground, doing very well. And if he

:42:46.:42:51.

gets to the beginning of the last lap, East Kilbride boys... Cheering

:42:51.:43:01.
:43:01.:43:02.

them on. If he gets to the start of the last lap and he has 40 metres,

:43:02.:43:06.

yes, Ayad Lamdassem is good and he did not run well in the European

:43:06.:43:16.
:43:16.:43:20.

Championships but that was a very good second place, but am surprised

:43:20.:43:24.

that they have not wanted to close that gap before. To really get in

:43:24.:43:28.

there. Tom Humphries with that 20- metre gap coming towards the end of

:43:28.:43:33.

the third lap and it will not be long before he hears that bell.

:43:33.:43:37.

they work together they can close those gaps quickly. Ayad Lamdassem

:43:37.:43:43.

looks like a danger to me. Let's look closely at Tom Humphries, see

:43:43.:43:48.

how much he is blowing up the hill. Just a little bit of a lack of

:43:48.:43:55.

momentum as he comes over the water. Bobby Mack closing. Ayad Lamdassem

:43:55.:43:59.

looking dangerous. But this is a very good performance from Tom

:43:59.:44:03.

Humphries. Whatever happens, he has made his stamp on this. He has

:44:03.:44:07.

really made an impression on this international performers, the best

:44:07.:44:11.

we have seen him running internationally. He still has a

:44:11.:44:15.

chance, he has that opportunity, he has been in the lead long enough

:44:15.:44:20.

and he has settled and there is now this group coming from behind. Andy

:44:20.:44:24.

Vernon, Sergiy Lebid, Bobby Mack leading that group. And as they

:44:24.:44:29.

come through this final lap, five of them together, Tom Humphries has

:44:29.:44:34.

the lead, if he was an athlete we have seen winning lots of races,

:44:34.:44:40.

you would bet on him. But will they start racing behind? Sergiy Lebid

:44:40.:44:50.
:44:50.:44:59.

nine times European Cross-Country champion. Bobby Mack leading the

:44:59.:45:05.

chase. That gap hasn't changed. When he comes off that section, he

:45:05.:45:13.

seems to settle nicely. That is what, a 25 metre gap. Somebody, you

:45:13.:45:17.

know they are looking at each other a bit, if you are going to win the

:45:17.:45:22.

race, you can't beat that group, you have to catch the leader, the

:45:22.:45:28.

more they look at each other, the more difficult that will be become,

:45:28.:45:34.

with every stride the distance to the finishing line is lessoning. He

:45:34.:45:38.

needs to get his head down and try and keep that gap for as long as he

:45:38.:45:42.

can. He has done well. He hasn't been look over his shoulder. He is

:45:42.:45:47.

concentrating on trying to win the race. You feel as though he is

:45:47.:45:51.

going to deserve this one. Lamdassem hasn't made a move yet.

:45:51.:45:55.

Sergiy Lebid is dropping off a little. Andy Vernon's race seems to

:45:55.:46:00.

be over and Tom Humphries, who has led for a lot of this race, in his

:46:00.:46:03.

most significant performance we have seen from him, has he done

:46:03.:46:09.

enough, can he keep going? Can he keep the power on? Has Bobby Mack

:46:09.:46:14.

got anything left? I am impressed with the way Tom Humphries has run.

:46:14.:46:18.

I am impressed with the way his concentration has been going. He

:46:18.:46:21.

hasn't been looking over his shoulder. I hope he doesn't do it

:46:21.:46:24.

now. There he is, Tom Humphries, with an opportunity to win this

:46:24.:46:29.

race, but the group are racing one another. Will they be fast enough?

:46:29.:46:33.

Less than a kilometre remaining for Tom Humphries, he has tried to win

:46:33.:46:40.

this, can he win it? I remember watching Tom running very well a

:46:40.:46:47.

few years back, at the intercounties Championship, the

:46:47.:46:53.

trials that are held normally for the worlds, etc in February, in

:46:53.:46:59.

Nottingham, looked as though... He would have more days like this, he

:46:59.:47:04.

hasn't been able to win a big event like this, and huge opportunity for

:47:04.:47:10.

him now, he is at the furthest part of the course, this is a new bit

:47:10.:47:14.

added on, to take them to the far end of the park. Almost to the old

:47:14.:47:21.

meadow bank stadium at the far end. The Commonwealth game there's in 86,

:47:21.:47:26.

in Scotland and Glasgow next year, the focus, in Scotland very much

:47:26.:47:32.

for the nextle months or so. Today, it is about Cross-Country here in

:47:32.:47:36.

Edinburgh. Tom Humphries with a clock ter to go. Still a --

:47:36.:47:39.

kilometre to go. They are chasing, and somebody in that group has to

:47:39.:47:44.

break out of the group and try and catch him. The last time over the

:47:44.:47:50.

log. Negotiates it reasonably well. Bobby Mack, Lamdassem. Can anybody

:47:50.:47:54.

out of that chasing group close this gap? How tired is Tom

:47:54.:47:59.

Humphries? How much is the pressure of leading catching up with him?

:47:59.:48:03.

There is a big group. You wouldn't know which one is going to lead

:48:03.:48:06.

that group but Tom Humphries is renewed. Less than a kilometre

:48:06.:48:09.

remaining. You have been in this position, Tom, you are trying to

:48:09.:48:14.

win it. Can he win it? There he go, down the hill, here comes the

:48:14.:48:17.

chasing group. Bobby Mack leads the chasing group, the athlete who ran

:48:17.:48:22.

so well last year, last year's first and second, in second and

:48:22.:48:26.

sthird, so in would be a fantastic victory for Tom Humphries, Bobby

:48:26.:48:31.

