- Agnes Ngetich crowned new World Athletics Cross Country champion on Saturday, January 10.
- Ngetich extended Kenya’s dominance in cross country with a record 10 consecutive wins.
- Winning by an emphatic 42 seconds, the world 10km record holder posted the second-largest winning margin in championship history.
Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich stormed to victory, securing the nation’s 10th consecutive senior women’s title at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday January, 10.
Winning by an emphatic 42 seconds, the world 10km record holder recorded the second-largest winning margin in the history of the World Cross Country Championships.
Ngetich, the 2023 Bathurst bronze medallist and 2024 Belgrade team gold winner, produced a dominant run, lapping several rivals and clocking 31:28 to secure her first global title ahead of Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek and Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew.
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Agnes Ngetich crowned new World Athletics Cross Country champion
“I am so happy with this title,” Ngetich told World Athletics. “I now have an individual championship and I am proud to become the 10th woman to win world cross country gold for Kenya. Beatrice (Chebet) told me to bring the medal back home. This title is special.”
Ngetich was determined not only to raise the nation’s flag high individually but also to succeed Kenya’s sensational Beatrice Chebet, who had dominated the event for the past two editions but did not compete in 2026 after announcing maternity leave for the season.
Meanwhile, another pre-race favorite, Kenya’s Maurine Chebor, could not handle the pressure and finished eighth in 33:06, ahead of Caren Chebet who placed 11th in 33:31.
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Kiplimo claims historic senior men’s title at World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26
In the men’s category, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo claimed the senior men’s title for the third consecutive edition, defeating Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi.
With this victory, Kiplimo cemented his reputation as one of the finest distance runners of his generation.
The Ugandan was untouchable when it mattered most, unleashing a devastating surge on the final lap to open up an astonishing 18-second gap over his closest challengers.
Aregawi once again settled for individual silver, but found consolation by guiding Ethiopia to team gold. Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo secured the bronze medal, completing the podium.
Aregawi captured his fifth global silver medal, and his third at the World Cross Country Championships, clocking 28:36. World half-marathon silver medallist Ebenyo added another prestigious accolade to his résumé with a bronze-winning time of 28:45.