 Bekele could afford to ease as up he approached the finish |
Kenenisa Bekele notched a hat-trick of wins on the men's 9.3km course at the BUPA Great Edinburgh Cross Country. Ethiopia's Olympic and world 10,000m champion hit the front in the last 600m and left Zersenay Tadesse and Eliud Kipchoge in his wake to coast home.
He crossed the line in 27 minutes and 42 seconds for a third successive victory in a frosty Holyrood Park.
Eritrean Tadesse, who beat him to the 2007 world title, and Kenya's 2005 winner Kipchoge both clocked 27:43.
Britain's Andy Baddeley produced a late surge to snatch a thrilling win in the 4.4km race.
Last summer's world 1500m finalist looked set for a shock defeat when Andy Vernon made a breakaway 800m from home.
But Baddeley kept his composure and powered ahead of his rival with a searing burst in the final straight.
 Baddeley reeled in Vernon with just metres to go |
"Andy stole a bit of a march on me, but I was completely confident I was going to get him," he said.
His winning time was 12 minutes 52 seconds, with Vernon a second behind, and Tom Lancashire third (12:56).
Ethiopia's Gelete Burka scored a third successive victory over the Edinburgh course in the women's 6km race.
Burka won in 19:58, with reigning world junior champion Linet Masai of Kenya 15 seconds behind, and world 5000m silver medallist Vivian Cheruiyot third.
Britain's European junior champion Stephanie Twell just lost out on a podium spot, finishing inches behind Cheruiyot in a blanket finish. Both clocked 20:34.
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