Rodrigue Kwizera Clinches Historic Third Consecutive Victory at Alcobendas Cross Country Event
Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Olympic 10000 meters silver medalist Nadia Battocletti of Italy triumphed at the Cross Internacional de la Constitucion in Alcobendas. This prestigious World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting took place near Madrid's airport under clear skies on Sunday, November 24, drawing elite competitors from around the globe.
MEN'S RACE:
Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera etched his name in history as the first athlete to claim victory at Alcobendas for three consecutive years.
Early in the race, Uganda’s Simon Cherop established a slight lead over Abrham Sime from Ethiopia, Kwizera, Martin Kiprotich from Uganda, and Kenya's Mathew Kipsang.
Kiprotich and his fellow Ugandan, Cherop, alternated leading the pack after the initial kilometer in an attempt to distance themselves from Kwizera.
However, ten minutes into the competition, Kwizera assumed control, setting a pace that saw Sime and Kipsang gradually falling behind. Before reaching the fifth kilometer, Kwizera had already surged ahead of Cherop.
The contest then narrowed to a duel between Kwizera and Kiprotich. They blazed through the penultimate 2.3 km lap in 6:30, establishing an 11-second lead over Cherop. In a strategic move, Kwizera launched a decisive attack in the final kilometer to pull away from Kiprotich.
Kwizera triumphed, crossing the finish line in 22:58, maintaining an 11-second advantage over Kiprotich, who finished in 23:09. Cherop rounded out the podium in third place with a time of 23:31.
Rodrigue Kwizera reflected on his performance, stating, “It’s my third consecutive win here, and I am thoroughly satisfied. Although the circuit presents challenges, my familiarity with it gives me an advantage. I employed my usual strategy: observe and maintain in the first half, then push forward to gauge my competitors’ energy levels before launching a final attack in the closing kilometer. Next, I plan to compete in the Aranda de Duero cross-country meet coming Sunday.”
WOMEN'S RACE:
Nadia Battocletti clinched victory in the women’s 8.04-kilometer race at the Cross Internacional de la Constitucion in Alcobendas, clocking a time of 26:14.
Battocletti and the 2022 European 5000 meters champion, Konstanze Klosterhalfen, swiftly established an early lead, forging a 20-meter separation from the rest of the competitors within the initial four minutes. Battocletti set a brisk pace, with Klosterhalfen closely following in her wake.
Mid-race, Battocletti decisively pulled away from Klosterhalfen, establishing a 14-second lead. Klosterhalfen maintained a 28-second advantage over Federica Del Buono.
In the race's latter half, Battocletti widened her lead significantly, expanding it to 40 seconds at the bell, with 2.3 km remaining. Klosterhalfen remained well ahead, 38 seconds in front of the chasing pack.
Battocletti powered through the final lap in 7:18 to secure the win with a commanding margin of 1:13 over Klosterhalfen.
This victory marked Battocletti’s third consecutive top-three finish at the Alcobendas event, following a second-place finish in 2022 and a third in 2023.
Klosterhalfen crossed the finish line in 27:27. In a dramatic sprint in the final 200 meters, Spain’s Claudia Arce overtook her competitors to clinch third place in 27:50, edging out Katerina Tisalema of Ecuador (27:54) and Federica Del Buono (28:01).
Nadia Battocletti: “I was not sure of winning today as Klosterhalfen is a great athlete but I felt very strong and I managed to win. I love the Alcobendas course. It’s so tough but at the same time it was a perfect dress rehearsal for the European Championships. I would like to win a medal in Antalya. Today’s race was held on a tough course with a lot of ups and downs. Karoline Grovdal will be my biggest rival at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, but I cannot take anything for granted. Before Antalya I will have an important exam at the university. I am also planning to compete at the Boclassic in Bolzano on 31 December and at Campaccio on 6 January”.
