Marta Alemayo retained her U20 title with a dominant performance at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday (10).
The 17-year-old became the fifth 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 as Wosane Asefa won a fierce battle for the silver medal, gritting her teeth to edge Uganda&rsquo;s Charity Cherop, 19:18 to 19:19. With that third-place finish, Cherop became the first athlete from a nation other than Kenya or Ethiopia to make the U20 women's podium since the 2000 edition &ndash; also becoming Uganda's first ever women's individual medallist at the World Cross Country Championships.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960404b3c5238afe2617368.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 highlights" /></a></div>
With four athletes in the top 10, Cherop led Uganda to a historic team title ahead of Kenya and Japan. It was incredibly close and Uganda clinched the team crown on countback &ndash; becoming only the third nation after Kenya and Ethiopia to ever win this team gold since the U20 race was introduced at the World Cross Country Championships in 1989.
With just three Ethiopian athletes in action &ndash; short of the four needed for team scoring &ndash; the nation&rsquo;s run of making the team podium at every edition since 1991 came to an end.
But Alemayo made sure her presence was felt in the individual race and she went straight to the fore, leading that Ethiopian trio through a first kilometre that included the &lsquo;rollercoaster&rsquo; hill and sand pit in 3:02.&nbsp;
A pack of eight broke away by the end of the first 2km loop, Alemayo joined by her compatriots Asefa and Yenenesh Shimket, Kenya&rsquo;s Cynthia Chepkirui and Joan Chepkurui, and Uganda&rsquo;s Cherop, Felister Chekwemoi and Bentalin Yeko.
Alemayo kicked as they started the second loop and that move broke up the lead pack. By the third kilometre the defending champion was joined only by Chepkirui and Asefa, with Cherop following them, four seconds back.
As they reached &lsquo;Alligator Alley&rsquo;, with its carved log obstacles, Alemayo cleared the barriers with the most ease and she started to move away from her rivals. She had a seven-second advantage as she started the final 2km loop and the title looked hers to lose.
Alemayo remained well ahead as she reached the sand and water pits for the final time, with Chepkirui and Asefa locked in battle behind her. But they were nowhere to be seen as Alemayo hurdled the logs for the last time and she ran unchallenged to reach the finish line in 18:52, raising her hands in the air and looking to the sky as she completed her successful title defence.
"I am very happy with my second consecutive gold medal and to be joined by Wosane on the podium," said Alemayo, who joined Viola Kibiwot, Genzebe Dibaba, Faith Kipyegon and Letesenbet Gidey in winning two consecutive U20 titles. "We trained in cooler weather at home so we had to adjust. That was the biggest difference from the 2024 World Championships. We prepared as a team and I am glad we won gold and silver today.
"My next plan is to run indoors and I hope to compete at the World Indoor Championships in March."
Cherop closed hard to catch the chasers but steeplechase specialist Asefa held on to secure the silver after a sprint finish. Cherop gained a historic bronze and Chepkirui finished fourth in 19:22. Shimket rounded out the top five in 19:35.
The Ethiopian, Ugandan and Kenyan team members clinched the first 13 places, followed by Japan&rsquo;s Yui Onotora in 14th. Blair Bartlett was the top finisher for the host nation, placing 16th.
Jess Whittington&nbsp;for World Athletics 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">U20 WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Marta Alemayo (ETH)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">18:52</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Wosane Asefa (ETH)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">19:18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Charity Cherop (UGA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">19:19</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Cynthia Chepkirui (KEN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Yenenesh Shimket (ETH)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:35</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">6</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Joan Chepkurui (KEN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">7</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Bentalin Yeko (UGA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">8</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Mercy Chepngeno (KEN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:52</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Felister Chekwemoi (UGA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:53</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">10</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Peace Chebet (UGA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">19:54</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/tallahassee26/results/women/u20-race/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="width: 677.25px; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center; width: 662.453px;" colspan="3">U20 WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 53.1797px; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 392.109px; background-color: #e9c968;">Uganda</td>
<td style="width: 189.57px; background-color: #e9c968;">29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 53.1797px; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 392.109px; background-color: #ced4d9;">Kenya</td>
<td style="width: 189.57px; background-color: #ced4d9;">29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 53.1797px; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 392.109px; background-color: #bd895e;">Japan</td>
<td style="width: 189.57px; background-color: #bd895e;">87</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; width: 662.453px;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/tallahassee26/results/women/u20-race/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