Mack second, Lamdassem in third last year, and there Alexander

:48:31.:48:35.

Lebedev -- Sergiy Lebid behind him. Now, it is all about Tom Humphries.

:48:35.:48:41.

Can he carry on? Has any one of them got a fin snish I am not sure

:48:41.:48:47.

they are going to be quick enough. Has he done enough? Let us find out.

:48:47.:48:50.

Andy Vernon struggling to stay where the surge that is coming from

:48:50.:48:56.

that group. And Sergiy Lebid himself looks tired now. Big effort

:48:56.:49:02.

to get back to that group, so Castillejo of Spain and Bobby Mack

:49:02.:49:11.

of the US -- USA are in second and third. That gap is still a good

:49:11.:49:17.

enough one and it is still a winning gap, if he can hold it

:49:17.:49:21.

until 300, 400 metres to go. It will be down hill. Look at vern

:49:21.:49:25.

rern coming back in to it. There we go. 400 metres to go. He is tiring

:49:25.:49:29.

here up the hill. Tom Humphries, he is bending into the hill. Bobby

:49:29.:49:34.

Mack is closing the gap. Lamdassem is poised behind him. Has he saved

:49:34.:49:37.

himself for the sprint fin snish is he going to get closer. Tom

:49:37.:49:42.

Humphries working so hard, he will come along the top. Here comed

:49:42.:49:45.

Lamdassem. Last year's champion is letting it go. He is running and

:49:45.:49:50.

stretching and closing the gap to Humphreys. Well, has he left it too

:49:50.:49:59.

late or has Humphreys got anything left Now the top two from last year

:49:59.:50:03.

take over. That is a shame for Tom Humphries. He has been in the lead

:50:03.:50:07.

for so long. Andy Vernon is close enough. Look at Lamdassem. He don't

:50:08.:50:13.

want to leave it to the last 100 metres. He is using all of his

:50:13.:50:17.

experience here, he has finished second in plenty of big race, he

:50:17.:50:21.

won here last year he wants to make it two in a row. Bobby Mack can he

:50:21.:50:24.

change the result from last year. He is coming strongly, the American

:50:24.:50:30.

cap tairpbgs Bobby Mack is going to take it. Bobby Mack finishing in

:50:30.:50:36.

superb style. -- captain. Lamdassem and then Andy Vernon ahead of the

:50:36.:50:40.

plucky Tom Humphries. Then Lebid, Castillejo comes in next. What a

:50:40.:50:44.

finish from the American captain Bobby Mack. He didn't run the trial

:50:44.:50:48.

race, he was chosen to come here. Because of his performance last

:50:48.:50:53.

year, you heard his interview at the beginning saying the this is

:50:53.:50:57.

the sort of course likes. That is Riley coming in in seventh place,

:50:57.:51:01.

who won their trial. The Americans are packing reasonably well behind

:51:01.:51:06.

their captain, so they have three in now, as Craig forest crosses the

:51:06.:51:10.

line ahead of Steve Vernon. The Americans are looking good. THAT

:51:10.:51:13.

this is going to be about the American, the British team has

:51:13.:51:18.

collapsed a bit on the second two laps of this. The likes of Jonathan

:51:18.:51:23.

Taylor coming, heading to the finish now. Leading from the front,

:51:23.:51:30.

the American captain Bobby Mack gets a fine victory, but poor Tom

:51:30.:51:35.

Humphries, led until 250 metres to go. Maybe 300 metres to go. It was

:51:35.:51:41.

a brave effort, one of his best performance, Andy Vernon got him in

:51:41.:51:46.

the end, but I guess at the end, the two men who came first and

:51:46.:51:51.

second last year were always a threat, and it is good to see, I

:51:51.:51:54.

think Bobby Mack coming and reversing the positions from last

:51:54.:52:01.

year. Tom Humphries leading from Andy Vernon, Sergiy Lebid, the nine

:52:01.:52:04.

times champion, and Tom Humphries opening the gap here, Lamdassem

:52:04.:52:11.

poised in third place, last year's champion, Castillejo, Bobby Mack of

:52:11.:52:15.

the United States, who finished second here hast year says he

:52:15.:52:18.

enjoys the race. Lamdassem the first to go. Stretching them now,

:52:18.:52:24.

up that slight hill, 200 metres remaining. Lamdassem as he was last

:52:24.:52:27.

year hits the front but Bobby Mack is not waiting. He is coming,

:52:27.:52:31.

striding, he is printing, he is opening it up. He really is coming

:52:31.:52:36.

through for a great victory, for Bobby Mack, who says he enjoys the

:52:36.:52:41.

course, well, he enjoyed it today. Lamdassem in second. Andy Vernon in

:52:41.:52:45.

third place, Tom Humphries, a terrific performance ahead of

:52:45.:52:48.

Sergiy Lebid, but that was an excellent race, and an amazing

:52:48.:52:58.
:52:58.:52:59.

result for the American. One second the Vic industry in the end.

:52:59.:53:04.

