2014 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country

A good afternoon, welcome to the first athletics coverage of 2014. In

the Commonwealth games in Glasgow 193 days away, we started Edinburgh,

and cross country is the order of the day. But the past 25 years, this

event has attracted the best in the business. This is a class

performance. Liz McColgan, the supreme

long-distance runner. Any conditions, any surface, any time of

the year. He has controlled this race. A world-class performance. She

is the world number one. She looks the part. A lovely, lovely feeling.

A name to remember and a name to watch. The new talent from

Ethiopia. They have found another star here. And easy victory. Finola

Britain is the champion once more. There are few more beautiful venues

than Holyrood Park and we have a feast of action to match the views

with the British team taking on the USA and Europe in junior and senior

races. I am sure you will recognise athletes who took gold in the recent

championships in Belgrade. There is a red-hot invitational race as as

spelt hip prop takes on probably the greatest distance runner, -- Kiprop

takes on Kenenisa Bekele. He wants to win this. Bekele goes

again. The two of them, almost side-by-side. He has to make an

effort. Bekele is going to hold him off. Kenenisa Bekele, a great win

for a great champion. Chris Thompson is also in the race,

as well. We have highlights of the junior races.

Good afternoon, Brendan Frost beside me, we will preview those races --

Brendan Foster. One of the all-time greats of sports broadcasting, David

Coleman, you worked with him and you were close friends. In my mind, he

was the all-time great. Yesterday, we had his funeral, a beautiful

family occasion, as David would have loved. It was a glorious, well

organised occasion. It was supposed to last an hour and it ran for so

many minutes and seconds, like David, precise. One of the things he

loved was commentating on the very best and Jessica Ennis Hill is that.

She is also with child. Paula Radcliffe is the expert on pregnancy

and athletics. Congratulations, Jessica, but as an athlete, great

challenges ahead. There are challenges ahead. Most of all, I

would like to say congratulations. It will be an exciting year and I do

not see any reason why she cannot compete as she has done. She will

miss some time, but that will recharge her body. And she will be

happier, which translates into racing and competing. Is there any

chance she will not come back? Paula was not a bad athlete after she had

a child. A couple of marathons. It comes down to whether you want to

come back or not. She said she wants to defend in Rio and there is no

reason, physically, why she cannot come back. People talk about coming

back stronger and tougher after pregnancy. Today, this is an event

you used to do. Where does it fit in, in terms of preparation for

Kiprop and for Bekele. It fits into preparation in different ways. I

used to come excited into it because of the break over Christmas,

concentrating on training, and I would want to test myself in the

build-up to the world event. We have not got that this year. It is

interesting to see where you are at into a spring marathon and for the

season. Great anticipation to seeing Bekele back to his best. He was an

athlete, the greatest distance runner of all time and we thought it

was the end but the great North run last year demonstrated when he

applies himself. He is training 200 kilometres an week. He is strong and

fit. Will he be fast enough? We will find out in a few minutes. We will

go to the commentary box with Andrew Cotter. We are looking forward to

this. Andrew. There is Chris Thompson, 32, aiming

for the London Marathon, targeting that. Silver medal over 10,000

metres behind Mo Farah. And the tall figure of Asbel Kiprop is

introduced. Perhaps starting the favourite. A little bit chilly

here. The man many have come to see is about to emerge. Kenenisa

Bekele, we have given him the billing of perhaps the greatest

distance runner of all time. And why not? Four kilometres, and two laps

of this loop. Interesting to see whether Bekele, aiming towards

marathons, does he have the speed in the legs that Kiprop has? You would

think the distance would favour Kiprop a little bit more. It is wet

underfoot and it is cold and there are hills. We shall see. It is a

high-quality field and there is a big crowd gathering in the sunshine

at Holyrood Park. This will be followed by the two 's senior team

events. We have had the junior events already. Kiprop, bouncing

along casually. Alongside Kenenisa Bekele. The start list is zipping

along the bottom of the screen for you. Jake Wightman, the Edinburgh

athlete. The son of Jeff Wightman, a former athlete. It is a two

kilometre loop. It heads down to the Holyrood Palace. Down through the

trees, looping back. Heading down towards Saint Margaret's Loch.

And then down the home straight towards the finishing line. Jonathan

Davies is out in front. The 19-year-old English man. Seeing what

he has in his legs in the early exchanges. This is where the camber

of the ground plays more as they get to the trees. It was cold under

night. There was ice underfoot and it was firmer, but it is beginning

to churn up, we have had a couple of races. He is a young man, very

clean, he has been watching these athletes, on television, major

championships, and he has run away, because he is so excited. Behind

him, the main runners are following. Young Jonathan Davies has a little

bit of space and time to think that he is leading these great runners,

Paula Radcliffe. He is running along the camber as they go over the top

stop there is some mushy ground. It is starting to soften up. I spoke to

the junior girls and they said they went out in 15 millimetres spikes.

You want to make sure of your footing on the camber areas on the

edge of the course. Andrew, mushy ground, that is a technical term

estimation mark Jonathan Davies is a bright talent. The pack is coming

back. The unmistakable figure of Kiprop, very tall, six feet three,

or so. Suggestions that he might be in trouble after the car crash in

November when he injured his neck, we shall see here. I think he is

fine. More interesting is Bekele over this distance. He will be

running Paris in the start of April, will he have the speed? That will be

the test. At this stage in the marathon build-up, you are not into

peak milage, but you are putting in a lot of miles in the week and he

will have eased down, in terms of this race, just getting on the plane

to come here, and that will freshen him up. It is a nice mental break,

to come out of training and test yourself over unfamiliar territory.

