36th edition of the BOclassic – New Year’s Eve Run in Bozen/Bolzano (Italy) – Decision by inch in favour of Cheruiyot and Merga

The 36th edition of the BOclassic, international New Year's Eve Run in Bozen/Bolzano (Italy) under African control. Two super exciting runs were decided on the final sprint. This has not happened before in the 35-year-old history of BOclassic. With world champion Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) and Imane Merga (Ethiopia), the two world best 5000-m-runner of the world 2010.

After three victories in a row, the olympic third Edwin Soi had to admit defeat to Imane Merga. Winner of this year's Diamond League, it took the Kenyan 28:32 minutes to run the 10 km track. However, Merga had to fight until the very end: double European campion Mo Farah was only 0.2 seconds behind. Titleholder Soi already showed sign of weakness at the beginning of the eight and last round. The Olympic third had to content himself with the third rank (+0.09). Andrea Lalli run a very courageous run: Italian's young star finished sixth behind Silas Kipruto (Kenya) and the US Scott Bauhs.

The 5000-m-world champion Vivian Cheruiyot provided for a expected victory over 5000m. However, the only 5.8-st-light runner from Kenya had difficulties with the unfamiliar cold – and with last year's winner Gedo Sule Utura. Already at half time of he run, the 27-year-old was clearly in front together with Utura and the WC third Prisca Jepleting Cherono. Jepleting dropped behind about 160 yd before the finishing line. Utura and Cheruiyot were neck and neck until the finishing line.

At the end, a tenth of a second, or better some inches in favor of Cheruiyot were decisive. About 15,000 spectators bordered the 1.25-km-long track of the allegedly best cast New Year's Eve Run of the world. The victories of Cheruiyot and Merga were successes number 31 and 32 for the Afican running wonders in Bozen/Bolzano.

Dr. Markus Kaserer

Results

Men (10 km):

1. Imane Merga (ETH ) 28:32.6; 2. Mohamed Farah (GBR) 28:32.8; 3. Edwin Soi (KEN) 28:41.6; 4. Silas Kipruto (KEN)  29:15.0; 5. Scott Bauhs (USA) 29:16.1; 6. Andrea Lalli (ITA) 29:21.5; 7. Ahmed El Mazoury (ITA) 29:52.1; 8. Vasily Matvichuk (UKR) 29:56.0; 9, Giovanni Gualdi (ITA) 29:56.5; 10. Serhiy Lebid (UKR) 30:04.1.

Women (5 km):

1. Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 15:52.7;  2. Gedo Sule Utura (ETH) 15:52,8; 3. Priscah Jepleting Cherono (KEN) 15:59.6; 4. Aniko Kalovics (HUN ) 16:17.2; 5. Ana Dias (POR) 16:20.6; 7. Christelle Daunay (FRA ) 16:24.5; 8. Silvia Weissteiner (ITA) 16:45.9; 9. Sonja Roman (SLO) 16:49.4; 10. Agnes Tschurtschenthaler (ITA) 17:03.3.

Full results: https://www.boclassic.it/de/cms/57.htm