Kwizera Wins Again in Alcobendas as Shimket Captures Breakthrough Victory
Ethiopia’s rising star Yenenesh Shimket, just 18 years old, and Burundi’s seasoned ace Rodrigue Kwizera claimed commanding victories at the Cross Internacional de la Constitución in Alcobendas, held on a crisp, sunny day over one of Spain’s toughest cross-country circuits.
Women’s Race
Shimket delivered a mature, confident performance to win the 8.1 km race in 25:32, holding off European cross country champion Nadia Battocletti, who finished second in 25:43. Kenya’s 20-year-old Sheila Jebet completed the podium in 25:57, narrowly fending off Britain’s Megan Keith.
Battocletti and European 10,000m bronze medallist Keith pushed the pace early, stringing out the field. Battocletti soon injected more urgency, but Shimket and Jebet stayed composed and firmly in contact.
With three kilometres to go, Shimket launched a decisive move on the course’s steepest section, immediately opening daylight on her rivals. She powered through the penultimate 2.2 km lap in 7:15, creating a seven-second advantage over Jebet and ten seconds over Battocletti.
Battocletti responded strongly, catching and dropping Jebet with one kilometre remaining, but Shimket—showing remarkable strength—closed with a 7:10 final lap, securing an impressive 11-second victory.
Men’s Race
The men’s race began aggressively, with Italian record holder Yohannes Chiappinelli and Sweden’s Oliver Löfquist setting the early tone. Close behind, Kwizera and Eritrea’s talented 18-year-old Saymon Amanuel—fresh off his win at Cinque Mulini—waited patiently.
Amanuel seized control on the demanding hills, carving out a six-second lead over Kwizera and Uganda’s Samuel Cherop. He clocked 6:18 for the penultimate lap, maintaining a four-second cushion on Kwizera, with Cherop drifting slightly behind.
But Kwizera, known for his relentless closing strength, timed his chase perfectly. With 650 metres to go, he reeled in Amanuel and surged clear, crossing the line in 22:55, six seconds ahead of the Eritrean (23:01) to secure his fourth career victory in Alcobendas.
Uganda’s Dimas Yeko produced a strong late charge to finish third in 23:09, overtaking fellow Ugandan Cherop in the final stages.
Post-Race Reaction
Rodrigue Kwizera: “I’m very satisfied after my fourth win in a row here. Although the Eritrean guy proved to be very strong, I remained confident of catching him and winning. After a busy November, tomorrow I’m flying back to Burundi to spend a month with my family, then I’ll travel to Ethiopia for a one-month stint before returning to Spain for the European Cross Country Team Championships in February.”
