Athletics: Canada wins team bronze at world cross country running championships

March 21, 2004 BRUSSELS - Canada won the team bronze medal in the women’s four-kilometre race Sunday at the world cross country running championships.

Émilie Mondor of Mascouche, Que., led the Canadians in the race placing 13th in 13 minutes and 33 seconds. Mondor was eighth in Saturday’s eight kilometre race. Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont., was 17th in 13:41. Douma-Hussar won the silver medal earlier this month at the world indoor track and field championships in the 1,500 metre race.

‘’We couldn’t ask for much better,’’ said Mondor, 22, also one of Canada’s top middle distance runners on the track and on the road. ‘’The key for us now is that we have a program and that has created some team spirit. And when I talk about a team effort it’s not only the runners. I was still feeling the effects from yesterday’s race and I don’t think I could have gone out there again without the help of our coaches and team medical staff who helped me recover and get ready.’’

Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C., was 22nd, Tina Connelly of Port Coquitlam, B.C., 35th, Courtney Inman of Mount Lehman, B.C., 37th and Leah Pells of Coquitlam, B.C., 57th.

It’s Canada’s first medal at the cross country worlds since 1983 when the women were also third as a team. But back then Africa wasn’t a big factor in the competition.

‘’This is a young team and they are not intimidated by the competition,’’ said Martin Goulet, the director of endurance programs for Athletics Canada. ‘’Cross country is a powerful developmental tool for us in our plan to build strong runners on the track for events such as the Olympic Games.’’

Edith Masai of Kenya took the individual gold in 13:07. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia was second in 13:09 and her compatriot Teyba Erkesso third in 13:11. Ethiopia was first in the team standings followed by Kenya.

The men’s 12 kilometre race was won Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia who ended Kenya’s 18-year reign in the event. He clocked 35:52.

Joel Bourgeois of Grande-Digue, N.B., was 67th, Matt Johnson of Surrey, B.C., 81st, Jeremy Deere of Calgary 107th, Steve Osadiuk of Nanaimo, B.C., 110th, Taylor Murphy of Guelph, Ont., 111th and Michael Booth of Winnipeg 127th. The Canadians were 18th as a team.

In the men’s junior eight kilometre race, Meba Tadessa of Ethiopia won the gold medal in 24:01.

Henok Lechebo of Toronto was 22nd, Samuel Pawluk of Richmond, B.C., 73rd, David Wishart of Toronto 82nd, Chris Winter of North Vancouver 87th, Michael Woods of Ottawa 89th and Aaron Robson of Edmonton 97th. The Canadians placed 13th as a team.

From Athletics Canada.