The Cardiff Cross Challenge once again enhanced its status as the UK’s premier Cross Country event on Saturday.

Thousands of competitors and spectators descended on Llandaff Fields as some of the world’s top athletes ran alongside domestic stars and grass roots club runners from the length and breadth of Britain.

In the senior races at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold Label event there was double glory for Uganda as Keneth Kiprop returned to retain his Cardiff Cross Challenge men’s title and Charity Cherop claimed the women’s crown.

There was a familiar look to the podium in the 9,600m men’s race as Kiprop claimed the win in 27:06, once again beating last year’s runner-up Vincent Mutai, of Kenya, into second place.

Mutai crossed the line in 27:08, ahead of Uganda’s Daniel Kibet, who stopped the clock in 27:15.

The top domestic finisher was Zak Mahamad (Southampton AC) whose seventh place in 27:36, gave him the honours in the first fixture of this year’s UK Athletics Cross Challenge series.

In the senior women’s race, Cheprop, produced an impressive performance to claim victory in 20:15, just ahead of Kenya’s Sheila Jebet in 20:16.

Third place overall went to Kate Axford (Belgrave Harriers) in 20:21, who took the win in the UK Cross Challenge race.

Just behind in fourth overall was the top Welsh finisher Cari Hughes (Cardiff Athletics), whose brilliant run saw her finish in 20:25.

Hughes, who hails originally from Angelsey, has happy memories of the Cardiff event having finished third in the Under-20 race in 2018.

The former Welsh 1500m champion went on to win gold for Great Britain in the under-20 team event at the European Cross Country Championships.

And Hughes is eyeing another crack at a GB vest with the next fixture in the UK Athletics Cross Challenge – the Liverpool Cross Challenge hosting the European Cross Country Championships trials in a fortnight.

A good performance on Merseyside could book a spot on the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the Euros in Antalya, Turkey in December.

After Saturday’s run, Hughes, who is now based in St Moritz with OAC Europe, said: “I’m super happy with that to be honest. I didn’t really know what to expect. Coming into the race, I wasn’t sure how fit I was, but yeah, it was really good just to blow the cobwebs off.

“I honestly had no clue what form I was in. My coach was saying that I was in good shape in training, but we’ve only been doing threshold and stuff, so coming out here and racing is a totally different game. I just gave it my all, like every race.”

On her prospect for the European trials, Hughes said: “We’ll see. There’s two weeks to go, a lot can happen. I’m just going go there and race a normal race and see what happens.”

“Hopefully I will make the team. That would be great. But you never know, Liverpool is always a super tough competition.”

Another Welsh athlete who will be looking to impress at Sefton Park in two weeks is Dafydd Jones (Swansea Harriers), who was the top Welsh finisher in the men’s senior race, coming home in an excellent 11th overall in 28:02.

Jones said afterwards: “I was really pleased with that. It’s my last target race before the Liverpool Cross Challenge. I wanted to come here, have a really solid race, probably not fully empty the tank, but give myself some confidence ahead of Liverpool.

“It was a really good field. There were a fair few Europeans here, a lot of the Dutch guys, and a fair few East Africans as well. So, I felt like it was a good field to compare myself to.

“I came out really well, ran strong and finished probably further up than I was expecting. I feel like I can go into Liverpool now with my head held high, and hopefully I can give it a really good shot to make the GB team for the European champs.”

Jones was full of praise for the Sportshoes.com sponsored Cardiff event, which is the only cross country race in the UK to hold the prestigious World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold Label.

“It’s actually really encouraging that Wales is putting on such a great cross country event,” said Jones.

“We’re putting on these events and getting some really top athletes here. I really appreciate having this on the doorstep and having a lot of people cheering my name along the course.

“It’s a really good course. I feel like every year it sort of changes, depending on the conditions. It was a fast course today, quite a few firm spots and few muddy spots. It’s testing, but it’s quick.”

There was another impressive Welsh performance in the women’s Under-17 and Under-20 race, contested over 4,450m.

Libby Hale (Swansea Harriers), who enjoyed an outstanding year on the track, finished second in the under-17 category, clocking 15:01 behind Isla McGowan (Banbury Harriers AC) who broke the tape in 14:51.

The under-20 race was once again dominated by the reigning European cross U20 champion Innes FitGerald (Exeter Harriers), who returned to take the title she won last year. This time winning the 4,450m race in 14:12 ahead of Lizzie Wellsted (Colchester Harriers) 14:42 and Zoe Gilbody (Telford AC) 14:46.

There was a thrilling end to the men’s Under-17 and Under-20 race where the 5,560m contest came down to a sprint finish, which was won by under-20 man William Rabjohns (Poole AC) fractionally ahead of under-17 athlete Matthew Clark (Preston Harriers) as both athletes clocked the same time.

Results: https://wales.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2024/GBR/ccc/event/

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