He likes running here. He has won here on several occasions. Last time

we saw him, it was his worst performance, 11th, at the senior

level and he was embarrassed because when you are the greatest you do not

finish 11th. He apologised for that performance. He is running about 130

miles a week, in preparation for the marathon. We saw him in the great

North run, running exceptionally well. He is brilliant over the

hills. Working his way into fourth place. In his heyday at cross was

invincible. But this man, Asbel Kiprop, he is pretty good. Has the

200 kilometres a week taken their toll? Kiprop, he is at the front,

alongside Jonathan Taylor, steeplechase champion. We mentioned

the great North run where Bekele had the great sprint finish. The great

Manchester run is coming up on the BBC, as well. This has become a

great early-season fixture. Jonathan Taylor in front. Kiprop Is looking

comfortable. Six minutes through the two kilometres as Taylor takes them

through. Kiprop, he looks threatening. Chris Thompson running

through, a little bit down the field. He is in the green vest.

Asbel Kiprop looks comfortable. Eyes will be fixed on Kenenisa Bekele.

Does he have anything left as the runners are carrying on down, does

Asbel Kiprop have any response? The American in the green shirt, as

well. He has very good success in Newcastle. Asbel Kiprop going along

nicely. Gap. The field is beginning to stretch

out a bit. What a scalp it would be to take Kiprop and Kenenisa Bekele.

Kenenisa is getting serious. I have seen him switch off in races and

come back seriously. Has the speed been taken out of his legs by the

marathon training? Jonathan Taylor is climbing that hill. The American

athlete on the outside is good over a shorter difference -- distance.

Dealing with a little slopes like that is all part of cross-country

and it really takes it out of your legs. Kenenisa Bekele looks like he

has a bit to do. Kiprop noticed as they came round the corner, he has

left some running to be done. He is in sixth place in the blue vest, the

great man. Can he run a marathon? We will find out later, but here he is

in his glory. He's the greatest cross-country runner there has ever

been, without doubt, here he is, and can he do something about it? I

don't think he's very comfortable on this surface. I don't think he has

the right length spikes in. He did well up the hill where the fighting

is dry, but on this muddy part of the course, he seems to be

struggling and losing ground. That was not a great corner there. They

should be tighter around the corners.

Kenenisa Bekele is not quite the force, he dominated between 2002 and

2006, winning 11 titles overall, three times. But perhaps he does not

have it in his legs. There will not be the showdown with Mo Farah in

London, Paris instead for Kenenisa Bekele, that he is still there and

still hanging on. I would not give up on him yet. He won the world

cross-country year. -- here. He was the greatest runner at that time.

He's probably not the greatest at this point in time, that he still

pretty good. He still has the pride of the champion, hanging onto that

back group. Kiprop has set his own pace out in front. Kenenisa Bekele

is beginning to make a bit of a move. Thompson is coming down the

slope now. Ross Millington is just behind as well. Chris Thompson is

always -- also targeting a spring marathon in London. He is followed

by Garrett Heath. They have about 400m to go now.

Garrett Heath there. Kiprop and Bekele, a bid of eight gap between

Kiprop and Bekele. Time and distance running out for the great Kenenisa

Bekele. As you said that, Asbel Kiprop probably felt that as well.

There he goes moving into the front. This is a bit more difficult

cross-country territory, a few little inclines. Kiprop, the world

champion and Olympic gold-medallist at 1,500m, the athlete who is the

fourth fastest ever 1,500m runner, he has won world championships and

the African championships and he was to come back to Glasgow later this

year and win a Commonwealth title, that will be the whole set for Asbel

Kiprop. It looks as though 2014 is starting well. Garrett Heath

tackles. Kiprop response. Worried he -- Kiprop looks as though he may be

beaten. It is between Meresa Kahsay and Garrett Heath. Meresa Kahsay is

trying to stay with the Americans. Kiprop sinks back into third place

and leaves it to them. It is Garrett Heath holding on for America with

Meresa Kahsay behind. It will be victory for Garrett Heath, who has

come and eat in the great Africans for victory. Asbel Kiprop is

jogging, strolling over the line now in third place. Kenenisa Bekele is

in fifth place. Thompson is coming through to take sixth place. What an

impressive victory for Garrett Heath against some of the best that East

Africa has to offer. We saw him a few months ago in Newcastle. He said

he wanted to come back here. He has been preparing for this. To beat

world at 1,500m and the great Kenenisa Bekele, what a great

performance for the American. Ejected perfectly. He is a

cross-country skier as well, so he is probably a bit practised at the

hills there. He must have gauged it on the first lap and knew he had

enough left to kick away from the young Ethiopian in the finishing

stages. It is positively balmy for him here today.

A big shock there and hopefully we will hear from the main protagonists

later on. We focus now on the international challenge, three

teams, America, Europe and Great Britain. There is a simple scoring

system, one if you win and two if you are second, and so on. We saw

the junior races earlier. The Junior Men's race played out

into a one to four Europe. It was a bright start for the

British athletes, and a fall towards the end of the second lap for

Crippa. It did not seem to upset him too much, but when you think of the

distance he lost there. It was a genetic finish.

A word of apology after that from nearly two Crippa. All was well. A

very good win for Alexis Miellet. The Junior Men were the only team to

fail to win a medal at the European Championships last month. They have

a lot to do to catch up. 50 point is a big total after the first race. It

left a lot to do for the junior British women. But it was a race

that was dominated by home athletes, and by one family. It turned out to

be a 1-2-mac for the Clay sisters. They led almost from start to

finish. Lydia Turner was in there as well.

It was the 16-year-old beating her 18-year-old sister, and with Lydia

Turner coming home in third, that was a one, two, three. Very good for

Great Britain. They would be back. Bobby Clay beat her 18-year-old

sister Alex Clay. Lydia Turner in third place. Very nearly a perfect

result there, four of the top five for Britain in the Junior Women's.

11 points, nearly a perfect score for Britain. Europe finished lower

in this result, really putting Britain back in contention.

