Yomi Omogbeja (09/01/2005)

Ethiopia's Etalemahu Kidane has won the Reebok International Cross Country in Belfast.

The 21-year-old African 5000m champion resisted stiff challenge from American-born Irish woman Jolene Byrne, Italian Merima Denboba and compatriot Meselech Melkamu.

When it came down to a sprint finish at the end of the 5.9K, Kidane got the verdict by one second with Denboba and Melkamu awarded joint second place.

Her winning time of 20:26 got her a winner's purse of 5,000 USD, whilst both Denboba and Melkamu were timed at 20:27.

Ethiopian Workitu Ayanu was fourth in 20:34 and Ireland's Jolene Byrne came fifth in 20:44.

Non-African

The Irish woman took the race to the Africans and led for much of the way before finishing fifth.

Byrne, 27, said: "I had no idea what would happen out there against them and just started running at a good tempo.

"Normally I prefer to sit in - but here I found myself leading and just had to get on with it."

American Dathan Ritzenheim ended the African dominance in the men's race, as he became only the second non-African to have won the Stormont course.

Ritzenheim, 22, led from start to finish over his more fancied Kenyan rivals to score a runaway success over a muddy nine kilometre course at Stormont Castle in 29:26.

Kenya's Ernest Meil and Barnabas Kosgei finished second and third in 29:34 and 29:35 respectively.

Results

Men (9,810m)
1 Dathan Ritzenhein (USA) 29:26
2 Ernest Meli Kimeli (KEN) 29:34
3 Barnabas Kosgei (KEN) 29:35
4 Luke Kipkosgei (KEN) 29:43
5 Hillary Chenonge (KEN) 30:02
6 Mo Farah (GBR) 30:04
7 Claes Nyberg (SWE) 30:19
8 Gavin Thompson (GBR) 30:25

Women (5,930m)
1 Etalemahu Kidane (ETH) 20:26
2 Merima Denboba (ITA) 20:27
2 Meselech Melkamu (ETH) 20:27
4 Workitu Ayanu (ETH) 20:34
5 Jolene Byrne (IRL) 20:44
6 Freya Murray (GBR) 21:03
7 Helen Lawrence (GBR) 21:09
8 Sara Stevenson (GBR) 21:10