Kalovics and Menjo cruise to victories in Albufeira

Lisbon, Portugal – Running in fantastic conditions, Hungary's Aniko Kalovics and Josphat Kiprono Menjo cruised to victory at the Almond Blossom Cross in Albufeira in southern Portugal’s Algarve.

Coming exactly two weeks before the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the 34th International Algarve Almond Blossom Cross Country is the last IAAF Cross Country Permit Meeting of 2011.

A strong women’s field resulted in a great race, despite the absence of pre-race favourite Eunice Jepkorir of Kenya. Running from the front throughout, Hungary’s versatile Aniko Kalovics illustrated solid form to win in 19:38:05, ahead of Ireland’s Fionnuala Britton, who was 4th at December’s European Cross Country Championship. The last podium spot went to local girl Ana Dias, the recent bronze medalist at the Portuguese Cross Country championships, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Anália Rosa, a former national Cross Country champion in both long and short races and the recent bronze medalist in the national road championship. They were the only two Portuguese to finish among the top eight.

2008 Olympic 3000m Steeplechase champion Gulnara Samitova – Galkina from Russia was the last women under 21 minutes over this six kilometre course.

Menjo takes third title

The men’s race was not so competitive as the women’s. Josphat Kiprono Menjo was clearly on another level and only had to produce a controlled race to win here for third time after victories in 2008 and 2009.

Leading results –
MEN (10.000 m)
1.  Josphat Kiprono Menjo KEN  30.21
2.  Manuel Damião POR  30.31
3.  Licínio Pimentel POR  30.38
4.  Marco Morgado POR  30.48
5.  José Rocha POR  30.54
6.  Nuno Costa POR  30.56
7.  Sergey Lukin RUS  31.17
8.  Manuel Ferraz POR  31.24

WOMEN (6.000 m)
1.  Aniko Kalovics HUN  19.38
2.  Fionnuala Britton IRL  19.43
3.  Ana Dias POR  20.07
4.  Anália Rosa POR  20.20
5.  Gulnara Samitova – Galkina RUS  20.29
6.  Cristina Holt FIN  20.54
7.  Inna Poluskina RUS  21.10
8.  Mira Tuominen FIN  21.15