Great stuff from the Junior Women there. This is what the scores look

like after those two junior races. There are the senior race is still

to go. It is all very close at the top. A

great performance from the junior British women, bringing the team

back into contention with Bobby and Alex Clay to thank for that. You

must be really pleased. I am over the moon. It is my first win at an

international, so I'm pleased. What is it like having your sister

alongside you pushing your way? It is good to have a friendly face on

the start line. When I was coming into the home straight, I knew Alex

was working behind me. It was nice to have the support from behind, so

it was lovely. And do you come into this as individuals, do you have a

team plan, or a sister plan? Mainly individuals, but Robbie and I have

been training hard together over Christmas with our coach. I like a

bit of confidence, and I knew that if I came to the second lap and

chased her down, even though I felt like dying at one point, I knew that

I can keep up with her in training, so I can do it on races. And body,

you beat your sister, didn't you? Are you in trouble? No. She will be

coming to get the next race. I have to work hard in training now.

Weldon, both of you. Time for our first team race live.

Bobby Mack is back as the team captain this year. He has to offer

vision -- opposition. Andy Vernon, what a great run at the

end to take bronze in Belgrade. He captains the British team. We have

now from Andy Vernon and Bobby Mack. We chose our team on a course that

was very technical and muddy and difficult out in Oregon. The

toughness of our team this year is probably better than past years. It

is fairly soft ground out there, so that would suggest it is harder to

run away, as Bezabeh did at the European cross. But he still might

be able to do that. I have not seen any runaway winners on this course

before, so hopefully it will be tight, because it makes for a better

race. This race, because it is a J small field, I feel that the group

always has a great idea of where they are in the race am so somebody

might break away, but it seems that the past two years have been tight

finishes, so I expect there to be a close finish again this year,

because it is a smaller field. Everyone knows where everyone is at.

The competition could not be closer, separating the three teams

as we get ready for the men's senior race over eight kilometres, four

collapse of the two kilometre loop. A controversial character, Bezabeh,

the Ethiopian he now runs for Spain, who served a two year and for

doping. He may be the man to beat here. A strong American team,

captained by Bobby Mack, who we just heard from. He is the defending

champion. He was second in 2012. And Britain will be led by a strong

looking figure, Andy Vernon, who we saw taking that bronze medal in

Belgrade in December in the European Championships. He will certainly

feature. He always does. He loves the cross-country. His track

aspirations have been ended -- hindered by injuries in the past. He

is ready to try to make an impression here. He is ready to try

to make an impression here. The effect of alongside Steve Vernon, no

relation, a real mountain expert, and he would love it to be a bit

hillier. Bezabeh is steering clear of any

trouble at the start. Andy Vernon said before the race that Bezabeh

might be the favourite, but he will find difficult to try to run away

from the field on the course. There are little twisty turns on the far

side which may make it a race and you have to settle down into and

that the group get together and then try to make a run away. It is

certainly a course where you can take time on the first lap to suss

it out a bit and find out the way it is churning up, and with the

previous races having gone over it, there are areas that are wetter and

mushy, and they may get more churned up. You can get away if you want to

on this course and there is plenty of good running out there as well.

You can build up some good leads. How much do you run as a team here?

Do they discussed this before and what they are going to do? I don't

think so. You just go out and race for yourself and that will bring out

the best team position as well. If there are areas where there is a bit

of pushing and shoving, I think really you are just going to run for

yourself. You will get enough information from team members who

are not in the race but on the course to let you know how the team

is playing out, but trying to get the best position, you will get your

highest score. The only way you contribute to your team performance

is to run the best you can for yourself. Your result matters just

as much as the guy at the front and that brings the team together. Andy

Vernon, you said earlier, Andrew, he is a strong man, but he is also a

strong runner. He is a well built athlete, with power, and he is a

good distance runner. He is probably the next one coming through, we have

had Mo Farah, Chris Thompson, but he is the next one of the distance

runners. In April 2012 he was coming through. Aiming towards London, and

stress fractures set him back and he missed London and he has set himself

of the goals and he is now running very strongly. An athlete we

expected to see in the race, Arikan, the Turkish athlete, but he

has not started. That is weakening the field slightly. Andy Vernon is

taking it out. Chris Derrick, the first of the American athletes, in

the red with the cap, he ran very well in the world cross-country. The

Americans ended up with silver medals. Bobby Mack was also in that

team. I would say he would be a danger . This is a race with no

outstanding favourite, which gives others able to settle down and

increase confidence as the race goes on. Bobby Mack, somehow, in his

mind, he told us in the interview, he thinks it is a tactical race and

you have two work it to get into a good position at the end and at this

stage, he will not be bothered about his position. There is a concertina

effect. They have four laps and that hill, which might not look so much

the first lap, by the fourth time, it will be testing and you have to

conserve energy to keep that last lap strong. Cross country was part

of your winter development. Do you think it is beneficial? Definitely.

Cross country is working more muscles in your legs and body than

running on the road would do, by having to keep your balance and

negotiate the ground. Mentally, it is a free style of running. There is

no point putting out kilometre markers become a because they will

use the knowledge on the first lap for the next three laps. You talk

about the slopes, some are more comfortable coming up and coming

down slopes. Coming down the hill is where it is key. On the camber

sections, it is key you have the right spikes, because with the

confidence you will not slip, you can let go and use those running

sections to build distance. Some athletes are great going up hills

and not so good going down and some are good at both and some are good

at night there and you find those at the back of the field! Vernon is in

front and he will be lifted by the crowd. He is being shadowed by some

of the European athletes. Chris Derrick, the American, is also

there. Just about six minutes. Vernon is

probably where he wants to be. They are beginning to stretch out towards

the back of the field. Alemayehu Bezabeh, he is not too far-away. We

were talking about Chris Derrick, thinking he might be the one to

watch from the American team. You mentioned Bobby Mack. He likes to

hang back. You cannot rule anybody out. This is how it would stand at

the moment if things finished. It is the fewest points that wins. Europe

and Great Britain are doing pretty well. Only Chris Derrick is up there

for the United States at the moment, but a lot of the Americans

finished strongly. Bobby Mack also aid the best way to win is to hang

back and come through. I think you will see those scores changing.

