U20 women in action at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships (© Getty Images)
Some of the world’s best distance athletes have won the U20 women’s world cross country title, using it as a launch path to their senior careers. The elite group includes multiple world and Olympic champions Faith Kipyegon, Tirunesh Dibaba and Vivian Cheruiyot, as well as 2022 world 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey and reigning senior women’s champion Beatrice Chebet.
The U20 women’s race has seen either a Kenyan or Ethiopian triumph since 1996, with Ethiopia winning in Bathurst last year through Senayet Getachew. This fierce rivalry will play out again at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 on Saturday (30).
While Kenya has a decorated history, Ethiopia has been in command of the U20 women’s team title for the past four editions (2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023). Winning their fifth successive women’s team title while defending the individual crown will be Ethiopia’s driving force at Friendship Park.
Lemlem Nibret is among the Ethiopian athletes running for the title defence in the 6km event. The 19-year-old will be out to improve on her fifth-place finish from Bathurst. During the World Cross Country Tour, she finished second in Zornotza and eighth in Atapuerca.
The Ethiopian squad of six also includes African U20 3000m silver medallist Yenawa Nbret, who won Ethiopia’s trials for Belgrade at the Jan Meda International Cross Country. There is Asayech Ayichew, whose strong performance during the World Cross Country Tour led her to finish second in three Gold competitions in Spain and eighth overall for the 2023-24 season. Robe Dida, who in February won the African U20 cross-country title, Marta Alemayehu, Yenenesh Shmekt and Shito Gumi also form part of the Ethiopian group.
Ethiopia will be cognizant of its Eastern African challenger, Kenya.
Kenyan athletes won individual bronze and team silver in Bathurst, but in Belgrade they'll be seeking their first U20 women's team title since 2013. The U20 women's squad is led by Sheila Jebet, winner of the Kenyan Cross Country Championships, and she is joined by Deborah Chemutai, the 2019 African U18 3000m silver medallist.
Diana Cherotich, fourth in the 5000m at the African U20 Championships, and Mercy Chepkemoi complete the Kenyan squad.
USA won a historic team bronze in the U20 women’s race in Bathurst and three members of that team – Ellie Shea, Zariel Macchia and Allie Zealand – are back on the squad for Belgrade. Shea led the team to that bronze, finishing 10th in the individual race.
European U20 cross country champion and 17-year-old rising star Innes Fitzgerald will lead the four-member U20 women’s team for Great Britain & Northern Ireland.
Also watch out for Uganda, led by Charity Cherop, who finished 15th in Bathurst, plus Australia's Charli-Rose Carlyon, 39th in Bathurst, and the Japanese, Spanish, South African and Moroccan teams.
The host nation has selected five athletes aged between 15 and 17 for the U20 competition. They have all previously featured at European U18 and U20 Championships and the European Cross Country Championships.
The Serbian contingent comprises Saima Muric, the 2022 national 800m champion who recently finished third at the White Cross race in Belgrade. Natalija Grujic, the 2022 national indoor 3000m gold medallist and this year’s national 4x400m indoor champion; Mejra Mehmedovic, winner of the 3000m at the Serbian U20 Indoor Championships; Lenka Nikolic and 15-year-old Jana Rajic complete the Serbian team.
A total of 92 athletes have been entered for the U20 women’s race which will get the competition in Belgrade under way.
Michelle Katami for World Athletics
