Athletics: Rivals set for big clash

Jan 18 2008 by Andy Howell, Western Mail

MULTI-WELSH cross-country champion Catherine Dugdale features in a fascinating head-to-head with top triathlete Andrea Whitcombe during Sunday’s prestigious Corus-sponsored Cardiff Cross Challenge at Blackweir Fields in Bute Park.

Swansea-based English star Whitcombe, 36, will leave her bike and goggles at home as she aims to strengthen ahead of bidding for a place in the British team in August’s Beijing Olympics.

Whitcombe made her name as an athlete alongside Paula Radcliffe, winning three British cross-country titles and competing in seven world championships.

She also competed in the 5000m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and took silver at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur over the same distance.

Nine-times Welsh cross-country champion Dugdale is expected to provide the home challenge.

She will be joined by Debbie Jones, Sam Knill and Eleanor Sherrard-Smith in the Welsh team.

However, they will be up against race favourite Joanne Harvey, who was eighth as she helped Britain to a gold medal in the European Championships in Spain last December.

Track specialist Sarah Hopkinson and steeplechaser Tina Brown will also be keen to be near the front with a prize fund of £3,000 luring many of Britain’s leading men and women distance runners to the Welsh capital for the 14-race programme.

The senior men’s race features Midlander Tom Humphries, who posted a 16th-place finish at the Euros and was a fine 14th in the televised race at Edinburgh last weekend, which was won by Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele.

Rob Bugden will be anxious to prove a point after a passport that went astray in the post cost him an appearance in Spain, while British international Rob Whalley and Leeds City’s Dave Webb are among others to watch. Wales field Nat Lane, Richie Gardner, Jorge Thomas and Huw Evans.

Cardiff’s Simon Lawson will look to follow up his victory over 5000m at last weekend’s Welsh indoor championships in the under-20 race.

The X Challenge, which is held in the grounds of Cardiff Castle leading into Blackweir Fields, incorporates a range of men's, women’s and young people’s races, including an inter-area match, schools’ invitation races and masters’ open 6k.

Meeting time-table: 11am: Running4Women; 11.20am: U20 Men; 11.50am: U20 Women; 12.10pm: U13 Girls; 12.15pm: U13 Boys; 12.25pm: Primary Boys; 12.23pm: Primary Girls; 12.24pm: Senior Men & Master 35; 1.15pm: U15 Girls; 1.35pm: U15 Boys; 1.50pm: Senior Women; 2.15pm: U17 Women; 2.35pm: U17 Men; 3pm: Masters Men & Women.