There are the Europeans, and the British and now come the Americans.

Steve Vernon, the mountain runner, getting better as the race goes

further. But Chris Derrick, who many favour, as close as he has been and

behind him, Bezabeh looks comfortable. You can see some of the

athletes slipping and sliding. Pieter-Jan Hannes, he is in that

group. This is the overall team standing. We have had the junior

events. This is how it would stand, changing all the time, of course. I

am sure it will change at the end, but Europe would have a slender lead

if it finished in this position, but there is plenty of moving about.

Steve Vernon, no relation to Andy Vernon, concentrating on mountain

running. He will go to the championships in Italy. He does a

bit of cross country, he does not hit the track or road, but likes to

go up the mountains. Anything you considered in your running career?

Not me. All, probably. Having gone up there this morning it was

beautiful going up, but coming down was dicey. I came down on my hands

and knees a lot of the way. Uphill was favourite for you? I quite liked

the downhill. I have seen you running downhill! I have run

downhill. A lot of the times you get to the top and people think, I have

reached the top, and they ease off, I running hard over the crest of the

hill and down the hill coming you can get a gap. Chris Derrick and

Vernon, part of a three that separated themselves. We have spoken

about the ability to run on the slopes and in the Great North Run,

Bekele flew down there and took hold of the rest and Mo Farah was unable

to close it. There is a gap opening. I suspect that these three might be

able to stretch it even more. The second of four laps. Chris Derrick

is out in front, captain of the US cross-country team that took the

silver medal at the 2013 world Championships. And look at Andy

Vernon. His bills does not look like a distance runner, very powerful in

the upper body, but he lopes along to great effect. You are right. His

stature is bigger than most distance runners but I think he will have a

great future on the track. And now beginning to open. Alemayehu

Bezabeh, he is of the pack. The Americans are moving through and

changing team position. We will see in the moment it will be slightly

different from the first lap. We are coming to the halfway stage.

Interesting proposition with the race evolving. They pass Saint

Margaret's Loch. I do not think Bezabeh is comfortable on this

course. He does not look comfortable on the muddy sections. The race he

won, it was firm and flat. He won that convincingly and there were

athletes who could not get close to him then and they are now well ahead

of him today. This is interesting, Chris Derrick, a class performance

in the world Cross country Championships, leading the Americans

to 18 medal, which was fantastic, they beat the Kenyans. That is the

researchers of American distance running and this man led them

through that. We are looking at a class athlete and it is good to see

him operating like this, but I am impressed with Andy Vernon, taking

him on. New red after six minutes through the second. -- near enough.

Chris Derrick is bringing them through ahead of Vernon.

We were looking at Alemayehu Bezabeh. We thought he might be a

contender but he is a long way back. He did not look comfortable up

the slope. When they were in the European Championships, it was a

very flat and firm course, like a track experience. There was a tree

trunk thrown down for good measure, but it was not like this, having to

deal with the conditions underfoot. This is a proper course and that

course came under flak than not testing cross-country runners. You

can see Chris Derrick looks very comfortable. He decided he wants to

make this tough and test the others from the beginning. We will give you

the overall standings in a moment. Chris Derrick is opening more of a

gap to Andy Vernon and Bashir Abdi. We are looking at Bobby Mack working

through from the position we have seen in the past, coming quickly

through the field. Chris Derrick is making the effort to win this. He

settled with the group and that is the second group coming through with

last year's champion, Bobby Mack. Moving to fourth place. He has

finished strongly. He is working it as he said. That is an interesting

performance. Three in the second group and Chris Derrick is leading

it, trying to win it. Is he good enough? Will Andy Vernon produce a

finish like in the European Championships? This is a good effort

from the American but I am impressed with the way Andy Vernon is running.

Cal Hawkins is having a great run and he is not in awe of the field.

Just a bit of a slip and that can happen. The ground is softening art

as it goes round that corner. -- softening up. That slip takes it out

of your legs, ruining the momentum. It is an impressive performance so

far from Chris Derrick. He is studying economic 's at Stanford

University. He does not looked concerned by the slip. Sometimes it

can give you adrenaline, more energy to spur you on. Chris Derrick and

then there is a gap. The group including Bobby Mack and Callan

Hawkins. It is good to have the group of three to focus on Vernon

and Bashir Abdi in front. They are coming down the slope, seeing if

they can close the gap. Michael Mulhare from Ireland is in the group

and he is having a good run. There is plenty of support for Callan

Hawkins. The gap is beginning to open up a

bit more again. The leg speed of Chris Derrick begins to increase.

Andy Vernon is holding off Andy Hooper. He is really working well

and running well. The cross-country performance from Hawkins, a fast

10,000-metre runner, there is young Hawkins running well on this course.

Bobby Mack, previous winner, just behind him, and the Belgian is just

moving through. Up the hill, that is the hard work, the bit you work for.

