IAAF World Cross-Country Championships, Punta Umbria, Spain, March 20

The next big event on the international athletics calendar is the World Cross-Country Championships to be held this weekend in Spain and more precisely at Punta Umbria. So let's get started a thread on this coming event by way of the draft entry-list:

http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/95/29/20110315102353_httppostedfile_at-------.el1_23821.pdf

Sebastian Coe and Wilson Kipketer, two all-time middle distance legends who have dominated like no other and have set four world records between them over 800m but in different eras, enjoyed a very rare chance to encounter each other on the very course that will host the World Cross Country Championships races tomorrow.

The Kenyan-turned-Dane three times world champion finished well ahead over a charity 4km race while the two-time Olympic champion over 1500m Brit shared a tour round the course in the company of former Olympic marathon champion Rosa Mota, Portugal.

At the end of the race, Fermin Cacho, the Spaniard who stormed to a startling Olympic 1500m crown in Barcelona 1992 against the odds, was there to greet Coe with a warm embrace - beautiful moments from spectacular athletes.

http://www.supersport.com/athletics/running/news/110319/Kipketer_sees_off_Coe_for_charity

Here are the running results from the World Cross-Country Champs in Spain:

http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/results/eventCode=4527/index.html

I've got to say that Charlotte Purdue turned in a superb display to battle her way to 14th overall and top European, second non-African behind third-placed American Shalane Flanagan, in 26:03 on her senior international debut on the country and still at 19 years of age!

Well done to her, she's been progressing by leaps and bounds since last summer as she has managed to put her injury worries to bed and knit together a long healthy racing and training spell, reaping the rewards on the way.

Hattie Dean was a solid 21st behind for a promising outing to help Britain make an overall 5th in the team standings, with Stevie Stockton coming 3rd Brit in 37th in 27:06.

Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot and Linet Chepkwemoi Masai made a one-two at the top for the Kenyans with Flanagan turning equal to her promise and split the African girls for a superb bronze.

There was a fabulous performance also by Emelia Gorecka who came top European and non-African in 15th place in 20:03 in the U20 women's race and she's still eligible for the age group over the next couple of years!

Annabel Gummow and Louise Small turned excellent showings in 22nd and 29th to push the British team into an overall 5th place in the team standings.

Of course, Dame Kelly Holmes proved spot-on to claim that Charlotte Purdue would finish high up in the field prior to the race:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/athletics/2011/03/20/charlotte-purdue-backed-for-world-glory-by-kelly-holmes-115875-23002282/

I'm intrigued by the Bahrainian ladies team who finished 4th. They've never had a junior team that I can find reference to, and only had their first senior team last year. Are they all africans who've transferred?

Here are yesterday's races at the World Cross-Country Champs as seen through the 'eyes' of IAAF:

http://www.iaaf.org/wxc11/index.html