*Note: if you're looking for results, check out our results section. Links directly to results pages of dozens of meets around the world, both NCAA and professional.
World XC *Results *LRC Photos *Race
Video
*Live Message Board Updates
Recaps/Results:
Men: Gebre Gebremariam Gets Gold The men's finish was crazy. The final 600-800m is straight uphill and there were close to 15 guys in contention. Gebremariam timed it perfectly and bolted to his
first world title. Gebremariam was a world junior champ in 2002 and in 2004 was runner-up to the great Bekele in both the long course and short course races. The Kenyan
men did beat the Ethiopians on the tiebreaker for the team title, but they did not get the one title they want most, the men's individual champion, which unbelievably they have not won for 11 years. OSU's Ryan Vail led the US men. *Results
Women: Florence Kiplagat, Kenya Women Win Kiplagat blew by Linet Masai on the brutal uphill finish for the win and the team title. Masai had been clear of the field an looked to be on the way to the title. Julie
Culley was the 1st American in 21st. *Women's
Results
Junior
Men: Ayele Abshero And Kenya Abshero
of Ethiopia got the individual win, but the Kenyan men battled back for the
team title. German Fernandez was a very respectable 11th, with Chris Derrick
15th and Luke Puskedra 30th. The highly-touted US men (with 2 frosh who were top 7 at NCAA XC, plus German Fernandez) were 5th. *Junior Men Results
Junior Women Genzebe Dibaba And Ethiopia Win The third Dibaba sister, Genzebe, came out on top, as the Ethiopian women beat Kenya on the tiebreaker. The UK had 2 in the top 15. Neely Spence, daughter of former World Champs marathon bronze medallist, Steve, was 19th. *Results
LRC In Amman Friday Update #2: The Press Conference & German's Injury Fernandez had a shining debut press conference as he was introduced
as the
star of the indoor season and came across
as a class act committed to doing all he can for the USA. He is in a boot but going to compete. Plus an interview with US junior girls #1 Neely Spence (Read Her 4 Blogs From Amman - Locals Yell To Her: "Go Blondie!") and confirmation that world record holder Stephen Cherono both visits LetsRun.com and is impressed by German. *Photos: The
Press Conference
*MB Thread: Fernandez is in a boot but running
World XC Video: Interviews With Some Of America's Stars Who says "dreams don't become reality?" Ed Moran ran over 25 minutes for his first 5k, now he's representing America. Julie Culley gave up her dream to coach, now she's representing America. Plus an interview with NCAA 5k champ Bobby Curtis.
Friday Update #1: The Course Is "Brutal" Rojo has returned from the Friday morning course tour and it's certainly going to be a challenge. Kim Smith called it "brutal." A 200 meter uphill start followed by a narrow, sharp turn, followed by 600 meters downhill. Then you gotta go back up and repeat several times. *Photos: The
Course
(and Fernandez running on it)
Rojo Interviews The US Team/Sees German Fernandez Running
The photo above (of German Fernandez running in Jordan) should put to rest all the fears that America's new wonderkid won't race at the World XC Champs on Saturday in Jordan. LetsRun.com's Rojo had dinner with the US team and has video interviews with two runners who have definitely seem their dreams become reality (Ed Moran and Julie Culley) and NCAA 5k champ (Bobby Curtis).
Rojo's Blog: Installment #4: "In America, Everyone Is Alone" LetsRun.com's Rojo chronicles his journeys in Jordan. We highly recommend his blog installment #1.
*Latest Photo Gallery US, Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Australian teams in training, plus some Dead Sea photos.
Wejo Responds To Criticism Of Letsrun's Lisbon/Kara Goucher Coverage Plus a correction to our article.
Excellent Read
LRC Is In Amman Rojo: The Flight And Day 1 *Photos
Rojo's in the Middle East and already having a great time. In his first blog, he talks about wishing he were Canadian, getting pulled over by the cops, driving backwards on a highway, picking up a hitchhiker
and trying to talk Bobby Curtis out of taking a cab to Iraq.
International Results
- Micah Kogo Breaks 10k World Best In Brunssum Holland Kogo got the bronze at 10k last year at the Olympics and had run 27:07 on the roads in 2006.
- Prague Half Marathon Report (Course Records Fall)
- Deena Kastor Wins Over Tera Moody In Her Return
- Ethiopians Dominate Ukrop's 10k -Dan Browne 4th In 28:50
- S. Africa Caster Semenya's Bid To Break 2 Comes Up Short As She Runs 2:05 For 800
LRC: Stanford Invite Distance Carnival Recap
*Results Arkansas' Shawn Forrest got a dominating 5k win in
13:28 over US Olympian Jonathan Riley (13:38).