A glance over his shoulder. This time, it is a confident glance. He

got over the stumble he had earlier and he has settled down again. He is

pretty comfortable over this bit. He doesn't seem to be that bothered,

although he did slip earlier. No, you could not see any strain on his

face after it. He has come into this race in very good shape, and I don't

think he has really made a big move yet. He is applying pressure and

keeping a steady pace, but I think he may be had another gear to give

clear. And Andy Vernon is not giving up here. It is not a huge gap. He is

settling over the distance. In the European Championships, he came from

a land -- long way back and snatched a medal. The bell will sound in a

few seconds. Andy Vernon, can he do even better today? He has got no way

to settle, but can he challenge here? It is only a couple of

seconds. That is easy to do in two kilometres. Yes, but I do think that

Chris Derrick looks very comfortable. It looks like he has

trained very well over the Christmas period. You wanted to come out here

and beat Bezabeh. I do not think there is much love lost between

them. Looking at the spread of the teams, British scorers at halfway,

we see Bashir Abdi beginning to stretch away from Andy Vernon. Andy

Vernon actually beat Bashir Abdi previously, but he is now trying to

bridge that gap. This is the way it stands at the moment in this place.

The USA are struggling, apart from Chris Derrick. The USA will hope to

have some strong finishes. Bobby Mack is back in that group, just out

of shot. But it looks like Chris Derrick's arrays at the moment. We

have a race on here, we really have. This lap, this will be the fastest

lap. He will have to run the fastest lap, because Bashir Abdi is chasing

him down. Interesting overall figures there. Great Britain are in

third place, but only four points adrift. Europe would be out in front

if it finishes like this, with just the Senior Women's race to go. There

is Chris Derrick, with the gap back to Bashir Abdi, and then a similar

gap back to Andy Vernon. There is a pocket of three runners, Mulhare and

Callum Hawkins and Bobby Mack, the defending champion, edit further

adrift. This is the final lap of this two kilometre course, this

eight kilometre race. Chris Derrick is keeping Bashir Abdi per -- at

bay. It remains about the same distance that Bashir Abdi is moving

well. I think you chose a better line that time. He chose a grassy

line where there was less mud. He took advantage of the corner to suss

out the gap behind him and be able to know exactly what he was dealing

with. You don't open up a gap like this to lose it in the last

kilometre, and you can see that he is really applying himself. A

Stanford University graduate with good pedigree. He knows what he's

doing. He looks like he is quite comfortable on this course today. It

is a strong wind today, Andy Reid has opened up a gap again. I think

it might be a decisive move there. Bashir Abdi is looking sluggish,

with burning beginning to close back down on the Belgian for second

place. There are points and money up for grabs for places. Plenty of

incentive. But it looks very much that the victory will go the way of

the tall, elegant American. There have been slipped and stumbles in

the past. It was icy early on and now it is just muddy. There are a

couple of Burns coming down off the slopes. There was a bit of a stumble

their as they lift the place. You can see Bashir Abdi paid now for

that surge that he put on earlier in this lap. To me, Chris Derrick looks

smooth and comfortable, and this is a strong run. He trains out in

Portland on the same campus as Mo Farah. He is obviously in really

good shape. I remember Fionnuala Britton on highways to victory had a

little spill at that burn coming down last year, but she had a big

enough lead that he did not bother her. Bashir Abdi now is being hunted

down by Andy Vernon. They splash their way through. It looks that

victory is heading the way of Chris Derrick. Nothing is certain in

cross-country, and there can be stumbles, but he has got plenty of

space. He can have a look around. Andy Vernon has now moved past

Bashir Abdi. You suspect that this may be the finish now. Bashir Abdi

might be swallowed up by that group of three chasing him down. That was

a good move by Andy Vernon. Here is Chris Derrick, well within sight of

winning this. He is running strongly there. He is determined to stop a

set of determined, and there is Bobby Mack finishing strongly in

fourth place. That is a good performance from him. His team-mate

looks as though he is on the way to defend the title for America. This

will be victory for the United States, this is Chris Derrick coming

down the home straight, taking off his hat for a celebratory ways, and

how he has deserved it. This has been a very emphatic and controlling

performance from Chris Derrick. We suspected he might win, and he has.

The time is just outside 24 minutes. There is some distance

between him and second place. The victory for Chris Derrick will be

second for Andy Vernon. Bashir Abdi is just going to hold on for third

place ahead of last year's champion, Bobby Mack, coming

through. Mulhare comes through in fifth and then a very good finish

for Callum Hawkins in sixth place, the 21-year-old from East Kilbride,

to finish in sixth place. The winner, Chris Derrick, very

impressive. Victory for America. That was a really good performance.

Chris Derrick one and exceptional race. He ran for it and kept it

going. A bit of a mix-up three teams there.

The USA, Europe and Great Britain are fairly evenly spread, so that

should not affect the standings too much. In the Senior Men's eight

kilometre, it was Chris Derrick of the United States. UKIP to the

conditions very well. You must be very pleased. Yes, it is

to a lot of the terrain I see in Portland. A lot of rain and a lot of

cold. It is a tough race, and fun. And you have never really looked

into much trouble. At the end of the third lap, last time, Bobby was

leading whole time, and I knew he was good with finishes, so I was

worried that maybe I had gone out to soon. I did not plan that, it just

happens. It turned out well. We remember you finishing in Belgrade.

You got quite a long way behind Chris. How did you measure your

race? I was going as hard as I could. It is quite soft underfoot,

so it is hard to find a good rhythm and keep it going, and there are

lots of dead that could be a rhythm on this course. Chris is an

excellent athlete, ninth in the world Cross last year, 10th. Can't

argue with that. I am pleased that my performance was OK. We saw the

British team do well in Belgrade. You are in the mix for the title

here. Yes, I don't know what the scores will be, but I am pleased

that I mixed in well with top European athletes, that is where I

am at at the moment. It is good for me. Axed to both of you. Well done.

