Worku, who turned 18 last Monday (January 20) had won back-to-back Permit races in Elgoibar and Seville earlier this month and had arrived at the 88th edition of this race as clear favourite, but he was outsprinted in the final lap by Kenya’s 3,000 metres steeplechaser Leonard Kipkemboi Bett.

The women’s race was won by Bahrain’s defending champion, 20-year-old Kenyan-born athlete Winfred Mutile Yavi.

By the final lap of the men’s 11 kiloemtres race the medals were between leader Worku, Bett and Kenya’s Jackson Kavesa Muema, who eventually finished third in 32min 10sec.

Bett made his decisive move in the final straight, winning in 32:08, a second clear of Worku.

The victor won the 2017 world under-18 steeplechase title and followed it with silver at the following year’s World under-20 Championships.

Last year he finished fourth in the under-20 race at the World Cross Country Championships, two places behind Worku, and ninth in the steeplechase final at the World Championships in Doha.

"Cross country is the perfect build-up for running the 3,000m steeplechase," Bett said after his first cross country race outside of his home country.

He plans on competing at the African Cross Country Championships in preparation for the Olympic season.

Yavi, who finished fourth in last year's world 3,000m steeplechase final, retained her title in the women’s 6km race by a margin of 11 seconds in 17:22, with Kenyans taking the next three places.

Gloriah Kite was second in 17:33, Jacklne Jerono third in 17:34 and Mercy Cherono, the 2013 world 5,000m silver medallist, fourth in 17:47.

The race was preceded by the presentation of a World Athletics Heritage Plaque to organisers of the Cinque Mulini, which has been held in the Italian commune of San Vittore Olona since 1933.

World Athletics Heritage director Chris Turner and World Athletics road running manager Alessio Punzi were on hand for the ceremony.