Lamdassem came second. Andy Vernon good finish from him to pip the

:53:04.:53:14.
:53:14.:53:15.

brave Tom Humphries. Lebid solid The Americans packing well behind

:53:15.:53:19.

their team captain. What a great race that was. That is what we love

:53:19.:53:24.

about Edinburgh. It throws up great results. Macis along side me, the

:53:24.:53:27.

American team dairpbgs won the race, second last year, that was all

:53:27.:53:32.

about timing in the end. Yes, last year was about timing and this year

:53:32.:53:36.

as well, last year I got caught off guard. This year I wanted to be up

:53:36.:53:42.

in the mix, with 2k to go and 3k to go. This year I made shire I was

:53:42.:53:46.

ready to finish with the leaders. Talk about Tom Humphries, what did

:53:46.:53:51.

you think when he was out 20, 30 metres ahead? That is a tough spot

:53:51.:53:55.

to be in. He kuz cutting that wind himself, you know, that takes a lot

:53:55.:53:59.

of guts to get up there and do that. I found myself in a similar

:53:59.:54:04.

situation when I was too far back from him, but some guys behind were

:54:04.:54:07.

drafting. Sometimes in a muddy course like that, if you get it

:54:07.:54:12.

like that, you come up with the wind, so pretty honourable move he

:54:12.:54:16.

made. In terms of Lamdassem, a great heritage in Cross-Country

:54:16.:54:20.

running, you must be pleased with that finish to take it away from

:54:20.:54:24.

him? Yes, coming round the last quarter, he moved about the same

:54:24.:54:29.

spot as last year. I was like, oh, here is a repeat of last year, but

:54:29.:54:33.

I stuck it out up that hill, and I like the challenging course, with

:54:33.:54:39.

the mud and tough course, I was able to finish hard and find my

:54:39.:54:43.

rhythms. That was a good performance from your wois there.

:54:43.:54:48.

Yes, our qualifiers was on a mudier course than usual, I feel they were

:54:48.:54:53.

mow prepared than in past year, having run a difficult qualifier in

:54:53.:54:58.

the States. World Cross-Country for you as well? Yes, I was in Poland

:54:58.:55:04.

in 2010, so I would like to go back. Well done. We will look at the team

:55:04.:55:14.
:55:14.:55:15.

standings. The British team 44 I am not sure that is the right

:55:15.:55:20.

overall team standings, we will come back to that when we get the

:55:20.:55:23.

right ones. I am delighted to say Tom Humphries is going to come and

:55:23.:55:27.

join me. Tom, come in, after that brilliant performance, just, in the

:55:27.:55:32.

end didn't quite hang on. Were your surprised to be out front for so

:55:32.:55:37.

long. Training has been going well. I struggled at Europeans and the

:55:38.:55:42.

trials because, because of my hip, trying to get back in to racing

:55:42.:55:45.

again, I had pneumonia over the summer which destroyed my season, I

:55:45.:55:51.

was running before the summer season, I was running 46.50 feeling

:55:51.:55:55.

comfortable, and I was in such good shape, and coming down with

:55:55.:55:59.

pneumonia, I was doing my degree and a part-time job and training

:55:59.:56:04.

hard, I got a cold and got an overload, was training has been

:56:04.:56:08.

going well, I wanted to run hard from the start, this is going, I am

:56:09.:56:12.

not going to go for world cross this years I am going to get more

:56:12.:56:15.

rehabilitation on my hip to strengthen that hip up, and see how

:56:15.:56:20.

the track season gos this year. must have given you a great deal of

:56:20.:56:25.

ep couragement to feel like you are back to your best. Yes, we a field

:56:25.:56:29.

like this, Sergiy Lebid, it is an encouragement, hopefully it will

:56:29.:56:33.

platform me to the next level. That is where I want to be, challenging

:56:33.:56:38.

the top athletes. What will you look forward to? Track. Track. I

:56:38.:56:46.

want to get, run a strong 5k and get under that 13.15. I want to

:56:46.:56:50.

break that barrier. That was great to watch and congratulations.

:56:50.:56:55.

you. A great run from Tom Humphries. We will go to the women's race, the

:56:55.:57:02.

6k race. Let us hear from the team captains including Fionnuala

:57:02.:57:07.

Britton.. It is hard in a way to be considered a favourite, but I think,

:57:07.:57:13.

like after European cross, a month ago, we were close at the finish,

:57:13.:57:18.

all the same girs are here and some other girls like Julia Bleasdale

:57:18.:57:22.

who has been training. I know it is going to be a tough race. It could

:57:22.:57:27.

be tougher an the Europeans. I am excited. I think I will like this.

:57:27.:57:31.

It brings out the strength runners and you have to have fun out there.

:57:31.:57:35.

I would like to build on my performances at the Olympic Games

:57:35.:57:40.

and keep improving, bettering my times and getting stronger. The

:57:40.:57:47.

focus is the world Cross-Country Championship. Everyone wants to do

:57:47.:57:52.

their best and improve on last year.. I feel honoured to be the

:57:52.:57:56.

women's captain. We have a great group of British women, and many of

:57:56.:58:01.

us are really relishing the opportunity of a tough Cross-

:58:01.:58:04.

Country course. If we work well as a team and take inspiration from

:58:04.:58:10.

each other, then we can get the right results. I want to compete

:58:10.:58:14.

and put myself to place in the top ten, see what I can do from there,

:58:14.:58:19.

as a too team, we will get out and work together, see how we can do.

:58:19.:58:23.

