Burundian nationalized Spaniard Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Kenyan Beatrice Chebet win the 2024 Cross International of Itálica.
Burundi-born and nationalized Spanish runner Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Kenyan long-distance runner Beatrice Chebet are the two athletes who have won laurels and a plaque that recognizes them as winners of the 2024 International Cross-Tournament of Italy after two races of incredible beauty in the center of the Archaeological Complex of the ancient Roman city and competition.
Ndikumwenayo, who two years ago claimed the first Italica victory for national athletics since 1983, beat his former compatriot Rodrigue Kwizer, the 2021 event winner, and Ethiopian World Championships runner-up Beriha Aregawi in a thrilling sprint. end-to-end and big favorite of the Seville tests.
For her part, Chebet managed to get ahead of Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei and Uganda’s Charity Cherop in the women’s overall, who took the podium in the women’s cross-country.
SPORT, HERITAGE AND ECONOMIC VALUES
For Javier Fernandez, president of the Provincial Council of Seville, the Italian Cross “is not just about sport and not just about sporting values, which is obvious. present in this Cross. But this Cross allows us to add history, culture, tourism and the environment to it, making it the best cross in the world.”
“We at the Provincial Council are proud to once again be the hosts of this wonderful cross, all the people, athletes and the public who support us and convey their congratulations to the Organization and consider the Cross an event not to be missed. The elite athletes, who are the most demanding of infrastructure and equipment, are also happy and want to repeat this in Italica, and this speaks volumes and good things about the Organization, which this year extended the development of tests by two days, starting with the hands. ahead of the Spanish Club Ski Championships.”
According to Fernandez, “We have a record number of participants: almost 7,000 athletes and 20,000 people are physically in Santiponce enjoying this event during these two days of competition.
Although the Italian Cross usually highlights the elite of high-quality runners participating in the event, the truth is that Javier Fernandez has indicated that it is also a red event for all provincial sports. “Cross country is part of the provincial program where it is a revolution in provincial sport. All the clubs in the province are participating, the schools are determined to come to Italica, and I want to highlight the participation of the coaches and many physical education teachers who, from the first hour, think about the Cross.
“And this also generates the economy. Within a few days we invest economic resources, we invest in sports, but in the long run it also leads to economies of scale, whereby these investments flow back into the economic structure of the province for its development, especially in Santiponce, the metropolitan region and the capital, because “Many people spend the night here these days near the Cross.”
For his part, the President of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, Raúl Chapado, thanked the President and the Provincial Council “for the reception, and I also want to congratulate you because you have a wonderful team, the President, of people dedicated to their work and passionate about sport. . and people who want the best for all the athletes who come here to compete.”
“For us, Itálica is a party, a sports party, athletics. We have representatives from all over Spain, from different categories from SUB16 to Absolute, and this is also a very important event because, in addition to awarding the titles of Spanish champions in clubs in different categories, the selection that will represent Spain in December at the World Cross Country Championships . Therefore, we also have a responsibility to the athletes to offer an incomparable foundation that is also technically advanced for such preparation. “I leave very happy.”
Javier Fernandez also thanked his RFEA colleague “for the commitment to Seville, for the trust in Seville and for the decision to host the Spanish Team Ski Championships here for the second year in a row.” continue to include Seville in the list of all events that the RFEA deems possible to do so at an organizational level.”
“The Provincial Council intends to continue to sponsor any sporting event and athletics in particular because of this institution’s commitment to sport and the values that sport means to our citizens, especially the youngest,” he said. Fernandez.