Olympians Jen
Rhines (4:18.96) and Ian Dobson (3:46.36) and NCAA 5k champ Chris Solinsky (3:43.36) all ran and lost. 2004 Olympian Kate O'Neill won the 10k in 33:02.
African News From Worlds
- Profile On Florence Kiplagat, Kenya's First World XC Female Champ In 15 Years (And A Recent Mother)
- Kenyan Newspaper Article: Defectors, Traitors Bite The Dust
- Profile On Junior World XC Champ Ayele Abshero (His Brother Is A 2:08 Marathoner)
Non-Africans At World XC
- Japanese Junior Women Take 3rd At Worlds
- Portugal Got Only European Medal At World XC
- Stephanie Twell Turns To The Track After Sub-Par Performance At World XC
- Ian Stewart Says UK Needs To Focus On Track To Do Better At World XC
Usain Bolt Donates Fire Equipment To Jamaican Schools
Chicago 2016? USOC And IOC To Meet Over Olympic Big Word is Chicago's bid is in some trouble after the USOC shake-up and the economic meltdown. Chicago is the only city whose bid is largely sponsored by private companies - private companies whose cash flow has significantly diminished.
More World XC News
- Florence Kiplagat Wins World XC, Passes Out The Nation.co.ke
- Proof Kenyans Want Men's Individual Title The Most: Kenyan Paper Talks About Men's Race In Very Negative Light They did win the men's team title.
- Editorial: What Does The Future Hold For World XC? East African Standard
- Quotes From Team USA From World XC
PreRace
*Fernandez's OSU Teammate Daniel Watts Writes A Firsthand Account On His Incredible Teammate
*Kenya Ready For Clean Sweep - Great Photo
*Article On Kenyans Like Hilda Kibet Competing For Other Countries
*Nice Article On Ryan Gregson From Australian Paper
*Bahrain And Qatar Looking To End African Dominance ... With Africans
Jeremy Wariner Profile In Dallas Morning News: Wariner Not Used To Being #2 He still doesn't want to hear it, but we'll repeat it: he never should have switched coaches in 2008.
Goucher And Hall Represent America's Best Chances In Boston In A Long, Long Time
Around The World
*Austrian Triathlon Champion Speaks Out After Caught Doping: "You Have To Lie"
*Baddeley Ready To Face The Africans (Not In Amman, Though)
*Interview With Olympic Champ Valerie Vili's Coach
*Ridiculous: Liu Xiang May Be Sued By Accident Victim Because He Endorsed The Car
Kenyans Love XC: "We have been working on team tactics and we know how we will play around with the opposition in Amman." - Florence Kiplagat in a great article about her career, life, marriage
*Great Interview With American Mid-D Star And Brown Alum Anna Willard Her new coach Terrence Mahon thinks she has great potential in the steeple and 1,500m and we agree. It sounds like they are a great match.
*Brief Chat With Villanova's Indoor NCAA 5k Runner-Up Frances Koons
*Steve Hooker Talks About Returning To His Roots
Chambers Invited To Dutch Meet
*Quote From Dutch Meet Director On Dwain Chambers
WADA Says Soccer Heads Are Ignoring Reality Of Drugs In Sport
Fantastic Read On Living Legend Roger Bannister On His 80th Birthday
LRC World XC Coverage
Below is our pre-race coverage. We'll have more post-race coverage, but you can watch the races online here, and see photos here.
Friday: The Press Conference, German Fernandez and His Injury and Saif Shaheen The world record holder Shaheen apparently has caught Fernandez mania, saying, "German Fernandez, LetsRun.com, German Fernandez, LetsRun.com." Surreal.
Thursday: Rojo Interviews The US Team / Sees German Fernandez Running Story plus video interviews with Bobby Curtis, Ed Moran, and Julie Culley.
*Installment #4: "In America, Everyone Is Alone"
Wednesday: Analyzing German Fernandez's Chances For A Medal: History Says He'll Have His Hands Full
Tuesday: Rojo's Blog: The Flight And Day 1 A fascinating read on driving backwards down the highway, US team member Bobby Curtis possibly taking a cab to Iraq, 11 espressos, and much more.
Photos: *Photos Of The Teams Practicing *Rojo's Blog Photos
Our Top 4 Running Events Of The Weekend
1. World XC - #1 by a long-shot.
2. Stanford Invitational - Collegiates and pros go for early season PBs.
3. Shamrock Shuffle 8k - The return of Deena.
4. Ukrop's Monument Avenue (10k)
Did we miss anything big?