When you win you want to come back and win again. I like the course,

:58:23.:58:27.

like the weather is good at the moment, so it is set up to be a

:58:27.:58:32.

good race. I don't think it is going to be tougher than last year.

:58:32.:58:36.

So wha one more race to go in the team standings. These are the

:58:36.:58:45.

current standings. This is correct. -- so one more race to go. Just yst

:58:45.:58:53.

-- USA are pulling back. If you fancy doing some running there are

:58:53.:59:02.

entrys available for the Great Manchester Run. And also the Great

:59:02.:59:11.

north Run September 15th. So, one north Run September 15th. So, one

:59:11.:59:16.

more race to go, the women's 6k. Thank you Jonathan. And it is

:59:16.:59:19.

perfect e-- pr effectly poised. Great Britain still ahead inform

:59:19.:59:29.
:59:29.:59:35.

the team race, but they finished Britton. And the rather than

:59:36.:59:41.

experienced American team, Mattie Suver, a leading them. In the men's

:59:41.:59:48.

race, they came at as the top dog, can the women matched the men? I

:59:48.:59:52.

suspect the British women will perform perhaps a little bit better

:59:52.:59:57.

than the men. Julia Bleasdale, leading them. She was in eighth

:59:58.:00:02.

place at the Olympics. It said 10th place on the caption, sorry about

:00:02.:00:12.
:00:12.:00:25.

the under 23 champion. The British team full of experience. Freya Ross,

:00:25.:00:32.

of course, recently married at the back end of the summer. Plenty of

:00:32.:00:37.

local support for her. And Beth Potter as well. There are a couple

:00:37.:00:43.

of Scots in the team. Rosie Smith ran well at the championships. Elle

:00:43.:00:50.

Baker, Lily Partridge. Stephanie Twell, Emily Wicks. It is a team

:00:50.:00:53.

that we would expect to win the team race but they will have to run

:00:54.:00:58.

well because the European team, not all the talk names are here, but

:00:58.:01:04.

Fionnuala Britton and Adrienne Herzog, she finished third in the

:01:04.:01:14.
:01:14.:01:15.

rather bright pink socks. Three laps. I guess, Fionnuala Britton

:01:15.:01:18.

was trying to play this down but she is starting this as the

:01:18.:01:23.

favourite? The typical Irish think of saying I am not the favourite,

:01:23.:01:29.

but I am the favourite. The blue colours, right in the late. The

:01:29.:01:31.

first three in the European Championships are together,

:01:31.:01:41.

Fionnuala Britton, just ahead of Adrienne Herzog. And Ana Dulce

:01:41.:01:46.

Felix. She was training in Ethiopia, training outside and as above. That

:01:46.:01:51.

has been going really well. She has real enthusiasm after finishing in

:01:52.:01:58.

eighth place in the Olympic Games. Terrific performances, personal

:01:58.:02:03.

best in the 50101000, you cannot get better than that. Julia

:02:03.:02:07.

Bleasdale, in amongst the best. I hope she gets along with the course,

:02:07.:02:12.

it is a lot further than I thought, I thought it was going to be very

:02:12.:02:18.

difficult today, but it has stood up well, the athletes seem to be on

:02:18.:02:28.
:02:28.:02:29.

hampered. 6 K, Fionnuala Britton, she is the in form athlete, just

:02:29.:02:33.

outside, Julia Bleasdale, she beat them in a Britain at the Olympics

:02:33.:02:40.

in the 10,000 metres. She knows she has the upper hand when it comes to

:02:40.:02:48.

pure distance. This will be interesting. Behind that group,

:02:48.:02:54.

tucked in his Ana Dulce Felix from Portugal, she almost caught them

:02:54.:02:59.

and a Briton in the closing stages, finishing very quickly, she came

:02:59.:03:04.

from a fair way back, just slipping, there. She is working hard, 4th

:03:04.:03:11.

place. She will be a threat. But Fionnuala Britton is in great form.

:03:11.:03:17.

She comes to this off the back of not only good performances in the

:03:17.:03:22.

European Championships but then she went to Brussels to the big meeting

:03:22.:03:27.

two days before Christmas. She finished second behind the new

:03:27.:03:33.

Ethiopian girl. That was a good performance. That was a race that

:03:33.:03:38.

Jess Coulson did not quite run so well in. And after a brilliant

:03:38.:03:42.

championship, we were talking about this, about whether under 23 and

:03:42.:03:52.
:03:52.:03:52.

the senior race should be merged. 1 R two others having a real problem

:03:52.:03:57.

getting over that blog. This will be a good indicator of just where

:03:57.:04:03.

Jess Coulson is at because winning that under 23 title, I think we

:04:03.:04:09.

both think that should just be one race. It will be interesting.

:04:09.:04:14.

the age of 23, the athletes are really developed than they should

:04:14.:04:18.

be able to compete at the very top level. Jess Coulson took the

:04:18.:04:22.

opportunity of winning that title so let us see how she will do today

:04:22.:04:27.

against Fionnuala Britton, the senior champion. And Julia

:04:27.:04:37.
:04:37.:04:37.

Bleasdale, in second place. Freya Ross, finished first British in the

:04:37.:04:42.

Olympic marathon. Back to Scotland and she is training full-time and

:04:42.:04:45.

wants to run in the World Championships. That was great for

:04:45.:04:55.
:04:55.:04:58.

Freya Ross. She only knew about that one week before the Olympics.

:04:58.:05:03.

