38th BOClassic New Year’s Eve run in Bozen/Bolzano Merga wins duel of world champions

In the 38th New Year’s Eve run in Bozen/Bolzano the duel between Kenya and Ethiopia ended in a tie. Cross Country World champion Imane Merga from Ethiopia won the duel against his compatriot Muktar Edris in a long finishing run. Record holder Serhiy Lebid finished surprisingly third. In the women’s run, World vice champion over 5000m, kenyan Sylvia Kibet won before two Ethiopian.

In the gripping duel between two world champions, the experienced Cross Country World Champion Imane Merga asserted himself against the world junior champion Muktar Edris. In the sixth of the eight rounds of the 10,000 m track the two Ethiopians broke away. Merga got the 300m long final spurt on and crossed the finishing line after 29:12, 4 tenth of a second before his compatriot.

This was Merga’s second victory after 2010 when he won over Mo Farah in the final spurt. The Olympic bronze medallist Thomas Longosiva from Kenya was weakened by a flu and had to give up in the second round. This was the first time since 2006 that Kenya was not able to win a podium place. Serhiy Lebid finished surprisingly third. The 37-year-old record holder Serhiy Lebid availed himself of the opportunity: the giving up of Longosiva and the slowest winning time since the BOclassic is to be held on the same track (1987) were very favourable for him. On the last 500m, Lebid was even able to surpass kenyan Silas Kipruto. This is the ninth podium rank for Lebid, and the first one since 2008. He won the Boclassic five times, the last time in 2004.

 

The 5km women’s run was in  strong African hand. At half time of the race, Sylvia Kibet as well as the two Ethiopian Afera Godfay and Worknesh Degefa broke away from the rest of the field. In the final spurt, Kibet profited from her experience. The 28-year-old world vice champion from Kenya won in 16:21 minutes. This is Kibet’s second victory after 2007. Similar to last year, Godfay finished second before the quite unknown Degefa. Local hero Silvia Weissteiner, who finished third in 2011, had to content herself with the fourth rank. Driven by Bozen/Bolzano’s enthusiastic audience, Weissteiner was able to come close to the front in the third of the four rounds. However, in the end there was no energy for a podium place.

 

Results

Men (10 km): 

1. Imane Merga (Ethiopia) 29:12.3; 2. Muktar Edris (Ethiopia) 29:12.7; 3. Sergej Lebid (Ucraine) + 0:18; 4. Scott Bauhs (USA) +0:20; 5. Silas Kipruto (Kenya) +0:20; 6. Stefano La Rosa (Italy) +0:23; 7. Ahmed El Mazoury (Italy) +o:57; 8. Yuri Floriani (Italy) +1:06; 9. Yassine Rachik (Italy) + 1:11; 10. Simone Gariboldi (Italy) +1:26; 14. Markus Ploner (Italy) +1:38; 18. Peter Lanziner (Italy) +2:06)

Women (5 km):

1. Sylvia Kibet (Kenya) 16:21; 2. Afera Godfay (Ethiopia) + 0:01; 3. Worhknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) + 0:03; 4. Silvia Weissteiner (Italy) + 0:20; 5. Margherita Magnani (Italy) +0:28; 6. Btissam Lakhouad (Morocco) + 0:32; 7. Angela Rinicella (Italy) +0:37; 8. Giulia Viola (Italy) +0:45; 9. Valeria Roffino (Italy) +0:55; 10. Sarah Sig Moller (Denmark) +0:56; 12. Agnes Tschurtschenthaler (Italy) +1:13.

 

For the complete finishing list see

Männer: https://services.datasport.com/2012/lauf/boclassic/RANG001.HTM

Frauen: https://services.datasport.com/2012/lauf/boclassic/RANG002.HTM