Where is the competition?

Surprise, surprise, who won the 15th SPAR European Cross Country Championships for men? Right, Sergiy Lebid. Again.

Lebid brought his amazing winning streak on 8 yesterday in Brussels. It was another smooth and sound victory for the Ukrainian who seems to be unbeatable when put on the grass/mud of a European cross country course. 8 wins is absolutely incredible in a competitive and fierce branch of athletics. You are truly a great competitor if you can perform at the highest level for 8 years in a row. Nothing but respect for this men. However, I wonder, where is the competition at these championships? How come the same man can win a single championship 8 times in a row without hardly being challenged? Is Lebid really such an extraordinary person that nobody on the continent can even come to his knees? Or should we just go ahead and believe the critics who insist that the European Cross Country Championships are nothing more but fast food entertainment for athletics fans in a from competition deprived period? I'm afraid the latter might be closest to the truth, and watching the 15th SPAR European Cross Country championships has unfortunately not been able to change my opinion.