Buchanan 4th in teams duel at World XC champs

BENDIGO athlete Andy Buchanan marked his first World Cross-Country Championships with a thirty-third overall and fourth in the teams category of the elite men’s 10-kilometre raced on Saturday in Bathurst.

The 31-year-old from Bendigo University Athletics Club ran a daunting course at Mount Panorama in a time of 31:38 as Australia took on African powers Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda for a share of team glory.

Best placed of the Australian team was Ky Robinson who capped a return from Stanford in the United States to be 23rd to finish in 31:11.

The race began in sweltering temperatures on Saturday evening before athletes then faced wind and rain.

The four fastest in the six-man teams earned points for the teams’ award.

Australia’s team of Robinson, Jack Rayner on 29th in 31:30, Brett Robinson in 31st with 31.36, and Buchanan 33rd in a time of 31:38 finished two points clear of South Africa.

Placings of 40th and 51st by Rorey Hunter and Andre Waring capped a great run by the green and gold as Australia hosted the World XCR titles for the first time.

Gold in the men’s elite 10-kilometre went to Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo from Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi and Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei.

A multiple monthly winner in Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year awards, Buchanan was seventh in the marathon at last year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

He also plays a key role as athletics coach for the Athlete Development Program at Bendigo South East Secondary College.