World Cross Country Tallahassee. Faves Ngetich and Kiplimo Clearly, Australia have a mixed bag.

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With Ngetic and Kiplimo clearly the favourites, Australia get a mixed bag

TALLAHASSEE (USA)Kenya topped the medal table at the 46th World Championships in Tallahassee, held in hot conditions. In WA’s earliest ever official championships (and third in the US), both Kenya and Ethiopia secured three gold medals, Kenya with four silvers compared to Ethiopia’s two. Seven countries won medals. Africa 23 of them and one each from Oceania, Europe, America and Asia. Agnes Ngetich and: Zecob Kpage Kipp were clear winners of the respective senior races, whereas Australia Olympic medalist Jess Hull was the medley relay winners with anchor runner. Kiplimo joins a distinguished group of athletes who have won three consecutive titles. Kenya’s Franklin Kibet won the Under-20 Men’s race while Ethiopia’s Marta Alemayo retained her Under-20 Women’s title. Ian Shrubb (11th) and Maria Forero (14th) were the leading European athletes in both senior races, with Forero missing the under-23 race at the European Cross-Country Championships last month. At the end 412 athletes from 45 countries competed. Exciting course with beach sand, water hole, alligator obstacles and Everglades mud in a 2km loop. Prize money was US$30,000 for senior individual gold ($3,000 for sixth), up to US$20,000 (senior team) and US$12,000 (mixed relay per team).. The next edition of 2028 does not yet have a host. Event by event reviews

Senior women’s 10 km: 10K WR carrier Agnes Ngetich Finished third and fourth at the last two world championships and clearly won 42 seconds ahead of the next runner, the second largest margin of victory (31:28). Uganda’s first ever senior female silver as national champion Joy Cheptoyek was second (32:10) and former Ethiopian under-20 champion Senayet Getachew third in 32:13. Best non-African American Edna Kurgat – 10th (33:28), best European Maria Forero – 14th (33:53) Megan Keith ran in the top 12 for most of the race but almost collapsed at the end (25th), ditto for Wayne Kelati Frezgi, who faded in the final lap to finish 40th.. Ethiopia beat the teams for the 13th time, while Kenya finished second behind Uganda by 1 point.

Senior men’s 10 km. Defending champion and half marathon WR winner Jacob KiplimoAfter winning the Chicago Marathon, cemented his lead and took a clear 3rd consecutive victory in 28:18 after accelerating on the last lap. The gap of 18 seconds was the biggest of the 3 over Berihu Aregawi who was again 2nd (28:36) with top Kenyan Daniel Ebenyo third (28:45). Top European and non-African Thierry Ndikumwenayo is 8th (29:16), world champion Jimmy Grecier overtook 3 runners in the last lap to finish 15th (29:36). In the African team competition, Ethiopia registered their 11th win over Kenya and Uganda here. The top 3 are separated by only 9 points.

Mixed relay 4×2 km. Kenya, as the favorite in the 5th stage of this event, did not win a medal. Australia’s strong women Linden Hall and Olympic medalist Jessica Hull beat France by 3 seconds (22:23) (22:26). as both defeated African countries. Meshesha was stronger than Chepkirui in the last match and Ethiopia beat Kenya for the bronze medal. A record 15 teams competed (after 2023).

U20 women 6 km. This was how the battle of Ethiopia was predicted. Marta Alemayo Defended her title in 18:52 ahead of teammate Wosane Asefa’s 19:18 and Uganda’s Charity Cherope 19:19. Cynthia Chepkirui led the Kenyan team but could only finish 4th (19:22), the first time a Kenyan did not win an individual medal here and was not swept by the Ethiopians. Japan’s Yui Onotora was the 14th best non-African, while Sweden’s Fanny Schalke was the 21st best European. Ethiopia failed to field a team, so Uganda beat Kenya and Japan for the first time in history.

U20 men’s 8 km. Full control of Kenya. Top 4 and so the best points possible in teams (10). But it was the most unexpected winner Franklin Kibbett 23:18 beats Trials winner Emmanuel Kiprono 23:20 and trails World U20 Champion Andrew Kipto Alamisi 23:28. Ethiopia only had one runner (Ayele Seunet in 12th) as the best non-African and European under-20 champion, Belgium’s Willem Randers, finished ahead of him. The other team medalists were Uganda and the United States.