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Paula Radcliffe (number 789) on the way to successfully defending her World Cross Country long-course title
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Britain's Paula Radcliffe became the first woman in 10 years to retain the World Cross Country long-course title when she powered away from the chasing pack at Leopardstown racecourse today.
Radcliffe, who won last year's race in Ostend, completed the gruelling 8km course in 26 minutes and 55 seconds, with American Deena Drossin second in 27:04.
South Africa-born Colleen de Reuck, who now represents the United States, finished third in 27:17 to lift the U.S. into second place in the team competition behind winners Ethiopia.
Radcliffe, who became the first woman to retain the title since American Lynn Jennings won for the third time in 1992, was pleased with her strong finish.
"The course was really testing, because of the wind, and the pace was fast from the start," she said.
"I was very confident, though, because I always felt it was my race to lose."
The first African representative to finish was Eyerusalem Kuma, of Ethiopia, who placed fifth in 27:19.
RESULTS
Men's
Cross Short Race:1 Kenenisa Bekele (Eth) 12min 11secs, 2 Luke Kipkosgei (Ken) 12:18, 3 Hailu Mekonnen (Eth) 12:20, 4 Sammy Kipketer (Ken) 12:26, 5 Craig Mottram (Aus) 12:27, 6 Julius Nyamu (Ken) 12:30, 7 Antonio Jiminez (Spa) 12:30, 8 Joseph Kosgei (Ken) 12:32, 9 Khalid El Amri (Mar) 12:33, 10 Driss Maazouzi (Fra) 12:34, 11 Jorge Torres (USA) 12:35, 12 Mohamed El Wardi Said (Mar) 12:35, 13 Mohammed Awdl (Eth) 12:38, 14 Isaac Viciosa (Spa) 12:39, 15 Abiyote Abate (Eth) 12:39, 16 Millioin Wolde (Eth) 12:40, 17 Alberto Garcia (Spa) 12:41, 18 Matthew Lane (USA) 12:42, 19 Luciano Di Pardo (Ita) 12:42, 20 Alejandro Suarez (Mex) 12:43
Women's
Cross Junior Race:1 Viola Kibiwot (Ken) 20:13, 2 Tirunesh Dibaba (Eth) 20:14, 3 Vivian Cheruiyot (Ken) 20:22, 4 Fridah Domongole (Ken) 20:23, 5 Peninah Chepchumba (Ken) 20:24, 6 Bezunesh Bekele (Eth) 20:34, 7 Mestewat Tufa (Eth) 20:40, 8 Snezana Kostic (Yug) 20:43, 9 Melissa Rollison (Aus) 20:50, 10 Sharon Cherop (Ken) 20:53, 11 Yenealem Ayano (Eth) 20:59, 12 Valentine Koech (Ken) 21:03, 13 Meseret Defar (Eth) 21:06, 14 Emi Ikeda (Jpn) 21:16, 15 Derbe Ayele (Eth) 21:18, 16 Zubeda Gusi (Tan) 21:20, 17 Erika Odlaug (USA) 21:23, 18 Irvette van Blerk (Rsa) 21:30, 19 Farida Gusi (Tan) 21:35, 20 Joanna Wall (Aus)
Cross Long Race:1 Paula Radcliffe (Gbr) 26:55, 2 Deena Drossin (USA) 27:04, 3 Colleen De Reuck (USA) 27:17, 4 Miwako Yamanaka (Jpn) 27:19, 5 Eyerusalem Kuma (Eth) 27:19, 6 Merima Denboba (Eth) 27:21, 7 Leila Aman (Eth) 27:25, 8 Rose Cheruiyot (Ken) 27:28, 9 Pamela Chepchumba (Ken) 27:30, 10 Teyeba Erkesso (Eth) 27:32, 11 Leah Malot (Ken) 27:35, 12 Jennifer Rhines (USA) 27:43, 13 Ayelech Worku (Eth) 27:50, 14 Jane Omoro (Ken) 27:52, 15 Kayoko Fukushi (Jpn) 27:53, 16 Jepkorir Ayabei (Ken) 27:58, 17 Rosanna Martin (Ita) 27:59, 18 Liz Yelling (Gbr) 28:07, 19 Helena Sampaio (Por) 28:08, 20 Kathy Butler (Gbr) 28:12