PROUD USA MEN WITH THE AMERICAN FLAG. CLAY SHAW PHOTO

USA Men Shock at World at XC Champs

BY CLAY SHAW

BYDGOSZCZ, POLAND -- The Senior Men 12K at World XC had a Kenyan winner, Japhet Korir (32:45), no big surprise. The surprise was the other Kenyans were 12th, 15th, 26th, 36th, and a DNF -- due to a big fall that had him taken to hospital. Imane Merga of Ethiopia, the defending champ from the 2011 meet in Punta Umbria, Spain, was second in 32:51. Teklemariam Medhin of Eritrea was third in 32:54. The big story was the USA men led by Maine's Ben True, who was 6th in 33:11, and Illinois' Chris Derrick who was 10th in 33:23. Cold weather and a tough course didn't faze the USA team at all, as Ryan Vail placed 17th in 33:42, and Robert Mack in 19th in 33:49, as the USA placed second among the fifteen teams, behind Ethiopia, and ahead of Kenya. How about that! It was great seeing the joy on the USA teams as they celebrated afterwards. Elliott Heath (30th, 34:11), and James Strang (37th, 34:20), also ran solid races for the USA.