It is still all to play for with one more race to go. It is the women's

six kilometres. Gemma Steel is leading the British team. We have

the European junior cross-country champion, Emelia Gorecka. She has

been on great form. This is a international senior debut. Another

Briton looking to win her third title here, Fionnuala Britton. I am

really excited to finish my junior career on a high. Getting a gold

medal in December was fantastic. I have had some good training in

Aldershot with my group in December. Because Edinburgh is so

close to home, it feels like there is a lot of support, and I like the

course and I have been running here for years. There is always a nice

atmosphere here in the city. Fionnuala Britton is a strong

athlete. And to IT in the European team, I watched her race, and she a

fantastic athlete. Now I have to watch from a different perspective,

because I'm racing against them. I am looking forward to it and it will

only drive me forward. It will be nice to win this one. I have a lot

to prove. It is the next big race after the European cross.

A very interesting race in prospect. We had there from Fionnuala Britton,

he has had great success under Emelia Gorecka. Emelia Gorecka

usually goes into races are the favourite for her age group. She's a

strong contender. Here a step up. A massive talent and she's going into

this race with nothing to lose. She has got no pressure on her. I think

she can really relate freely and give it her best shot and see where

she can go today. This is a great chance. He was running well, anorak

great athletes who have won it before. I can she will feature in

this, she will certainly give it a go, in contention at the halfway

point, I would have thought. The European team is in the black,

the Americans in the red, and the great British team in white and red.

Various Sophie Duarte, winner in Belgrade last month. She leads the

European team. It is not the strongest American team here. A

large cheer for each other. Amy Van Alstine is leading the force. They

might struggle a bit here. Gemma Steel is about to be introduced. A

silver medal, behind Sophie Duarte in Belgrade last month. And there is

Emelia Gorecka as well. It is a strong British team there. And away

they go in the final race of the day. The course is becoming more

churned up as the day goes on. How will this race develop? It is

interesting. You could make the case that three or four of these

athletes. Fionnuala Britton is pretty determined and goes straight

to the front. She has been getting better, she was disappointed with

fourth place in the European Championships. I have not seen her

running in a black vest before. She is more recognisable in the green of

Ireland. She is a good and determined athlete. Duarte, also in

the black vest, and also Steph Twell and more importantly Gemma Steel,

second in the European Cross country Championships. Charlotte Purdue and

Emilia Gorecka, it is exciting. They come to this of the back of good

performances in Serbia. They are not afraid to get in on the seniors and

see what they can do. Charlotte going to the front. They trained

together, and with Steph Twell. They are used to running with each other

and stamping their mark on the race from the beginning. Fionnuala

Britton will be coming into this disappointed with the European

Championships. She suffered with illness last summer and was unable

to take part in Moscow and struggled to get back from that. Her form is

building and she will hope to get her own back, in a sense, on Sophie

Duarte. Many years ago, this race was the same for you, junior

athlete, the first three from the Olympic Games and it was your first

breakthrough race. Emilia Gorecka, I would not want to label her with a

Paula Radcliffe label at this stage in her career, but it was similar. I

spent many years driving up to Durham and running in the junior

races and being inspired after watching the senior races and to get

in with the seniors and learned from them was special and it gives you

motivation. Emilia Gorecka, that start, it is the same spirit, here I

am, I am going to take my chance. She needs to go out there, run as

well as she can and see where it puts her in among the girls today.

There is a core of the British team running together. Jessica Andrews is

in there and Lily Partridge as well as Charlie Purdue and Emilia Gorecka

and Steph Twell. They are running together and know each other. They

base on a Sunday. It is a racing atmosphere, which puts them in good

stead. That only Britain, it is where you are comfortable. The

European Championships, -- Fionnuala Britton. The European Championships,

is firm and flatter, she is more at home here. She looks at home. When

you feel comfortable on the course, and she knows this course, she would

not have checked it this morning, she will just know whether it is

drier or wetter in the past. Sophie Duarte, in the Hat, the black vest

of Europe, and Emilia Gorecka, being in amongst them. In this group, and

you referred to it, Mick Woods, he has a fantastic group of athletes.

