{"id":6143,"date":"2025-11-17T08:58:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T01:58:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=6143"},"modified":"2025-11-17T08:59:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T01:59:00","slug":"kipsang-and-amebaw-win-in-contrasting-styles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/kipsang-and-amebaw-win-in-contrasting-styles\/","title":{"rendered":"Kipsang and Amebaw win in contrasting styles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kenya\u2019s Mathew Kipsang and Ethiopia\u2019s Likina Amebaw claimed victory at the Cross Internacional de Soria cross country held in the Spanish city of Soria in contrasting styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amebaw dominated the women\u2019s race, while world 5000m finalist Kipsang denied pre-race favourite Rodrigue Kwizera a fourth Soria victory after a dramatic final sprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The women\u2019s 8km began at a crawl: the opening 2km lap took 7:20 with Italy\u2019s Valentina Gemetto, Kenya\u2019s Sheila Jebet and Amebaw sharing the lead. Spain\u2019s Idaira Prieto briefly pushed to the front, but the pace barely lifted, the second lap clocking 7:11. About 200m into the third circuit, Amebaw finally injected real purpose, and only the 20-year-old Jebet could respond. A few seconds back ran Kenya\u2019s Noshin Kimuge, followed by Gemetto, Prieto and Spain\u2019s Mar\u00eda Ure\u00f1a.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amebaw\u2019s surge produced a 6:20 third loop, though Jebet held firm until about a mile from home, when the young Kenyan finally began to fade. Amebaw pressed on alone, covering the final lap in 6:14 and finishing unchallenged in 27:25, 30 seconds clear of Jebet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behind them, Gemetto and Prieto caught Kimuge before the bell. The Italian then broke away with little more than a kilometre left, and Prieto soon distanced Kimuge to claim fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSoria is my favourite cross-country race, so I\u2019m very pleased to take my second victory here,\u201d said Amebaw. \u201cIt\u00e1lica was very tough and recovery hasn\u2019t been easy, so I started conservatively. When I kicked, I was surprised Jebet stayed with me so long, but fortunately she couldn\u2019t follow on the last lap. The circuit is very similar to where I train, so I feel comfortable here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Likina Amebaw (Photo Cross Internacional de Soria)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

The men\u2019s 8km unfolded very differently. Kwizera set a brisk early pace, leading through the first 2km lap in 5:47 ahead of Spain\u2019s Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Ilias Fifa, plus Kenyans Kipsang, Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto, Naibei Kiplimo Mayebei and Edwin Kiplangat Bett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Midway through the second lap, world U20 cross-country bronze medallist Kipruto surged to the front, with Kwizera on his shoulder. The 5:52 lap trimmed the lead pack to Kipruto, Kwizera, Kipsang and Ndikumwenayo. The third lap, in 5:46, saw the four strung out in single file behind the still-leading Kipruto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the final 500m, three-time Soria champion Kwizera kicked hard. Kipruto and Ndikumwenayo lost ground, but Kipsang refused to budge. Kwizera still led with 200m remaining, yet Kipsang \u2014 despite slipping slightly on the downhill before the home straight \u2014 unleashed the superior track speed that carried him to a 7:33.23 PB for 3000m earlier this year. He swept past in the final metres to win by a single second, 23:10 to 23:11. Kipruto held off Ndikumwenayo for third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m doubly happy,\u201d said Kipsang. \u201cIt\u2019s my birthday and I\u2019ve won. I was third here last year, but my victory in Cardiff last weekend gave me confidence. I didn\u2019t want to set the pace; I saved everything for the finish and it paid off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Women (8km)<\/strong>
1 Likina Amebaw (ETH) 27:25
2 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 27:55
3 Valentina Gemetto (ITA) 28:11
4 Idaira Prieto (KEN) 28:19
5 Noshin Mandoi Kimuge (KEN) 28:33
6 Mar\u00eda Ure\u00f1a (ESP) 28:54<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men (8km)<\/strong>
1 Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (KEN) 23:10
2 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 23:11
3 Matthew Kipkpoech Kipruto (KEN) 23:13
4 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 23:13
5 Naibei Kiplimo Mayebei (KEN) 23:45
6 Ilias Fifa (ESP) 23:47<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kenya\u2019s Mathew Kipsang and Ethiopia\u2019s Likina Amebaw claimed victory at the Cross Internacional de Soria cross country held<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[50,280],"class_list":["post-6143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-athletics","tag-cross-country"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t