Fionnuala Britton, happy to be at the front. She knows she is in form

:05:03.:05:08.

and is the athlete to beat. But she also knows that Ana Dulce Felix,

:05:08.:05:15.

Adrienne Herzog and she also will notice Julia Bleasdale. She did not

:05:15.:05:23.

mention her in the interview. You have to be concerned about her. And

:05:23.:05:32.

she has been a training in Ethiopia, training really well. Training very

:05:32.:05:38.

much a part of any distance athlete's preparations. Freya Ross

:05:39.:05:43.

is heading off to Colorado in her preparations for the London

:05:43.:05:46.

Marathon and hopefully the World Championships later in the year. A

:05:46.:05:53.

lot of British R plates are actually in Kenya at the moment for

:05:53.:05:58.

that pre-Christmas and post- Christmas training, middle and

:05:58.:06:07.

long-distance athletes. It has been a big part of the development of

:06:07.:06:14.

the success of British athletes. And the Americans follow the same

:06:14.:06:21.

pattern, they have various training venues that they go to as well. And

:06:21.:06:28.

the new head of insurance is out in Kenya and that is his normal place.

:06:28.:06:34.

He has to get used to the flat lands these days! But he is out

:06:34.:06:38.

there in Kenya with a lot of the British squad. Julia Bleasdale and

:06:39.:06:44.

Jess Coulson seeing the danger that Fionnuala Britton, even in this

:06:44.:06:54.
:06:54.:06:56.

early stage, presents. Just talking in nicely behind the Irish runner.

:06:56.:07:01.

That was a big day in the history of Irish running. Winning the team

:07:01.:07:05.

race and the European cross-country championships. Ana Dulce Felix

:07:05.:07:10.

moving through. The British team living well, Freya Ross. But the

:07:10.:07:13.

leader, Fionnuala Britton, there is some talent at the front with her.

:07:13.:07:21.

She has company from the Under 23 champion, Freya Ross coming through,

:07:21.:07:27.

Julia Bleasdale on the outside also. Jess Coulson, the under 23 European

:07:27.:07:30.

cross-country champion and then the bronze medallist from the European

:07:30.:07:35.

cross country championships, three of them, two britons, being pulled

:07:35.:07:42.

away from the field by the happy front runner, Fionnuala Britton.

:07:42.:07:46.

The question is, without a race, has Julia Bleasdale got the

:07:46.:07:50.

opportunity to be competitive today? Jess Coulson has had some

:07:50.:07:55.

good races. The other 23 European champion against the senior

:07:55.:08:04.

European champion from December. Julia Bleasdale, who is out there

:08:04.:08:10.

in Ethiopia, observing, she has settled into third place. Looking

:08:10.:08:14.

further down in terms of the British team, it is important they

:08:14.:08:21.

go well. Stephanie Twell, Rosie Smith. Stephanie Twell tried to get

:08:21.:08:25.

back to her prominence from a couple of years ago, after that

:08:25.:08:29.

horrible broken ankle. That was in Belgium, she broke her ankle in a

:08:29.:08:34.

cross-country race. Still trying to rediscover some of that great form

:08:34.:08:39.

she used to have. It is important, we saw the standings, Europe are

:08:39.:08:43.

leading this race but the point Standings means they would win the

:08:43.:08:51.

overall prize and go past Great Britain. Beth Potter coming through.

:08:51.:08:58.

Julia Bleasdale, we also have Jess Coulson and Beth Potter. And we

:08:59.:09:05.

have got Stephanie Twell, Rosie Smith and Lauren Howarth. Packing

:09:05.:09:09.

well but Europe are doing better. They have to get ahead of some of

:09:10.:09:16.

these European athletes to win the overall prize. I say this because

:09:16.:09:23.

with the individual race, the overall points, you might catch

:09:23.:09:25.

that person and you are really concentrating on your own

:09:25.:09:30.

individual effort rather than the team prize. These two are really

:09:30.:09:35.

concentrating on their own efforts. Jess Coulson following the twice

:09:36.:09:40.

European Senior champion, Fionnuala Britton. Fionnuala Britton very

:09:40.:09:50.
:09:50.:09:51.

happy in the late. Halfway point, now. The second of three laps. Six

:09:51.:09:53.

kilometres, Fionnuala Britton really trying to run away from Jess

:09:53.:09:59.

Coulson. If you are challenged by the under 23 champion, you feel

:09:59.:10:03.

like you want to run away from her and showed her to the bosses and

:10:03.:10:07.

she is trying to do that. She is becoming more renowned as a cross-

:10:07.:10:10.

country runner and I think she will eventually run a great marathon

:10:10.:10:15.

eventually. She looks like a true Irish distance runner and

:10:15.:10:19.

eventually they can run well in the country and on the track and on the

:10:19.:10:23.

road but on the road, often in a Britain looks comfortable. She

:10:23.:10:27.

looks comfortable on the road and over the country, she is good on

:10:27.:10:36.

the track. She was a steeplechase runner and she was very good over

:10:36.:10:44.

that barrier, and Ana Dulce Felix moves through. Julia Bleasdale, and

:10:44.:10:49.

Ana Dulce Felix just behind you. Both champions from those European

:10:50.:10:54.

cross-country championships in December, they are locked in battle.

:10:54.:10:58.

The more experience, the senior, Fionnuala Britton from Ireland,

:10:58.:11:02.

running powerfully. At the front, she does not care what is going on

:11:02.:11:08.

behind you, she is applying the pressure, running hard. Jess

:11:08.:11:12.

