Four individual and one medley relay titles will be up for grabs this weekend, January 10, when the world’s best runners descend on the US. World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida.
With big upsets and big surprises Tokyo 25 World ChampionshipIt remains to be seen whether the same trend will be observed. 26 in Tallahassee.
Two individuals return to defend their titles, along with one medley relay.
of Uganda Zecob Kpage Kipp will defend his title in the senior men’s race, looking to maintain Uganda’s winning streak from 2019 when Joshua Cheptegei won and Kiplimo finished second in his first senior world cross-country race. Before that, Kiplimo won the Under-20 title on home soil in Kampala in 2017. He went on to win senior titles at Bathurst 2023 and Belgrade 2024.
But before the arrival of Kiplimo and Cheptegei, the senior men’s individual titles often went to Ethiopia or Kenya, with runners like Ethiopia. Kenenisa Bekeleof Kenya John Ngugi and: Paul Tergat winning five individual titles in the senior men’s race.
this weekend Tell Aregavi from Ethiopia, who has finished first runner-up in the last two seasons, and Kenya’s 10,000m specialist, Daniel Ebenyoare the two big stars standing between Kiplimo and his ambitions to extend his winning streak.
10,000m World Champion Jimmy Gresier European champion of France and Spain Thierry I’m with you will be the other notable characters to look out for.
While Kenya’s 10,000m world record holder will not be present to defend her title in the senior women’s race, the 10K world record holder will be there. Beatrice ChebetHad a great season in 2025, is on maternity leave for the rest of 2026. But Agnes NgetichThe bronze medalist for the 2023 edition is poised to secure the throne in Kenya. Maureen Cheborwho won the Kenya trials is a relatively new talent, untested in major international competitions and could pull off a surprise win Tallahassee.
(Photo © Adam Nurkiewicz for World Athletics)
The other individual runner defending her title is a 17-year-old girl from Ethiopia Marta Alemayowho will compete in the under-20 race.
of Kenya Samuel Kibati, who was supposed to defend the men’s under-20s did not make the squad. But that doesn’t mean Kenya have a weaker team this time around. If anything, it means Kenya is brimming with talent and won’t be relying on a handful of runners to rule the cross-country event.
Back Ethiopia with fewer runners in the under-20 race, it gives their East African rivals a better chance, Kenya and: Ugandahere to win more individual and team medals.
Kenya will be hoping for a third straight win the name of the mixed relayas they face the medalists again Belgrade 24:00: Ethiopia and: Great Britain. With the Kenyan team, including the world 1500m bronze medalist Reynold Cheruiot, Purity of Chepkiruand: Kyumbe Mungutiwho were part of the gold medal winning team Belgrade their chances of winning again two years ago look good.
