AMMAN, Jordan (CNN) — Gebreegziabher Gebremariam kept the men’s individual title at the world cross country championships in Ethiopia after winning a sprint finish to Saturday’s championship in Jordan. Gebremariam crosses the line first to claim gold in the world cross country championships.

Gebremariam crosses the line first to claim gold in the world cross country championships.

Gebremariam took gold ahead of Ugandan Moses Kipsiro and Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea after a testing 12 kilometers over a course at the Bisharat Golf Course in Amman.

He crossed the finishing line in 35 minutes and two seconds, two seconds clear of Kipsiro and 2007 champion Tadese who had the same time, putting daylight between himself and the other medal winners on a sharp rise before the run in to the finish.

Gebremariam succeeds compatriot Kenenisa Bekele as the winner of what is rated as the most competitive race in distance running.

Six-time champion Bekele, the world record holder for 5,000 and 10,000 meters, was forced to sit out the race through injury.

Kenya’s main hopes for the individual title faded in the closing stages but they still retained the coveted team title from Ethiopia.

Earlier, Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat sprinted past compatriot Linet Masai in the closing straight to win the women’s title over eight kilometers.

Masai, who also finished runner-up last year in Edinburgh, could not hold off Kiplagat in the race for the line.

Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu took the bronze medal behind the Kenyan pair.

Last year’s winner Tirunesh Dibaba did not race through injury as Kenya took the team title. Dibaba’s sister Genzebe won the women’s junior race which was held over six kilometers and is a recognized breeding ground for future world and Olympic champions with Britain’s Paula Radcliffe a past winner.

Ayele Abshero of Ethiopia won the junior men’s race as African runners enjoyed a clean sweep of the major titles.

Ethiopia, Kenya share spoils at world cross-country

AMMAN (AFP) — Athletics powerhouses Ethiopia and Kenya shared the spoils at the World Cross-Country Championships here on Saturday as African runners swept the medals board.

Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam made up for the absence of compatriot Kenenisa Bekele, the defending champion and multi-medal winner, to win the senior men’s event.

With Ethiopia’s defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba also absent in the women’s race, Florence Kiplagat claimed the first victory for Kenya since Hellen Chepngeno in 1994.

Kenya topped Ethiopia in the overall team podiums for both events, Eritrea taking third in the men’s and Portugal in the women’s.

In testing conditions around a largely clay course at the Bisharat Golf Course that featured a range of differing gradients and a strong headwind in places, both senior races came down to dramatic sprint finishes.

Gebremariam clocked 35min 02sec over the men’s 12km course, with Ugandan Moses Kipsiro and 2007 champion Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea both timed at 2sec off the pace.

Up until the half-hour mark, there had been a leading group of 12 runners, but that was cut to six as the pace was upped, Qatar’s Saif Saaeed Shaheen and Kenyan Moses Mosop two notable casualties.

Gebremariam made his mark in the final 50 metres of the gruelling ascent that led to the run-in to the finish line, keeping enough in reserve to out-pace the chasing pack.

“I didn’t know until I crossed the finish line that I had won. But the pace of the race was easy for me and I knew I had a good finish in me,” Gebremariam said, adding that the Ethiopia team had been confident despite Bekele’s absence.

“We won gold when he competed last year and we won gold today. We, as a team, have full confidence and we are afraid of no-one. We fight and we’re happy to have got some medals.”

Earlier in the day, Kiplagat also showed the value of keeping something in reserve when she surged past compatriot Linet Masai over the final strength-sapping 150 metres.

Masai, the silver medallist at the worlds in Edinburgh last year, had taken the lead after 16 minutes of the race and held onto it up through the final punishing ascent of the 8km course to the flat run-in to the finish line.

Cruelly, Masai had left herself too much to do and she faded as Kiplagat sprinted past her in a dramatic finale, clocking a winning time of 26min 13sec.

Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu claimed bronze to prevent a clean sweep by Kenya.

“I did not expect to win,” said Kiplagat. “Kenya have not won since Hellen Chepngeno in 1994.

“The course was hilly and tough and I had to battle all the way.

“I hope the gold remains with us next year even if Tirunesh returns.”

Masai said she had been disappointed at burning out in the final stretch but acknowledged that it was good the Kenyan team had got the monkey off their back by winning the event.

“I was certain I had won and then I was second,” she said of her meltdown in the run-in.

“But as long as Kenya win then I’m happy. We’ve been hoping to break through in this event.”

There was Ethiopian joy in the junior races: defending champion Genzebe Dibaba retained her title while compatriot Ayele Abshero took the junior men’s crown.

Dibaba, 18, timed 20:14 over a 6km course, finishing ahead of Kenyan Mercy Cherono and her compatriot Jackline Chepgnego.

“I am extremely happy that I won, even without my sister Tirunesh here to watch,” Dibaba said of her sister’s absence.

“I am happier with my win this year than last year because this race was extremely difficult with the competitors and the course was more than we could handle.”

In the men’s race, Abshero went one better than the worlds in Edinburgh last year – when he won silver – this time claiming gold in a time of 23:26.

Kenyan Titus Mbishei was second and Uganda’s Moses Tibet won a sprint finish for third.