Agence France-Presse NAIROBI (February 23, 2002 11:22 AM EST)- A superb, well calculated run gave Richard Limo his first national cross country title at the IAAF permit meeting here on Saturday while Pamela Chepchumba upset a strong field to win the women's title.
The World 5,000 meters champion stayed in a pack of eight athletes that included the pre-race favorite and former champion Paul Koech, who opened up an early lead after only two laps on the Ngong Racecourse. On the final lap, Limo held off the fast-charging Albert Chepkurui to cruise to victory in a rather slow time of 36 minutes 17 seconds, with Chepkurui two seconds adrift. After winning his first national title, Limo, twice World cross country junior silver medalist in 1998 and 1999, said he was ready to step into the shoes of his idol Paul Tergat. "Last year we lost the individual title for the second time. We are going to work together as a team and make sure we return it to Kenya," said Limo, who will lead the Kenyan team to the 30th World cross country championships in Dublin. Koech, who won the national title twice failed to make the team when he finished 13th, finised one place ahead of former World silver medal winner Tom Nyariki. In a race that attracted a handful of foreigners, former Olympic 5,000 meters champion Dieter Baumann of Germany battled against Kenyan domination and trailed home in 85th place. Chepchumba, a silver medalist in 1993, destroyed her rivals, which included the three fastest marathon runners to finish well clear of the rest in 27:13. Jepkorir Aiyabei was second in 27:23 while Monica Wangare (27:33) was third. Edith Masai, 34, will contest the four-kilometer short course race in Dublin hoping to improve on her third place last year.
