Cragg beaten into third place

Europe's leading 5,000m runner, Ireland’s Alistair Cragg was beaten into third place by two Kenyans in the men’s 1,500m today at the Bupa Ireland Cork City Sports.

Although he was supposed to be running in the men’s 3,000m, the South-African born star, who currently holds the leading 5,000m time in Europe, took the lead in the race after 900m and was leading the race with 200m to go.

However he was overtaken in the final stages by Kenya’s Laban Rotich, who won in 3.39.98 and Paul Korir, who took second in 3.40.46.

Cragg clinched bronze in 3.40.46, while Kenya’s Wesley Cherioyut took fourth in 3.41.00.

Another surprise defeat at the Cork event was in Australia’s Benita Johnson’s race when she was beaten in the final metres of the women’s 3,000m by Ethiopia’s Aheza Kiros, in a slow time of 8.53.63.

As race favourite and title-holder Johnson, a former World Cross Country Champion took the lead in the race with 500m to go and looked set to retain her title when Kiros came back with a surprise sprint in the last 50metres to take the race.

Russia’s Kseniya Agafonova, from Russia took third in 8.58.

Ireland’s Mary Cullen, from Sligo, finished strongly to take 5th place, after leading early in the race in 9.03, while Limerick’s Rosemary Ryan held on for 7th place in a time of 9.11.01.