Steph Twell, Charlotte Purdue and Emilia Gorecka and others on the way

up in those groups. He is a fantastic servant of cross-country

running, a really good coach. He brings on these athletes and they do

well. They motivate each other. They have grown up with each other. They

push each other in training. Gemma Steel, on the outside, she is a huge

talent coming through and has not yet started to tap into that. We saw

her running 17, 19 on the roads in Birmingham on the half marathon. She

has potential in the marathon, but at the moment she is enjoying

cross-country and testing herself. Just three laps. Fionnuala Britton

is out in front at the moment, but shadowed by the three British

athletes at the moment and the diminutive figure of Charlotte

Purdue. They are moving nicely. Britain can make up the team

standings. British women's distance running, a lot of thanks to Paula

Radcliffe, is in good shape. We have good athletes performing and young

athletes coming through. Paula Radcliffe is involved in the

development of those athletes. We have Fionnuala Britton, the former

European, twice European championship, leading. Emilia

Gorecka, the junior European champion, Gemma Steel, European

silver-medallist, and the under 23 medallist from Great Britain,

Charlotte Purdue. The three British athletes are declaring themselves as

contenders in this event. Can the British women change the team

point? They are 14 points behind Europe. It looks like USA will fade

away. Could Britton score a victory in this race with enough points to

win the overall title? That would be pretty exciting. At the moment,

three Europeans and three British in the first six. The Americans playing

second fiddle. That is the situation in the team competition. Individual

glory is up for grabs. It would be glory for the third year in

succession if Fionnuala Britton one. -- Wigan. She is on the right in

black. At the moment, it is Emilia Gorecka and Gemma Steel, the

captain. -- won. Sophie Duarte is moving to the front. Feeling it out

a little bit. She seemed to have made up the ground pretty well

downhill and has decided to stretch out the field. Almensch Belete going

through also. She and her sister, a very good athlete. Fionnuala Britton

is still comfortable alongside Sophie Duarte, who is beginning to

pick up the pace a little bit. Still shadowed by the three British

runners, and Emilia Gorecka, Gemma Steel and Charlotte Purdue. Those

are the standings in this particular race after the first lap. Taking

victory might be tough against this European team. Three quite

high-quality athletes. Almensch Belete, I think she is going to run

well today, even though she is an outsider, we saw her running well in

the European Championships. The Lola Britton has come in a strong

favourite in the past, but not quite today. Emilia Gorecka is showing

what you need to show, we know she is physically good, she is strong

and can compete, but she is a competitor here. She is with the

seniors for the first time. Stepping into this arena and not being

overawed by it, in fact, competing, trying to get on level terms. Steph

Twell is running a good race. The British team are running well. We

need performances in the fourth, fifth and sixth place by British

athletes. The number of Africans coming into European countries and

transferring allegiances, some athletes have felt irked, taking be

glory. But they have transferred illegally, effectively. It is a

sensitive topic. Sometimes the transferring happens quickly and

they are fast tracked. Almensch Belete competing for Belgium. You

have to draw the line between athletes who live in the country and

become nationalised as opposed to athletes who stay in their own

country and transfer allegiance and there is a bit of both going on in

this sport but some athletes live in the countries they represent and

qualify as a right for a European nation, if that is the country they

are living in. There is able to difference to somebody who comes

over and lives there, as opposed to somebody who is offered, you can get

in the team and quickly part of the team and have success. That is a

different thing. On the back of that, to British athletes are

leading in this race. Even though Emilio Barak, her grandparents from

Poland extra nation mark but she is born and raised in Britain. --

Poland! The six are free at the moment and

Fionnuala Britton looks through to come through the middle and take up

the pace. We expected Emilia Gorecka would run well. We know what a

talent she has been. She has the talent to compete at senior level,

as well. It is a significant performance, if she finishes within

the first four, six, which she has a chance of doing, they are past the

halfway point and she is competing, if she finishes in this position, it

is a step forward for British long-distance running. It reminds me

a bit of a young Paula Radcliffe, who eventually had an exceptional

career, but like all distance runners, starting as cross-country.

It is encouraging to see Lily Partridge and Steph Twell moving

through. She had an ankle injury when she slipped in a race and

almost shattered her ankle. She had a lot of physiotherapy and metalwork

in her foot to enable it to recover. It is not easy when you have an

injured ankle to be running out there. When you have the shock of

the fall, it was a terrible injury. It was in Belgium. When you have

that fall and run on this surface, your foot is moving about more and

it must give at feeling of uncertainty. -- a feeling. Gemma

Steel, saying I am the boss, you are the junior champion, and Emilia

Gorecka reacting, and running past her. This is exceptional in any

sense. The two of them are running away from Charlotte Purdue. This is

terrific. If they can have the European champion and a former

European champion behind them, I can sense there will be mentions of

Paula Radcliffe when they write about Emilia Gorecka. The team event

looks good for Britain. The first three. But it is the first six that

count. There is a chance for Britain in the overall standings because

they are featuring strongly here. Fionnuala Britton in fourth place at

the moment. Gemma Steel, the team captain, alongside Emilia Gorecka

and Charlotte Purdue, Fionnuala Britton in fourth. This is

impressive running from the three British athletes in front. Fionnuala

Britton is trying to close down. The crowds are beginning to gather. This

is the final race of the day. This is a fine run from the British

athletes, but Emilia Gorecka, most of all. And the bell sounds. Gemma

Steel hits the front. There is the European champion, Sophie Duarte,

who looks beaten today. Almensch Belete looks beaten today. Gemma

Steel tries to win this. Emilia Gorecka has run a fantastic race to

put herself in contention. Gemma Steel, the endurance -based

athlete, she might be able to pull away from Emilia Gorecka, but she

will not do it without a battle. A terrific senior debut by Emilia

Gorecka, a fantastic start to a senior career. I am sure that Korea

is full of promise. Exciting times for Emilia Gorecka -- career. She

has been used to running in junior races. They generally tend to be

shorter. The extra strength Gemma Steel will have and is used to using

may come into play. But Emilia Gorecka is not intimidated. She has

nothing to lose and she has run really well, which will give her

confidence. We will see how the advantage in this race will

translate into the overall standings. Britain had a big haul of

medals in the European Championships. They always do well

in cross-country, Great Britain. If they are to win, they are coming

from a long way behind. That would be the overall position if they

finished in these positions. It is a rather weak looking American team.

