UNDER-23 MEN’S FINAL: Carvalho shows his class | 11.12.2011
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| Florian Carvalho of France on the podium after winning the men's under-23 title at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Velenje on Sunday. |
In a fierce battle for silver, Britain’s James Wilkinson prevailed over Norway’s Sondre Norstad Moen in a final dash for the line.
After the field had sorted itself out at 2000m Russians Roman Pozdyakin and Vyacheslav Shalamov shared the lead in a time of 6:09.
At this stage Russia had three out of the first four, but it was noticeable that Turkey was also packing well with three runners in the top seven positions.
European Under-23 1500m champion, Carvalho, was already prominent while 2009 European Junior steeplechase silver, Wilkinson, had moved into sixth.
At 5000m in 15:09, Pozdyakin was still leading, but Norway’s Under-23 5000m champion, Sindre Buraas, had worked his way into fourth splitting the two Britons, Wilkinson and Mitch Goose.
Half way round the penultimate lap it was Wilkinson and Goose forcing the pace, but as they entered the final lap Carvalho was looking increasingly threatening with Moen closing on the silver medal and gearing himself up for a battle with Wilkinson.
In the team race, Norway lifted only its second gold in the history of these championships, amassing 56 points to Britain’s 73 with France just edging Spain for bronze.
