Kipruto and Shimket defend Cinque Mulini crowns

Matthew Kipruto and Yenenesh Shimket will defend their Cinque Mulini titles when the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting is held in San Vittore Olona on Sunday, 23 November.

Kenya’s Kipruto, the world U20 cross-country bronze medalist, will return to Italy one week on from finishing third in the Cross Country Tour Gold race over 8km in Soria.

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This time his competition in the 8.2km contest will include home star Iliass Aouani, who claimed marathon bronze at the World Championships in Tokyo, and his Italian compatriots Pietro Arese and Osama Zoghlami.

When he discovered that the last Italian winner of the men’s race was Alberto Cova in 1986, Aouani told organisers: “I'm coming to win.”

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Joining them on the start line will be Eritrea’s Saymon Amanuel, who finished fourth last year in San Vittore Olona, and Ethiopia’s Adehena Kasaye, a two-time world cross-country relay silver medallist.

Ethiopia’s Shimket leads the field for the women’s 6.2km race. Last year she clinched victory ahead of Sheila Jebet and home favourite Nadia Battocletti, but this time both Jebet and Olympic and world 10,000m silver medalist Battocletti have decided to race at the Cross Country Tour Gold event in Atapuerca taking place on the same day.

Instead, Shimket will face Burundi’s Elvanie Nimbona, who finished fourth at the Cinque Mulini last year, and Kenya’s Sharon Chepkemoi. Italian athletes in action include Micol Majori and Gaia Colli.

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By World Athletics