Coulson doesn't even want to be on terms with their but in a race like

:11:12.:11:16.

this, you want to, just let her know that you are there. Letter

:11:16.:11:20.

know that she has company, otherwise your confidence will grow.

:11:20.:11:26.

Adrienne Herzog in third place, running strongly. Lauren Howarth,

:11:26.:11:31.

then Julia Bleasdale. And then the European team, Ana Dulce Felix,

:11:31.:11:38.

coming through. Lauren Howarth moving through very nicely. At the

:11:38.:11:42.

University of Birmingham. Having a very good winter. She is only 10

:11:42.:11:49.

metres behind the third place. These two pulling away. If you have

:11:49.:11:53.

not seen Jess Coulson running before, we were commenting on her

:11:53.:12:03.
:12:03.:12:08.

action. She has this uneven action, but it works for her. Fionnuala

:12:08.:12:13.

Britton is more balanced, and you have to have an economical style,

:12:13.:12:19.

Jess Coulson on that very hard ground, cold conditions in Hungary,

:12:19.:12:23.

and although her action isn't classic, it suited her very well

:12:23.:12:28.

and she is moving across the ground pretty well. She did not run so

:12:28.:12:37.

well in her most recent race, she was in Twelfth place. She was not

:12:37.:12:40.

standing up with that performance in Hungary. And it is about horses

:12:40.:12:46.

for courses. That is a big gap to third place, Adrienne Herzog.

:12:46.:12:50.

Lauren Howarth and Julia Bleasdale trying to hang on a the moment. But

:12:50.:12:55.

they are well ahead of the others. The first American, Mattie Suver,

:12:55.:13:00.

just coming through the picture. The big names from Europe. Just

:13:00.:13:04.

tucked in. These athletes have to do well for Britain, Elle Baker,

:13:04.:13:08.

Beth Potter, Rosie Smith, Stephanie Twell not looking quite so

:13:08.:13:13.

comfortable. Freya Ross will keep going, her strength will tell in

:13:13.:13:18.

the latter stages. If Britain are to win this overall prize, four of

:13:18.:13:22.

those women from Rosie Smith and behind have to pick up some of the

:13:22.:13:25.

athletes ahead. This is the crucial point in the race for Fionnuala

:13:25.:13:30.

Britton from Ireland. Just opening a couple of yards on that hill,

:13:30.:13:34.

stretching out, coming down the street. She will receive support

:13:34.:13:41.

from the crowd. She came here last year and she won it comfortably.

:13:41.:13:44.

She said it looks tougher this year but it does not look like that to

:13:44.:13:50.

me. Well on her way to retaining the cross country title in

:13:50.:13:54.

Edinburgh, just like the European title. Three seconds ahead of Jess

:13:54.:13:58.

Coulson and they are both well clear are of Adrienne Herzog and

:13:59.:14:03.

the European team. 12 seconds behind. If anything will happen, it

:14:03.:14:07.

will be with first and second. Julia Bleasdale, 18 seconds behind

:14:07.:14:12.

Fionnuala Britton. Ana Dulce Felix just gone through. And the team

:14:12.:14:19.

race looks like it is heading the way of the Europeans. Linda Byrne,

:14:19.:14:23.

representing the European team, but from Ireland. The experience

:14:23.:14:28.

Fionnuala Britton. Looking good and comfortable. Looking perfectly at

:14:28.:14:32.

ease on this course. It was frozen last year and she did not have any

:14:32.:14:36.

problem with that. Softer this year. She does not look as if she is

:14:36.:14:41.

having any problem with that. The only problem is she is in a blue

:14:41.:14:51.
:14:51.:14:54.

one is Europe are leading this particular race, that is fairly

:14:55.:15:00.

obvious. But it means that gap is enough for them to take the overall

:15:00.:15:04.

title. They were eight points behind Great Britain at the moment,

:15:04.:15:11.

after the three races we have had. So they need to ensure that not too

:15:11.:15:15.

many positions change on this last lap. Not going to change at the

:15:15.:15:22.

front. Britain is going away. Coulson is safe in second, even

:15:22.:15:28.

though she is looking tired, but a big gap behind her to Herzog who

:15:28.:15:38.
:15:38.:15:56.

was hanging on the to third the Ireland, to run in Antrim next

:15:56.:16:03.

weekend. As Brendan was saying, I guess who knows, really, you talk

:16:03.:16:07.

about the dominance she has here, Julia Bleasdale obviously moving

:16:07.:16:11.

back through the field here, but when it dopbls the track, she has

:16:11.:16:15.

to be able to convert that into better performances on the track.

:16:15.:16:19.

There is our third placed athlete Herzog who is moving well and has a

:16:19.:16:23.

gap, enough of a gap not to worry too much; but they will come

:16:23.:16:27.

charging behind her. The Americans seem to be moving through the field

:16:27.:16:34.

nicely in the latter stages. But this is a procession for Britain

:16:34.:16:41.

now. Such good form. It was a closer victory for her at the

:16:42.:16:47.

European Cross than the year before. Ana Dulce Felix came with a real

:16:47.:16:52.

barnstorming last three or 400 metres, and looked for a while as

:16:52.:16:56.

if she might catch the Irish champion, but it wasn't to be the

:16:56.:17:02.

case. Those arms are working well, staying nice and balanced. The head

:17:02.:17:07.

is hardly moving at all. Really good economical style. Producing

:17:07.:17:13.

enough power through the legs, keep pushing on, pushing on. This

:17:13.:17:18.

endurance base shi is -- she is building, she has to find way to

:17:18.:17:24.

convert, whether it on the track, he has to convert it into

:17:24.:17:29.

performances away from the country. Of course, something which Sonia

:17:29.:17:33.

