Foto: Tadej ŽivkoOn Sunday, 11 December, European Cross Country Championships took place for the second time in history in Velenje. A record number of 479 runners gathered. The peak of the day were no doubt the two senior competitions, where the European champion title was won by the Belguim Atelaw Bekele and Fionnuala Britton from Ireland. Bekele started the run really fast and gained a big advantage before the followers, the advantage that he kept also in the hardest last two laps and was enough to become the new European champion. Britton finished her last year’s championships rather sadly on the fourth place and therefore wanted a victory this year. She also was practically in the lead throughout the entire race and thus made her dream come true.The biggest disappointment of the cross country running was for sure Serhiy Lebid, who wanted to win his tenth title, but started already at the end of the main group, then tried to catch up upon the leader. When he realised he can’t win the title, he decided to step down.
Among teams Great Britain and Northern Ireland team was no doubt the strongest this year, winning six gold medals, five silver and one bronze.
You can see the official results here.
