Coach Ed Grant's World Cross Country Championships Report:

Brussels, Belgium (March 21) -- The gods of cross-country sent their worst, with howling winds and a sponge-like course punctuated with pools of mud, but the newest deity of the sport, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, responded with unperturbed excellence.

For the third year running, Bekele won both the short-course (4K) and long-course (12K) men's championships, in respective times of 11:31 and 35:52.

Bekele's dominance of both races was equalled only by that of the Ethiopian teams, who won the men's and women's long-course and short-course titles, and the women's junior, only losing a close (20-25) battle with Kenya for the men's junior title. East Africans, including those Kenyans now running for Qatar, were absolutely dominant in all events.

The sole non-African champion was Australia's Benita Johnson in the women's long course (8K), in a time of 27:17. Running through a driving rain and wind, Johnson pulled away from a pack of Ethiopian and Kenyan runners at the 6K mark and never looked back.

The course was described by Mark Wetmore, coach of the Colorado Buffaloes and of the USA men's junior team here, as atypical for world championship events. Many of these races have taken place at horse racing facilities, utilizing the infields and turf tracks, with artifical inclines and obstacles such as hay bales.

The 2000-meter track used this weekend was purer cross-country. Situated in Park Laaken, between the world-famous Atomium (1958 World's Fair) and the King's private gardens, the course was a true test. The first 800M was uphill, and well-saturated by strong storms that swept through coastal Europe on Friday and Saturday evenings. ankle-deep mud prevailed by the time of Sunday's finale, the men's 12K. Winds, which clocked up to 100K per hour overnight, swirled throughout the competition at lower speeds, and intermittent rain added to the festivities, particularly on Saturday.

Yet fans will forget the weather long before they forget Bekele's three-peat at both distances. Bekele, who outpaced countryman Haile Gebressalaise in the epic 10,000 at the 2003 World Athletics Championships, looked entirely relaxed and in control throughout both races. The lead pack in the 12K went out strongly, which seemed the order of the day in all events. Bekele's only concession to the pace and the conditions was a "slow" 6th lap of 6:06. But he hardly looked like he was slowing down, as he took over towards the end of lap 5 and had seriously gapped the lead pack by the time they turned for the last charge up the opening hill.

Fans of Yale track and field will be pleased to know that the O'Neill twins Kate (15th in 28:37) and Laura (38th in 29:27) acquitted themselves well in the women's 8K, bookending a USA team that finished 5th. Shalene Flanaganm, the red-shirting North Carolina star, showed that training for the Olympics might just pass through a test such as this, placing 14th in the women's 4K.

In general, the top US distance runners in all categories passed up this event. Alan Webb, who qualified for the team, did not run. Bob Kennedy was a notable exception, running 44th in the 12K, a probable victim of the early pace. This is not to take away at all from those who did represent the United States, and did so well.

Your correspondent, who enjoyed the races in the company of Ed Grant, Sr., the dean of East Coast track and field writers, only hopes that future championships will see more participation by America's top long-distance stars. For a true test of strength against the world's best, and at least this year, the elements, the World Cross-Country Championships are hard to beat.

Complete team and individual results can be obtained through http://www.iaaf.org.

A Note on Track Etiquette

DCRRC shares the Washington-Lee track with other groups, as well as individual runners and walkers.  A few simple rules will keep us safe, avoid collisions, and allow athletes to run unimpeded.  

1. The Lane-One Rule (Part A): When you are running the "fast" (non-recovery) part of the workout, you "own" Lane One.  Faster runners will pass around you in Lane Two - and if you are one of those faster runners, swing out to Lane Two to pass.  It does not matter what your pace is - stick to Lane One.  
2. The Lane-One Rule (Part B): As a corollary to the first rule, keep Lane Two clear so that others may pass.  If you are running in a pack, still keep to Lane One; do not run two or three-abreast.  
3. The Recovery Rule:  Take your recovery jogs in Lane Four or on the inside of the track.  When returning to Lane One, always check behind you so that you do not cut others off.
4. Other Groups:  Try as we might, not all other groups using the track are as sensitive to these simple rules of Track Etiquette.  Politely remind others not to encumber the track if this becomes a problem.