O'Sullivan managed to do. Probably the Grease greatest name in Irish

:17:33.:17:40.

athletic, she did it going from the world Cross and on to track World

:17:40.:17:48.

Championships as well. I know Jess, I am not going to say that the log

:17:48.:17:51.

isn't to everybody's liking, we would step over it the same way but

:17:52.:17:56.

it stands you up when you retired and you have to climb over it like

:17:56.:18:02.

that, it is, it is a bit of a throw back to the old days. It's a

:18:02.:18:06.

nuisance is what you were trying to say I think. Doesn't Fionnuala

:18:06.:18:11.

Britton look really good? She looks so strong now, she is renowned over

:18:11.:18:16.

the country, I think she will run a great marathon, she has been some

:18:16.:18:26.

great Irish athletes and she is fulling in the footsteps of. Jess

:18:26.:18:30.

Coulson in second, she should be happy with this performance, if she

:18:30.:18:34.

hangs on ahead of Herzog, who was third in the European Cross country,

:18:34.:18:40.

that puts the form in good stead, look at Fionnuala Britton. In the

:18:40.:18:44.

famous blue vest of Europe, as oppose to, oh my goodness. That is

:18:45.:18:47.

what happens when you start taking the mickey out of somebody by

:18:47.:18:54.

talking about running in a blue vest. That was a bit of a slip.

:18:54.:18:58.

don't think she landed well, but she is fine, up and running, that

:18:58.:19:02.

shows you an athlete who has a lot in the tank, she got up and

:19:03.:19:08.

straight back in to her running. Doesn't look as if she has had a

:19:08.:19:13.

fall. She has even had time for a sit down! When she come thos the

:19:13.:19:20.

water again on the top part of the course and Herzog overtaking Jess

:19:20.:19:25.

Coulson, a slight climb and Fionnuala Britton not seeing to be

:19:25.:19:29.

bothered by that as she approaches the 400 metres to go. Looks over

:19:29.:19:35.

her shoulder, she nose she has a comfortable winning margin. She

:19:35.:19:38.

knows unless she wants to be embarrassed she has to go over the

:19:38.:19:43.

water jump with a bit more success. Let us see if she is hurdle. She

:19:43.:19:49.

was a steeplechaser, she should be able to jump over things and land.

:19:49.:19:54.

There is the other athletes going the other way. I am going to be

:19:54.:19:57.

watching closely, as she approaches the 200 metres to go point, there

:19:57.:20:02.

is a big sign up saying 200 metres to go. There is Jess Coulson in

:20:02.:20:07.

third. The first American, Suver, the American team captain ahead of

:20:07.:20:13.

Ana Dulce Felix. Here she come, can she jump this one? Not a problem.

:20:13.:20:20.

Well done Fionnuala. One great hurdling performance today. Despite

:20:20.:20:25.

that minor slip, Fionnuala Britton has been foot perfect all the way

:20:26.:20:34.

round here. The first woman to retain the European cross-country

:20:34.:20:39.

title. She has gone for a mirror image of last winter, coming here

:20:39.:20:44.

to repeat her victory. I am sure he will do the same at Antrim next

:20:44.:20:50.

week. Fionnuala Britton is our champion once more. Irish eyes

:20:50.:20:56.

smiling, and Fionnuala Britton almost wins at a canter, that was

:20:56.:21:01.

as comfortable a win from Fionnuala. Herzog, who was the bronze

:21:01.:21:07.

medallist behind her in Hungary, coming through in second, after

:21:07.:21:13.

running down the under 23 champion Jess Coulson, who will finish

:21:13.:21:23.
:21:23.:21:25.

further back, as Suver finishes third. She hangs on to fourth. We

:21:25.:21:30.

will watch for the next. I think Elle Baker will be the next to come

:21:30.:21:35.

in for Great Britain. That looks like her crossing the line. Perhaps

:21:35.:21:40.

Rosie Smith next in. This is something will dispoint the British

:21:40.:21:43.

team. They would be hoping Stephanie Twell, finishing well, I

:21:43.:21:47.

don't think it is going to be enough to hang on the the team race.

:21:47.:21:53.

We will keep you posted. No doubt about the winner, one-two for

:21:53.:22:00.

Europe. It is a win for Europe's top cross-country competitor at the

:22:00.:22:07.

moment, Fionnuala Britton of Ireland. Well, Jess, I think, just

:22:07.:22:12.

in the picture ran well, just got caught to tend. Our point about the

:22:12.:22:16.

under 23s, does it stack up. That shows it should. If the winner can

:22:16.:22:24.

come here and she is beating the likes of Duarte, and Felix, and

:22:24.:22:28.

Jess Coulson performed well to come in fourth place there. The last

:22:28.:22:34.

right of the day, the team race, could the British team hang on to

:22:34.:22:39.

the first place team or would the Europeans overtake them? Fionnuala

:22:39.:22:43.

Britton last year's champion. Julia Bleasdale finished eight in the

:22:43.:22:49.

Olympic Games behind her. And now, she sets off real intent, hoping --

:22:49.:22:54.

opening the gap on jes Coulson and Fionnuala Britton running strongly.

