This afternoon the last round of the CrossCup was held in the Park van Laeken
walked. It immediately served as the Belgian championship: Mieke Gorissen (39) and Michael Somers (27) celebrated in the long cross and Elise Vanderelst (24) and Ruben Querinjean (20) conquered the title in the short cross.
Women’s long cross (7,000 meters)
Podium
1. Mieke Gorissen – in 24’07”
2. Lisa Rooms – op 20 “
3. Eline Dalemans – 24″
Mieke Gorissen has won her second Belgian title in a row. The 39-year-old top favorite beat Lisa Rooms and Eline Dalemans.
In the initial phase Gorissen immediately took command. Only Rooms could join. In the 2nd round Gorissen stepped up a gear. She ran the competition on meters. In the background it got even more exciting for 2nd and 3rd place.
Mieke Gorissen finished with a straight lead. The 31-year-old Eline Dalemans was passed in the last straight line by the 25-year-old Lisa Rooms, who found her second breath.
Mieke Gorissen: “Man, man, stress, terrible”
Mieke Gorissen demonstrated her top form during the Belgian Championship cross country running in Brussels. The 39-year-old physics teacher has surprised herself again.
“I am really surprised. And man, man, stress, terrible. I didn’t even dare to improve in the car, because then I would make mistakes and then my students started thinking: ‘where was she with her thoughts’?”
Now that the last moto of the CrossCup has been run, it is time to look forward to Gorissen’s summer season. “I’m not going to run a marathon in the spring. I would like to run one in the summer. I know myself, if I run a marathon in spring and summer, I’m going to destroy myself.”
“I hope that the athletics league might delegate me for either the World Cup or the European Championship. But I haven’t talked to them about that yet.”
Men’s Long Cross (10,000 meters)
Podium
1. Michael Somers – in 30’11”
2. Soufiane Bouchikhi- op 5″
3. Dorian Boulvin – 22 “
27-year-old Michael Somers takes his 1st Belgian cross country title. Soufiane Bouchikhi and Dorian Boulvin took the podium after 10 km.
In the 1st round the pace was not high: nobody dared to throw their cards on the table. About 20 athletes stayed together. Then Soufiane Bouchikhi stepped up the rhythm. Only 2 athletes could follow: Michael Somers and Nicolaï Saké.
The three did not stay together for long, because Saké soon had to release the role. At 1.5 laps from the end, Somers put in a splitting attack. Bouchikhi also eventually had to relinquish the role.
It again became silver for 32-year-old Bouchikhi. The 24-year-old Boulvin rushed past Saké on the last lap and captured the bronze medal.
Soufiane Bouchikhi: “No surprise that Somers wins”
“I tried to make the race tough, because I’m coming from the marathon. But in the end, it’s no surprise that Somers wins. He has had a wonderful winter season and I’m having more of the patience at the moment.”
“My marathon story is currently a closed chapter. Maybe at the end of my career I will make a trip back, but without pressure and just for fun.”
Women’s short cross (2,000 meters)
Podium
1. Elise Vanderelst – in 6’18”
Jenna Wyns – at 18 “
3. Lotte Scheldeman – 19″
No big surprises at the BK short cross in the women. Elise Vanderelst lived up to her favorite role and won after a spectacular attack.
Just after the start, six athletes separated themselves. All the favorites were at the appointment. With half a kilometer from the end Vanderelst accelerated from the leading group of six. It was immediately clear that no one could keep up with her. She immediately hit a gap of 20 meters and finished solo.
The silver went to 28-year-old Jenna Wyns and the bronze to 24-year-old Lotte Scheldeman, who defended her title. The champions of the last four years occupy the podium.
Men’s Short Cross (3,000 meters)
Podium
1. Ruben Querinjean – in 8’37”
2. Ruben Verheyden – on 3″
Pieter-Jan Hannes – 4 “
No big surprises for the men either. 20-year-old Ruben Querinjean succeeds himself as Belgian short cross champion.
The big guns have held back for a long time: no one wanted to throw the bat in the henhouse. In the end, the expected names did appear at the front.
At 1 kilometer from the end, 5 more competed for the national tricolor. But then Querinjean’s acceleration was yet to come. He took off aggressively and only saw his opponents at the finish line.
Ruben Verheyden was still threatened by Pieter-Jan Hannes for 2nd place, but in the end he just managed to hold onto the silver.
