Spain's Lamdassem returns to form ahead of Velenje
The 2010 SPAR European Cross Country Championships silver medallist Ayad Lamdassem secured his place in the Spanish team going to this year's event in the Slovenian city of Velenje on 11 December when he finished second at the 18th Cross Internacional de Soria on Sunday.
The IAAF Cross Country Permit race was one of the Spanish federation's selection events for the 2011 SPAR European Cross Country Championships and Lamdassem had an outstanding run to finish just five seconds adrift of the Kenyan winner and 2011 World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist Vincent Chepkok.
Chepkok pushed hard about three-quarters of the way into the 10km race but Lamdassem hung on well and moved away from his rivals for second place on the podium 400m from home to cross the line in 29:53, with Chepkok having stopped the clock in 29:48.
The race will be a big boost to Lamdassem's morale with just three weeks to go to this year's championships.
He missed all of the summer through injury and had not raced since April until he finished seventh at another Spanish IAAF Cross Country Permit race in Atapuerca a week ago.
Javier Guerra, who has been a member of the Spanish teams at the last two SPAR European Cross Country Championships, picking up a team gold medal in 2009 and a bronze medal last year, finished fourth in 30:27 to also clinch a place on the Spanish team going to Velenje.
In the women's race, the first European runner home was Spain's Estela Navascués who finished third in 28:15 over the 8km course but the convincing winner was Kenya's 2011 World Championships marathon silver medallist Priscah Jeptoo, who won in 27:28.
The IAAF Cross Country Permit race was one of the Spanish federation's selection events for the 2011 SPAR European Cross Country Championships and Lamdassem had an outstanding run to finish just five seconds adrift of the Kenyan winner and 2011 World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist Vincent Chepkok.
Chepkok pushed hard about three-quarters of the way into the 10km race but Lamdassem hung on well and moved away from his rivals for second place on the podium 400m from home to cross the line in 29:53, with Chepkok having stopped the clock in 29:48.
The race will be a big boost to Lamdassem's morale with just three weeks to go to this year's championships.
He missed all of the summer through injury and had not raced since April until he finished seventh at another Spanish IAAF Cross Country Permit race in Atapuerca a week ago.
Javier Guerra, who has been a member of the Spanish teams at the last two SPAR European Cross Country Championships, picking up a team gold medal in 2009 and a bronze medal last year, finished fourth in 30:27 to also clinch a place on the Spanish team going to Velenje.
In the women's race, the first European runner home was Spain's Estela Navascués who finished third in 28:15 over the 8km course but the convincing winner was Kenya's 2011 World Championships marathon silver medallist Priscah Jeptoo, who won in 27:28.