:22:54.:22:58.

Herzog in second. There is Julia Bleasdale coming through, the first

:22:59.:23:02.

American Suver and Ana Dulce Felix, representing the European team, a

:23:02.:23:07.

strong European team, but Fionnuala Britton stretching out and Coulson

:23:07.:23:11.

unable to hang on the second place there. Herzog working hard, working

:23:11.:23:16.

through the field, Lauren Howarth running very excel today, in the

:23:16.:23:21.

early stages. Julia Bleasdale going through a bad patch, but now on the

:23:21.:23:26.

last lap Fionnuala Britton in all her glory, relaxing, running

:23:26.:23:29.

comfortable, oops, my goodness there. I knew that was going to

:23:29.:23:35.

happen, we saw it first time round! But no problems for fuen la, she

:23:35.:23:41.

will have to explain herself with a wry smile, terrific performance,

:23:41.:23:48.

another good victory, and this is Europeans -- European's top cross-

:23:48.:23:52.

country runner, showing her way round the course. Only one problem

:23:52.:24:02.
:24:02.:24:03.

today and that was the water jump. Herzog in second place. Then Suver

:24:03.:24:13.
:24:13.:24:17.

then Lauren Howarth fading in the captain to come in ahead of Jess

:24:17.:24:22.

Coulson. A good performance from her. Felix, Linda Byrne meaning

:24:22.:24:27.

that Europe will win this race because they did pack six in better

:24:27.:24:30.

than Great Britain did. Julia Bleasdale, perhaps a bit

:24:30.:24:34.

disappointed with her eighth place there, but we can clear up the

:24:34.:24:39.

there, but we can clear up the whole thing with Jonathan.

:24:39.:24:43.

Fionnuala Britton is beside me. She could be contender for Dancing on

:24:43.:24:47.

Ice after that. A very dominant performance first of all. I didn't

:24:47.:24:51.

think it would be like that, but when we started off, and even was

:24:51.:24:54.

hoeding back and even was waiting for someone to take the lead. I

:24:54.:24:59.

thought first of all, I was OK, I am happy to sit here until after

:24:59.:25:04.

the first log. You want to see them and no-one came up so I had to push

:25:04.:25:07.

on from there. When I knew the group was breaking down, I thought

:25:08.:25:14.

there is no point sitting back now. How do you assess your chances for

:25:14.:25:19.

world cross-country? There are big names to follow in the footsteps of.

:25:19.:25:25.

Yes, it is an effort. We can try and I suppose having a good team at

:25:25.:25:28.

the European Cross, and there is a group of up, Linda here today, it

:25:28.:25:33.

would be good if we could have a team going and when there is a team

:25:33.:25:39.

behind you it boosts you as a individual. This is the overall

:25:39.:25:45.

team result. Which means as we will see here, your captain for the

:25:45.:25:50.

winning team. That is brilliant Last night we had a team meeting. I

:25:50.:25:54.

said I wanted to put the pressure on the men, they were before us and

:25:54.:25:58.

we didn't want to have, I suppose, it was, we did it in the end. I

:25:58.:26:02.

know we weren't in first place in the last race, so it is nice to

:26:02.:26:09.

come out of it. Good luck for The Word cross. Alongside me is Neil

:26:09.:26:16.

Black. Thank you for joining us. You have a different role from

:26:16.:26:22.

Charles? Yes, overseeing the Olympic and Paralympic programme,

:26:22.:26:25.

supporting the head coaches in their work with the coaches and the

:26:25.:26:29.

athletes. Obviously, last years I think overall was considered to be

:26:29.:26:34.

a very strong performance from British athle tib, from four years

:26:34.:26:39.

of improvements since Beijing, what do you bring to this role? It is

:26:39.:26:44.

more of the same. I think we have been planning and developing things

:26:44.:26:50.

and I was a part of that along with Charles and Peter Ericsson, now, we

:26:50.:26:56.

have reorganised things, we have Peter and the Olympic head coach,

:26:56.:27:00.

Paula Dunn, we have a clear strategy based round centralisation

:27:00.:27:05.

but supporting people outside of that system, who perform and have

:27:05.:27:10.

good structures and system, and I think it is making sure athletes

:27:10.:27:13.

are accountable and responsible for what they do and support the

:27:13.:27:19.

coaches. You have brought new face n and some perhaps established

:27:19.:27:24.

faces, what do you think those changes will bring? It is part of a

:27:25.:27:29.

kind of complicated reorganisations, what we are doing is saying this is

:27:29.:27:32.

where athletes are at, this is where they need to be this is where

:27:32.:27:37.

the world is at, and how are we going to take those steps towards

:27:37.:27:40.

the performances, and the changes and the improvements that need to

:27:40.:27:44.

take place, that is what we are in the process of doing. In terms of

:27:44.:27:50.

women's endurance not bad, you look at the European cross-country and

:27:50.:27:57.

here. The juniors dominated today. Huge strength in-depth, fantastic -

:27:57.:28:02.

- performances all round, good demonstration of top class

:28:02.:28:05.

athletics. So that rounds things off here, but there is more sport

:28:05.:28:12.

coming over the course of this afternoon, we are going darts next.

:28:12.:28:16.

It is the World Darts Championships, the BDO from Lakeside. Coverage

:28:16.:28:22.

over the course of the next week. Then we have final score from 2.30

:28:22.:28:28.

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