Kipsiro and Yelling take honours

Moses Kipsiro leads from Barnabas Cosgei at Stormont

World 5000 metres bronze medallist Moses Kipsiro from Uganda retained the men's elite crown at the Belfast International Cross Country races.

Kipsiro pipped 2006 winner Barnabas Cosgei of Kenya in a thrilling finish.

England's Mike Skinner ran a fine race to get fourth while local St Malachy's man Gary Murray took seventh.

England's Hayley Yelling won the women's elite race with Scotland's Cathy Butler second and Mary Marageret Meade the best Irish runner in 13th.

The European junior champion, 18-year-old Stephanie Twell, finished in sixth.

For former European cross-country champion Yelling it was a third successive UK Cross Challenge race success of the winter.

She made all the running in the 5.8-kilometre race on a snow-bound Stormont course to finish 25 metres ahead of Butler.

Senior Men
1. Moses Kipsiro (Uganda) 30.19
2. Barnabas Kosgei (Kenya) 30.24
3. Patrick Makau (Kenya) 31.00
4. Mike Skinner (England) 31.10
5. Dave Webb (Northern Athletics) 31.30
6. Lee Carey (Nuneaton) 31.51

Senior Women
1. Hayley Yelling (England) 21.20
2. Kathy Butler (Scotland) 21.26
3. Deidre Byrne (Sli Culann) 21.39
4. Vicky Gill (Northern Athletics) 21.54
5. Linda Byrne (DSD) 22.00
6. Steph Twell 22.07