Edris Muktar & Afera Godfey win Cinque Mulini Cross Country

Ethiopia got a winning double at the 81st edition of the famous Cinque Mulini Cross Country race in the Italian town of San Vittore Olona, an IAAF Cross Country Permit Meeting, with 2012 World Junior Championships 5000m gold medallist Muktar Edris and his compatriot Afera Godfay taking the honours on Sunday.

Edris came out on top of a hard-fought battle over 10.3km with Kenya’s 18 year-old Albert Rop by just one second, 30:08 to 30:09. In the women’s 6.45km race, Godfay was a more decisive winner in 21:56, beating Kenya’s Eunice Kales by 16 seconds.

Godfay gallops home

The women’s race saw Godfay, Kales and Italian runners Touria Samiri and Valeria Roffino break away during the first short lap.

Roffino was the first runner to be dropped during the second larger lap and the African pair then left Samiri behind before before Godfay surged away just before 4km.

The young Ethiopian had a gap of four seconds over Kales at the bell and went on to increase her lead steadily during the last lap.

Leading results:

Men 
1. Muktar Edris (ETH) 30:08
2. Albert Rop (KEN) 30:09
3. Bernard Rotich (KEN) 30:41

Women
1. Afera Godfay (ETH) 21:56
2. Eunice Kales (KEN) 22:12
3. Touria Samiri (ITA) 22:45

Read more at IAAF.org