First-rate team performance

Few nations were more satisfied than the Irish with Ostend's combination of a mud-soaked course and a stinging, cold wind. It may not have been Leopardstown, but it was the next best thing.

This familiarity with the more traditional elements of cross country was used to the maximum yesterday in the men's long course race. Two Irish - Peter Matthews and Keith Kelly - were inside the top 25. And with an eighth-place finish in the team race, that helped make it the most successful world championships for the Irishmen since 1985.

Kenya may have won their 16th successive team title, but Belgium's Mohammed Mourit defended his individual crown in 39 minutes 53 seconds.

Matthews had only six African runners ahead of him in what was by far the most impressive race of his career. He gradually picked off runners around the five laps of the 12 km course and eventually nailed 22nd place.

Kelly, only 23 and making his first major appearance, came through with even greater drive to take 24th place, and even Seamus Power back in 44th place produced his best placing ever.

Vinnie Mulvey was the youngest of the Irish at 22 and also ran above expectations to finish 56th, the fourth team scorer. Considering teams like Ethiopia (ninth), Algeria (10th) and Australia (12th) all finished behind them, it was a hugely encouraging performance.

Great Britain could only manage 13th place and that was the first time they finished behind the Irish since they started competing as a United Kingdom team.

"We knew we could pick off runners if we kept going all the way and this is probably even better than the European's last December when we won bronze medals," said Kelly.

On Saturday afternoon, the Kenyans were a little more like their dominant best in the men's short course race.

Nineteen-year-old Enock Koeck won in 12 minutes 40 seconds. Ethiopia managed to sneak their first man into second, but Kenya filled the next five places.

Gareth Turnbull and Fiachra Lombard, who entered as individuals, found the pace almost impossible to sustain. Turnbull eventually finished 54th. Lombard finished back in 84th place.

The Irish junior men performed credibly when finishing 13th out of the 25 finishing teams. Patrick Guidera ran most consistently to take 43rd spot.