Posted By Joe on December 18, 2011

Photo: Heiko Dobrick

Steve Vernon and Hatti Dean led a strong British challenge at the Lotto Crosscup cross-country in Brussels today. Whilst the individual titles went to Kenyans Isaiah Koech on the men’s side, and Caroline Chekwony (pictured above) on the women’s side, the leading British athletes both gave a good account of themselves, both finishing in 6^th place overall.

On the men’s side, youngster Koech, still only 17, gave himself the perfect present ahead of his 18^th birthday tomorrow, storming away from the field to a 45 second victory. Recently crowned European champion Atelaw Bekele, racing in front of his home crowd for the first time since winning those championships, just held off Kenyan Gilbert Kirui to take second place.

Vernon was the best of a strong British presence, finishing 1:24 behind the winner for 6^th place. Cannock & Stafford’s Tom Humphries, in 8^th, joined him in the top 10, whilst European Under-23 silver medalist James Wilkinson and fellow Brit Ashley Harrell finished 11^th and 12^th respectively. In his first race since his debut marathon in New York, John Beattie ran strongly to finish in 21^st, just ahead of last month’s Leeds Abbey Dash winner Jonny Taylor, who came in 22^nd.

The women’s race was a much closer affair, with Kenyan Caroline Chepkwony outsprinting compatriot Faith Kipyegon for a one second win. Ethiopia’s Almenish Belete made it an East African affair on the medal rostrum, whilst the Netherlands’ Adrienne Herzog finished as first European in 4^th place.

Great Britain’s Hatti Dean finished 6^th, one place clear of teammate Steph Twell, who was continuing a great return from a triple ankle break, as four British women made it into the top 10. Emily Pigeon and Stevie Stockton bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on making the team for Velenje last weekend by finishing 9^th and 10^th respectively. Last week’s European Under-23 gold medalist Emma Pallant finished a creditable 12^th, whilst three more Brits, Katrina Wooton (17^th), Jane Potter (18^th) and Jess Sparke (19^th) also made the top 20.

Great Britain’s junior team dominated the younger age group, as Kieran Clements and Pippa Woolven took home the titles. Clements led a British 1-2-3-4 as Lachlan Oates (2^nd), Jason Prickett (3^rd) and Charlie Grice (4^th) all finished ahead of the nearest challenger from the continent. Charles Hudson (6^th), Stuart Orr (8^th) and Robbie Farnham-Rose (9^th) also made the top ten as the British athletes made their presence felt.

Woolven finished twelve seconds clear of Belgian Imana Truyers to take the junior women’s race. Teammates Iona Lake, Becky Straw and Poppy Blake, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th respectively, made it another strong showing for the Brits as Jessica Chen (9^th) and Rachel Robinson (10^th) rounded out the top ten. Ffion Price (11^th) and Emily Hosker-Thornhill (13^th) just missed out on joining them.

The next round of the Lotto Crosscup takes place in Hannut on January 22^nd.

Full Results can be found here.

Categories: blog, race reports
Tags: Ashley Harrell, Atelaw Bekele, Caroline Chepkwony, Cross Country, Emma Pallant, European Cross Country, Hatti Dean, Isaiah Koech, James Wilkinson, Kieran Clements, Lotto Crosscup, Lotto Crosscup Brussels, Pippa Woolven, Steph Twell, Steve Vernon, Tom Humphries