Mutai had put himself in a strong position with the finish line in sight but he couldn’t match Kiprop’s finishing strength
Uganda’s Keneth Kiprop successfully defended his title after his triumph at the Cardiff Cross Challenge on November 9.
In a repeat of the finish to the 2023 edition of this race, world U20 5000m bronze medallist Kiprop outsprinted Kenya’s Vincent Mutai in the closing stages to retain his Cardiff crown.
08:30 - 08.11.2024
Keneth Kiprop to defend Cross Challenge title in clash with Niels Laros and Dan Kibet in Cardiff
The Ugandan is looking forward to winning back to back titles in the Welsh capital
While Mutai had put himself in a strong position with the finish line in sight, he couldn’t match Kiprop’s finishing strength and the Ugandan 19-year-old sprinted over the finish line untroubled.
Britain’s Zak Mahamed led an early breakaway group of nine, with Dutch Olympic 1500m sixth-place finisher Niels Laros to the fore of the chase pack. Kiprop, using his experience of the course, then took charge and pushed things on at the front.
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07:17 - 28.10.2024
Kenya's Grace Nawowuna bags silver as Daisy Jepkemei & Rodrigue Kwizera triumph in Atapuerca
During the final lap Nawowuna attempted to move into the lead but it was short-lived.
Mutai surged towards the end of the first of the three laps and quickly strung out the lead group, with five athletes running in a line behind him, but the pack came back together soon after.
The leaders began to weave through lapped runners midway through the second loop of the course before Mutai and the Ugandan duo of Kiprop and Dan Kibet surged away with 23 minutes on the clock. With less than a kilometre left to run, Kiprop and Mutai dropped Kibet and were locked in battle as they approached the final curve of the course.
Kiprop kicked as they hit the finishing straight and celebrated as he reached the finish line in 27:06 to retain his title. Mutai finished two seconds back, while Kibet secured third place in 27:15 ahead of Burundi’s Celestin Ndikumana and Emile Hafashimana.
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