Ethiopia's Bekele completes hat-trick of doubles
Sunday, 21 March 2004Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele strode to a third consecutive long and short course double at the World Cross-Country Championships in Brussels with a majestic win in the 10km event.
Bekele, the only man to win the double since the short course race was introduced in 1998, streaked to the front after eight kms and remorselessly increased his lead.
He ploughed through the cloying mud to finish in 35 minutes 52 seconds. His team mate Gebre Gebremariam, who finished second in Saturday's short course event, again won the silver 18 seconds behind, ahead of a third Ethiopian, Sileshi Shine.
Bekele, the world 10,000 metres gold medallist, led Ethiopia to the men's team title, ending 18 years of Kenyan supremacy.
Ethiopia finished with 15 of the 18 medals at the two-day championships with their only disappointment coming in Saturday's women's long course race which was won by Australian Benita Johnson.
Filed by Aidan O'Doherty
