World just left to marvel at Bekele

Athletics: It's unbelievable, the way this World Cross Country has gone. Some of the hardest races to win made to look ridiculously easy. Everywhere an African pearl. Europeans left shaking the heads and in oxygen debt. The Irish hardly even registering anymore.

To top it, the entire world is left marvelling again at Kenenisa Bekele. Again, because the Ethiopian successfully doubled in the long and short course races, for the third consecutive year. Yesterday's win in the 12km race was breathtaking for everyone except himself. To him it seemed like a Sunday stroll around the city's Ossegem Park.

There were 12 titles on offer in Brussels between individual and team races and Ethiopia won nine of them. Two more went to Kenya, their women's short race winner Edith Masai and their junior men's team. The one other - and the only big surprise of the weekend - went to Benita Johnson of Australia, the women's long course winner and before now best known in these parts as training partner to Sonia O'Sullivan.

Where all this African dominance left the Irish doesn't make for pretty reading. Green vests were found trailing a long way behind Bekele yesterday, led by Mark Kenneally in 72nd place, three spots ahead of Peter Mathews. And the team's 17th place finish was as disappointing an Irish show as witnessed in this event.

On Saturday, Alistair Cragg did at least confirm his huge potential with his 16th place finish in the 4km short course race. At 23, it was the first step into this level of competition for the former South African and it proved he is within touching distance of the world's best. Only two Europeans finished ahead of him, and the rest were mostly from Ethiopia, Kenya or Qatar - the latter basically being an extra team of Kenyans.

In the immediate aftermath Cragg seemed disappointed, but later admitted he had to be "satisfied" after something that was a lot different than the American collegiate scene.

"I know I came here with unrealistic expectations. But I had to put myself out there to get the experience I wanted. I'm just sorry I didn't get a little closer to the front at the start.

"And everyone just kept hammering and by the time they settled down the main bunch were already 30 metres ahead. So it was tough. I had to work very hard just to keep my place.

"But that was the real deal. They don't come any better than these guys. Now I can go back and assess a little better where I am right now.

"So we'll come back next year and the year after and we'll see."

If Cragg was a little ways off his aspirations, the other Irish were off a lot further. Conditions on Saturday - a driving wind and rain to go with the demanding course - appeared to upset the plans of Catherina McKiernan. She ran tough to finish in 30th place, but deep down she had expected more.

"My secret ambition was to sneak into the top 10 or top 15," said McKiernan, now 34 and a 10-time World Cross Country participant. "But I didn't like that course. I know people seem to think I run better where there's muck and dirt. But the four medals I won here before were in dry conditions and I like the dry conditions.

"So I just had to put the head down and run as hard as I could. But I think I'm in better shape than that, so I'll take the positives out of it. Two years ago I couldn't have cared if I ever ran again, but at least I'm hungry for it again."

Rosemary Ryan was the next best Irish finisher in 48th place, but overall the team was well off the pace, finishing 11th.

So the only other positive thing came from the 24-year-old Johnson, who paid tribute to Sonia O'Sullivan after upsetting the best laid Ethiopian hopes to claim gold in the 8km race.

"Sonia has been a great help to me," said Johnson, fourth last year and also coached by O'Sullivan's partner, Nic Bideau. "We train together and motivate each other and I know we can both be gold medallists at the Olympics this summer. I want to win the 10,000 metres and Sonia can win that 5,000 metres."

Johnson briefly considered the double in yesterday's short course race, but instead settled on a few beers on Saturday night. So when a big crowd returned to Ossegem Park yesterday all eyes were on Bekele, and what a show he delivered. If Saturday's short course win came easy, then the 12km race was like playing a trick. He sat back and tempted the others before cruising off with his powerful rhythm a lap and a half from home. He won by 18 seconds from team-mate Gebre Gebremariam.

"Even if I never run again I'll be happy," said Bekele, who sadly for the rest of the world is still just 21. "I've made history for myself and my family."

Finally, best of the Irish on the junior men's side was Mark Christie in 43rd place, the fifth best European and five places up on Andrew Ledwith.