On the road to the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa next month, Yann Schrub and Alessia Zarbo both finished second on home soil in the senior 6.7km races at the Cross d'Allonnes, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event, on Sunday (23) afternoon.
In wet and muddy conditions which were reminiscent of the conditions two years ago when he won the European cross country title in Brussels, Schrub finished second in the senior men's race behind Ethiopia's Milkesa Fikadu, 21:13 to 21:15.
Schrub, who also won the 10km title at the European Running Championships, broke up the Ethiopian hegemony with Abrha Gebru taking third in 21:17, just ahead of fellow Frenchmen Fabien Palcau (21:19) and Simon Bedard (21:24).
In the senior women's race, Zarbo finished second behind Ethiopia's Tirhas Gebrehiwet - 24:05 to 24:10 - but took the notable scalp of 2022 world 3000m steeplechase champion and last year’s winner Norah Jeruto from Kazakhstan who made up the podium in third in 24:12.
Surprisingly, Zarbo has never competed at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships before but the 24-year-old turns her attention to cross country in excellent form having broken French records on the roads at 10km (31:00) and the half marathon (68:20) in recent weeks.
Anaelle Guillonnet was a surprise fourth in 24:15 while reigning European indoor 1500m champion and French record-holder Agathe Guillemot demonstrated her strength and versatility by finishing fifth in 24:20 to also seal selection on the French team for Lagoa.
Aouani finishes third in Cinque Mulini
In his first race since winning bronze in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Iliass Aouani finished third in the historic Cinque Mulini, a World Athletics Cross Country Gold event, in San Vittore Olona on Sunday (23).
Aouani, who also won the European marathon title in April, clocked 23:29 in the senior men's 8.2km to finish third behind Eritrean teenager Saymon Amanuel (22:48) and Kenya's Matthew Kipruto (23:20).
Sebastiano Parolini and Marta Zenoni, both of whom were part of Italy's victorious team in the mixed relay at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships, won the short course 3km races in 8:12 and 9:50 respectively.
