France's Jimmy Gressier made a triumphant return to cross country with victory on home soil at the Cross International d'Allonnes on Sunday (17) afternoon, beating a strong international field as well as most of his main domestic rivals.
In his first race since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Gressier said he was only at 60 percent physically after taking a long break after the summer season but the 27-year-old kicked away decisively in the late stages to win the senior men’s 8.42km in 23:20 ahead of the Ethiopian teenage trio of Kuma Girma (23:21), Milkesa Fikadu (23:25) and Abrha Gebru (23:35).
With the top four French finishers guaranteed automatic selection for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, most of the country’s leading cross country exponents were present although Gressier announced after his victory that he will be absent from this year's event in Antalya in order to prepare for the indoor season as well as the 10km at the inaugural European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven on 12-13 April.
Bastien Augusto finished sixth in 23:40, finishing just ahead of reigning European cross country champion Yann Schrub in seventh in 23:45 and European 3000m steeplechase champion Alexis Miellet in eighth in 23:47.
In the women’s race which was won convincingly by Kenya’s Grace Nawowuna in 22:55, Manon Trapp finished third on home soil in the 7.61km in 23:46.
Ndikumwenayo takes down big names in Seville en route to Antalya
Thierry Ndikumwenayo took a notable victory on home soil at the Cross Internacional de Italica in Seville on Sunday en route to his upcoming debut at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Antalya.
Ndikumwenayo won the senior men’s 7.542km in 21:24, outsprinting his training partner and Playas de Castellon clubmate Rodrigue Kwizera from Burundi who was credited with the same time in second.
“I’m now going to return to the altitude of Sierra Nevada where I’m building up for the European Cross Country Championships which will be my next competition,” said Ndikumwenayo who will be seeking his second continental medal of the year after winning European 10,000m bronze in Rome.
Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi completed the podium in third in 21:27, one place ahead of reigning European half marathon champion Yemaneberhan Crippa - who also has his sights set on Antalya - in fourth in 21:32.
At the Cinque Mulini on Sunday (17) morning, fellow Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti opened her cross country season with a third-place finish in the senior women’s 6.2km in 18:49 in a race won by 17-year-old Ethiopian Yenenesh Shimket in 18:35.
“It was a test I needed to remove some rust from the engine. I gave 100 percent. The new season starts from here with the goal of showing up at the Euro Cross as prepared as possible and in a calm way,” said Battocletti who won silver on her senior debut behind Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal in Brussels last year.
National Cross Country Championships roundup…
Two-time European U20 cross country champion Axel Vang Christensen, 20, defended his title in the senior men’s race at the Danish Cross Country Championships in Odense on Saturday.
Christensen won the men’s 7.5km in 23:21 by eight seconds from 2021 European U20 5000m champion Joel Ibler Lillesø.
Both Christensen and Lillesø are expected to contest the U23 race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships next month.
Teenager Sofia Thøgersen, who is eligible for the U20 race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, won the senior women’s 7.5km in 27:23 ahead of Nanna Bove in 27:36.
At the Belgian Cross Country Championships in Hulshout on Sunday (17), Isaac Kimeli won the senior men’s 7.82km in 22:00 by three seconds from John Heymans. Jana Van Lent won the women’s 7.82km in 25:23.
There were commanding victories at the Irish Cross Country Championships in Irvinestown for Keelan Kilrehill and 44-year-old Ann-Marie McGlynn.
Kilrehill won the senior men’s 7.5km in 23:00 by 28 seconds over a field which included Efrem Gidey and Nick Griggs who finished fourth and seventh respectively.
In the women’s race, veteran marathon runner McGlynn won in 27:05 ahead of Niamh Allen who picked up a surprise silver medal just three months after giving birth to her daughter.
Steven Mills for European Athletics