- Kenya’s U20 men’s team swept the podium in the U20 8km race at the WXC Tallahassee 2026.
- Frankline Kibet delivered a gold in 23:18 and leading a Kenyan clean sweep ahead of compatriots Emmanuel Kiprono and Alamisi Kiptoo.
- Kenya’s long-standing dominance in the mixed relay came to an end, as the team missed the podium, conceding medals to Australia, France, and Ethiopia.
Kenya’s U-20 men’s team swept the podium in the U20 race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday, January 10, while the national mixed relay side fell short of a medal for the first time on the same day.
Frankline Kibet delivered a sensational performance in the 8km race to claim gold in 23:18, leading the charge for his compatriots.
Emmanuel Kiprono secured the silver, while their teammate Alamisi Kiptoo completed the podium with bronze.
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Making his debut in the global championship, Kibet had previously finished second at the Kenyan Cross Country Championships in February last year.
He also earned the runner-up spot in the 5000m at Kenya’s trials for the African U20 Championships and closed 2025 with another second-place finish in the World Cross trials.
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“I am very happy with my victory and the team gold,” Kibet told World Athletics after the race. “We trained together, so it is good to celebrate as a team. The course was tough, but I was determined and trained well, primarily focused on speed.”
Until the final lap, the race remained unpredictable. A large pack passed the first kilometer in 2:48, led by Kiprono and fellow Kenyan Edwin Elkana.
Belgium’s Willem Renders, the European U20 5000m and cross-country champion, later took the lead, passing 2km in 5:49 and 3km in 8:56.
The Kenyan contingent soon regained command, this time with Andrew Kiptoo at the front, while Kibet waited closely behind.
Uganda’s Abraham Cherotich, the world U20 mountain running bronze medallist, also featured prominently for much of the race and led through 5km in 14:54.
By 6km, with one lap remaining, Kiprono, Kibet, and Alamisi led ahead of Cherotich and his teammate Daniel Chologoi.
As the pace intensified in the closing stages, the lead pack began to fracture, and the three Kenyans finally broke away from their rivals.
In the final few hundred meters, Alamisi’s challenge faded, leaving Kiprono and Kibet to duel for victory.
Coming off the last bend, Kibet surged into the lead, charging across the line in 23:18. Kiprono held on for silver in 23:20, and Alamisi comfortably took bronze in 23:28.
Kiptoo finished fourth (23:42) but contributed to Kenya’s team gold as the squad achieved a ‘perfect 10’ score.
This marked the sixth time in World Cross history; after 1993, 2000, 2005, 2007, and 2010, that Kenya has swept the U20 men’s medals, a feat no other nation has accomplished.
WXC Tallahassee 2026: U20 Women’s team falls short
On the women’s U20 side, Kenya missed the podium as Ethiopia dominated first and second place, with Uganda claiming the bronze.
Marta Alemayo retained her U20 title as the 17-year-old became the fourth woman to win back-to-back world U20 cross-country titles, clocking 18:52 to win the 6km race by 26 seconds.
She led an Ethiopian top two, with Wosane Asefa securing silver after a fierce battle, edging Uganda’s Charity Cherop 19:18 to 19:19.
Cherop’s third-place finish made her the first athlete from a nation other than Kenya or Ethiopia to reach the U20 women’s podium since 2000.
Kenya’s Mixed Relay Dominance Halted at World Athletics Cross Country Championships
Meanwhile, the national mixed relay team saw its dominance end, finishing fourth and missing the podium for the first time ever at World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
The quartet of Reynold Cheruiyot, Purity Chepkirui, Kyumbe Munguti, and Winfred Mbithe surrendered their longstanding control, clocking 22:42.
Australia’s team; Olli Hoare, Linden Hall, Jack Anstey, and Jessica Hull seized gold in 22:23, while France’s lineup of Alexis Miellet, Sarah Madeleine, Antoine Senard, and Agathe Guillemot took silver in 22:26.
Ethiopia outpaced Kenya for bronze, crossing the line in 22:34.