It is dominated by the black shirt and white and red shirts of Europe

and Great Britain. Gemma Steel, the team cap on, is leading them home at

the moment. Emelia Gorecka is in second place, being chased down by

similar Britain. She's starting to look weary. Fionnuala Britton will

gain momentum from that. Gemma Steel does not want to be

beaten by an athlete US just coming out of the junior ranks. Emelia

Gorecka was really struggling at that little hell -- ale on the far

side. She has worked hard and has positioned herself well. You want

her to finish second here. But Fionnuala Britton from Ireland,

representing year appear, twice winner of this event, is on her way

to try to finish that extra place, but the British women's team have

done a fantastic job. Mick Woods has got four of these five athletes. He

is going to be a star after this. He has got the second place, the fourth

place, the fifth and sixth places. This is exceptional. Gemma Steel is

showing us her enduring and showing as she can win races. Six athletes

to score points, and Britain have six of the top ten, led by their

captain Gemma Steel. That is the gap between Emelia Gorecka and Fionnuala

Britton. A glorious setting here. The Gemma Steel is out in front and

it looks like she may have this race won. Charlotte Purdue is in fourth

place as well. It is looking good for Britain and very good for Gemma

Steel as she comes down the slope. It is really promising for the

second place. Here comes Fionnuala Britton. She's looking down at the

road thinking, I can't have her beating me. I am the senior

champion. You can see the determination and the speed that

Fionnuala Britton is producing. Emilio Gorecka has run a fantastic

race here today. She is tiring quickly now and she looks like she

will be challenged by similar Britain. Charlotte Heard you is in

fourth place and will not give up on her mettle. This is a great

performance by Gemma Steel. She bided her time and tried to hit the

front. She is now looking over her shoulder and she looks down the

field and sees the European champion of two years ago in third place and

this year's current champion in about fifth-place. That is Sophie

Duarte of France. She will be delighted with that. Emelia Gorecka

might be swallowed up nearby Fionnuala Britton. She will hope for

a top three finish, but you can see how much she is labouring and being

chased down by Fionnuala Britton, who will shortly, I suspect,

Pasteur. Adding front is Gemma Steel. Sophie Duarte is in fifth

place, the Frenchwoman. This will be some measure of revenge for Gemma

Steel, sprinting up the final slope. Not long to go now. A strong

performance from here and the British team. She knows that she can

savour this run. As we can see, Fionnuala Britton is stronger

running up this hill and you can see that Emelia Gorecka's legs were

struggling to go up the hill. Fionnuala Britton has been able to

gain some ground and will be able to get away now. She has won a great

race. This is a fantastic senior debut for Gemma Steel. She's happy

there. She can now drift on and enjoy the finish. She has run so

well. I hope she finishes in one piece. Down through the narrow

corridor of cheering fans comes Gemma Steel. She is the team captain

and may well take it into an overall team victory. She's taking herself

to victory here in this race. A strong performance from Gemma Steel,

leading by example. She will lead her team home, but she has won for

herself here as well. Victory for Gemma Steel in the women's six

kilometre race. After celebrating her own victory, she will look round

to see how her team-mates are doing. Filling a Britain comes home in

second place -- Fionnuala Britton. A wonderful third place for Emelia

Gorecka. Sophie Duarte it, the European champion, in fourth place.

The first American, Kellyn Johnson, comes through. We are doing some

quick arithmetic over here, and it looks as though Britain may have

taken the overall victory. A lot of that is down to the efforts of the

team leader Gemma Steel. That was a mighty strong performance from Gemma

Steel and from the rest of the team as well.

Confirmation of the women's six kilometres.

A strong performance from the entire British team, led by Gemma Steel.

Gemma Steel and Emelia Gorecka are long side made. Add a dominant run

from start to finish. The look surprised. Yes, because I did it

last week and did not have a great run! I turned it round in a week and

I am really happy. In terms of the team performance, you came into this

and the women knew you had to run strongly. You responded. Yes, there

is a bit of pressure there, and the women always polite out of the bag

at the end! And pretty muddy underfoot. Was it tricky? Yes. I was

quite concerned because I had heard that there were a few tight turns,

but I managed to stay on my feet. And Emelia Gorecka, no fear? No

fear. I did not know what to expect. I knew I was in good shape. I did

not expect to get to the front. I did not expect to do that. I felt

good. The last lap was a bit of a struggle, but that is where my hope

-- strength will hopefully come through next year. I am really

happy. We have got the results coming in. We can take a little look

at that now. There we go at the bottom. That makes a good ring. You

have one! Brilliant! The icing on the cake. I am really excited.

User. What is next? I am trying to get an eighth consecutive win at the

national cross, and then I will go on to do some senior races, possibly

on the track. Congratulations to both of you. Congratulations to the

British team. A race where two names stood out

coming into here. Kiprop and Bekele. Kenenisa Bekele was always a

bit behind the pace, and did not quite having in his legs. He is

focusing on the marathon at the moment. Instead of any of the

African talent, it was Arik easily came through, the American, to win.

The man from Minnesota had the strongest finish. You might expect

that of a middle distance runner over four kilometres. He still had

that in his legs at the end. I have Garrett Heath alongside me.

Some major scalps there. Yes, you never know what to expect that these

races, but you know there will be big names showing up, so I could not

be happier. I have been doing a lot of training. I feel like I was never

really fit coming off the outdoor season, so really happy. And you

look at the likes of Kiprop and get a feel of what it is like? Yes, but

those guys, even if they are not in good shape, you know they will be

ready to go. It felt good on that second lap. I was able to pull away.

Congratulations. You join a prestigious roll of honour. Thank

you. Kenenisa Bekele, not the performance

we were expecting from you today. How would you evaluate your run. I

already started marathon training because I am training long runs, and

four kilometres is a bit too short for me now. I don't expect this

result, but it is OK. The last lap, with one kilometre left, it is a bit

in hospitable because of training. A lot of miles in training. You happy

with how you are progressing towards the Paris Marathon? Yes, I am happy.

It is my first marathon. I want to run good times. And obviously, Mo

Farah does his marathon debut one week later. I think we are all

hoping for the time when the two of you will run head-to-head in the

marathon. Is that something you look forward to? Yes, not this time, but

perhaps next time. We have many more years, so maybe we will join

together. But this time, not. I would like to say good luck to him.

And good luck to you in Paris. Thank you very much. I am happy to run

here. The place is very nice and I like the crowd. I want to thank

them. That complete our coverage here from

the great Edinburgh Cross country. The next athletics on BBC is on the

25th of January on BBC One. The big watch there will be Gregg

Rutherford, the Olympic long jump champion getting back into action

after a disappointing 2013. And straight after getting off their

here, we are heading over to the semifinals of the darts World

Championships. Tonight at 10:30pm, on BBC One we

have match of the day. Malky Mackay will be talking.

That is it from Edinburgh. A perfect way to spend a crisp January

afternoon. We have seen some great racing. Once again, it is the

British women who have led the way, because Britain have won the

International team challenge. Goodbye.

There is going to be victory for Garrett Heath. This has been an

emphatic performance from Chris Derrick. Victory for Gemma Steel.