NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 18 – Kenya’s Pamela Kosgei won bronze at the ongoing World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia as Ethiopia collected gold and silver.
Kosgei timed 0:21:01 to finish third, behind winner Senayet Getachew (0:20:55) and Medina Eisa (0:21:00), who finished second.
The Kenyans begun the race on a strong note , with Kosgei, World Under 20 3000m steeplechase champion Faith Cherotich and Joyline Chepkemoi forming part of an 11-athlete leading pack that included five Ethiopians and three Ugandans.
In the second lap, Getachew, Eisa, Kosgei and Cherotich soon broke away from the rest of the pack, determined to get onto the three podium places up for grabs.
With the finish line in sight, it seemed Kosgei had just about enough in the task to clinch a first-ever title at the international level but these dreams were nipped in the bud by a powerful surge from Getachew.
Kosgei, younger sister to world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, had to settle for third as a re-energised Eisa surged forward for silver.
In the first race of the day, the quartet of world 3000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, 2021 World Under 20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi , Brenda Chebet and Kyumbe Munguti earned Kenya it’s first medal at the global showpiece when they clocked 0:23:14 to clinch the mixed relay race.
Ethiopia clocked 0:23:21 in second as Australia came third in 0:23:26.
