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December 2009
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Interview with Sergiy Lebid |
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Sergiy Lebid - six European Cross Country
titles
Sergiy
Lebid is the only male athlete to have competed in all 12 SPAR European Cross
Country Championships since the first in1994 and he has won the title six
times. Here, he speaks about his
experiences at the event.
"The
European Cross Country Championships is a special event for me as I have always
been successful. Even from a young age
it always felt easy to run well at the championships and I developed a
tradition of winning. I enjoy cross
country because you don't run so many laps as on the track and supporters are
closer, right next to the course."
In 1994, in
the first Championships in Alnwick (GBR), Lebid finished 79th while
still a junior (junior races were introduced in 1997). In 1995 the Championships were again held in
Alnwick and he improved to 11th.
"In 1994 I
was injured and could not run for two weeks before the event. I was in good shape prior to that but the
injury meant that I could not run well.
In 1995 the Championships were on the same course so I was able to use
the lessons that I had learnt in 1994, it was easier to run well and the result
was much better."
In 1996 he
finished 58th in the mud of Charleroi (BEL).
"1996 was
the same story as 1994, I was injured before the championships. It was cold, muddy and a hard race and I
simply wasn't well prepared."
Lebid's
first medal came in 1997 in Oeiras (POR).
He finished third, just four seconds behind winner Carsten Jörgensen (DEN) and three seconds behind Claes Nyberg (SWE) who took
the Silver medal.
"If I had to choose one championship that was more special than the
others, I would say 1997 - winning your first medal always stays in your
heart."
Since that
year, Lebid has only failed to finish on the podium once, in Velenje (SLO) in
1999 when he was seventh. He took the
Gold in 1998 in Ferrara (ITA), the Silver in 2000 in Malmö (SWE) and since 2001
has been unbeatable in the event, winning Gold in Thun (SUI), Medulin (CRO),
Edinburgh (GBR), Heringsdorf (GER) and Tilburg (NED).
"In 1998 I
was in very good shape but did not go into the race really intent on
winning. But during the race the
circumstances and the feeling were right.
I felt strong and I was able to win my first title, and it really felt
quite easy.
"1999 was
not a good experience. We flew from the Ukraine to Budapest
and then had to take a bus to Slovenia
after waiting for two hours. We only
arrived in Velenje at 6am on the day of the race. I was simply too tired and I could not run as
I should have been able to given the shape I was in.
"In 2000 I
had a small injury. Before the race I
thought I could win but it didn't work out.
But I was happy with second place.
And from 2001 on I never made any more mistakes. I always started the race in good condition and
therefore was able to win.
"The build
up to the 2004 race in Heringsdorf was
tough though. I was training in the
south of Russia,
it was minus 10 degrees and there was so much snow. For 20 days I could only run on the track and
I became dizzy from going round and round.
I was so happy to arrive in Heringsdorf and be able to run on a loop
that was longer that 400m!"
Lebid plans
to aim for a seventh title in the Italian town of San Giorgio su Legnano in
2006.
"For sure I will go for a seventh title as the next Championships are in Italy, which is
my second home. When I am there, I live just 15 kilometres away from where the
event will take place."
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