Peerless Kenenisa, Dibaba sisters win at Edinburgh

Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia won his record-setting sixth title at the world cross-country championships Sunday despite briefly losing a shoe, and Tirunesh Dibaba won the women's race.

Bekele, who won the 12-kilometer or 7.5-mile race in 34 minutes, 36 seconds, was leading in muddy conditions when his left shoe came off about seven minutes into the race.

He fell about 25 meters (yards) behind the leaders, allowing last year's champion Zersenay Tadese to pull ahead, but was able to put his shoe back on and get back into the race.

"I was expecting not to win after losing my shoe," Bekele said. "But it's not so tough to get back in the race. If it had been in the last two laps it would have been harder because I was have been more tired."

Bekele edged ahead of Tadese going into the final lap, gradually surging over the finishing line to beat the Eritrean.

"The Olympics is more important," said Tadese, who ended up third. "I tried very hard to win the gold here, but Bekele is hard to beat. My mind and preparation is all focused on Beijing."

Leonard Patrick Komon of Kenya was second in 34:41, followed by Tadese in 34:43.


The 25-year-old Bekele surpassed the mark of five titles he shared with Kenyans John Ngugi and Paul Tergat.

Last year, in the crippling heat of Mombasa, Kenya, Bekele dropped out on the final lap.

Dibaba won her third world cross-country title, finishing the 8-kilometer or 5-mile women's course in 25:10.

"I felt a stitch in the middle of the race and that's when I fell back," Dibaba said. "But it was after I recovered from that that I was able to move to the front."

At last year's world athletics championships in Osaka, Japan, Dibaba recovered from stomach pain to win the 10,000.

Mestawet Tufa of Ethiopia was second Sunday in 25:15, followed by Linet Chepkwemoi Masai of Kenya in 25:18.

Dibaba's sister, Genzebe, won the girls' 6-kilometer or 3.7-mile junior title in 19:59.

"When she was competing I was warming up and was watching her," Tirunesh Dibaba said. "I was more anxious for her than myself and happier for her gold than my own."

Ibrahim Jeilan of Ethiopia won the 8-kilometer or 5-mile boys' junior race in 22:38.

World Cross-Country Championships Results

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) - Results Sunday from the World Cross-Country Championships:

MEN

(12 kilometers; 7.5 miles)

1. Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia, 34 minutes, 38 seconds.

2. Leonard Patrick Komon, Kenya, 34:41.

3. Zersenay Tadese, Eritrea, 34:43.

4. Joseph Ebuya, Kenya, 34:47.

5. Moses Ndiema Masai, Kenya, 35:02.

6. Felix Kikwai Kibore, Qatar, 35:15.

7. Gideon Lekumok Ngatuny, Kenya, 35:16.

8. Ahmad Hassan Abdullah, Qatar, 35:18.

9. Habtamu Fikadu, Ethiopia, 35:19.

10. Bernard Kiprop Kipyego, Kenya, 35:24.

Team Standings

1. Kenya, 39 points.

2. Ethiopia, 105.

3. Qatar, 144.

WOMEN

(8 kilometers; 5 miles)

1. Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia, 25 minutes, 10 seconds.

2. Mestawet Tufa, Ethiopia, 25:15.

3. Linet Chepkwemoi Masai, Kenya, 25:18.

4. Doris Chepkwemoi Changeywo, Kenya, 25:34.

5. Hilda Kibet, Netherlands, 25:35.

6. Gelete Burka, Ethiopia, 25:35.

7. Priscah Jepleting Cherono, Kenya, 25:36.

8. Margaret Wangari Muriuki, Kenya, 25:46.

9. Meselech Melkamu, Ethiopia, 25:51.

10. Grace Kwamboka Momanyi, Kenya, 25:54.

Team Standings

1. Ethiopia, 18 points.

2. Kenya, 22.

3. Australia, 84.