46th World Athletics Cross Country Championships

A report on the U20 women's race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26

Dominant Alemayo retains U20 title, Uganda wins historic team gold in Tallahassee

Australia&rsquo;s decision to field a full-strength team for the mixed relay paid off handsomely at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 as they powered to a convincing victory in the first discipline on Saturday (10).
Their quartet of Olli Hoare, Linden Hall, Jack Anstey and Jessica Hull improved on their bronze medal from 2023 to win in 22:23 ahead of surprise silver medallists France. But perhaps the biggest shock of the race was that four-time winners Kenya finished one place shy of the podium.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960404b3c5238afe2617368.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 highlights" /></a></div>
On the first leg, Silas Chemutai took an early lead for Uganda, hitting the one kilometre checkpoint in 2:33 just ahead of USA&rsquo;s Ethan Strand, Kenya&rsquo;s Reynold Cheruiyot and Australia&rsquo;s Hoare.
Cheruiyot, the world 1500m bronze medallist, moved up through the field during the second half of the 2km lap, then Strand pulled ahead as they negotiated the section featuring alligator-shaped wooden logs.
Cheruiyot once again edged ahead through the mud section, but Strand managed to gain a narrow lead over the Kenyan at the end of the leg, which was covered in 5:12, with France and Australia coming through in third and fourth respectively.
Winfred Mbithe, twice a medallist for Kenya in this event, put Kenya back in the lead for the first half of the second leg, but Australia&rsquo;s Linden Hall moved to the front soon after and started to carve out a significant lead.
Further back, USA&rsquo;s Sage Hurta-Klecker dropped down the field, while Ethiopia&rsquo;s Gela Hambese and France&rsquo;s Sarah Madeleine remained in contention.
Hall made easy work of the logs, but Mbithe struggled towards the end and almost tripped, allowing the field behind her to bunch up. Hall reached the half-way point of the race with a six-second lead, with Madeleine having moved France into second place. Karabo More&rsquo;s 6:02 split &ndash; beaten only by Hall on that leg &ndash; elevated South Africa into third place.
Jack Anstey tried his best to hold on to Australia&rsquo;s lead on the third leg, but France&rsquo;s Antoine Senard had reduced it to just one second at 5km, 13:50 to 13:51. Senard took the lead shortly after and kept it until the end of his leg, also making the smart decision to hand over to European indoor 1500m champion Agathe Guillemot towards the end of the changeover zone. Anstey managed to keep the gap to within two seconds as he handed over to Olympic 1500m silver medallist Jessica Hull.
Hull reeled in Guillemot gradually, and with one kilometre to go she had a two-second lead over the former heptathlete. Behind them, Hirut Meshesha had moved into third for Ethiopia, keeping defending champions Kenya outside of the medal positions.
Hull dug deep over the logs and through the mud, holding off a determined Guillemot in the closing stages. Hull strode ahead &ndash; all smiles &ndash; to cross the line in 22:23 to take gold, finishing three seconds ahead of France. Meshesha anchored Ethiopia to bronze (22:34), keeping Kenya off the podium for the first time ever in a mixed relay at the World Cross Country Championships.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MIXED RELAY RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Australia</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">22:23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">France</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">22:26</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Ethiopia</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">22:34</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Kenya</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">22:42</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">United States</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">22:43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">6</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">South Africa</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">23:04</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">7</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Great Britain &amp; NI</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">23:11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">8</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Uganda</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">23:43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/tallahassee26/results/mixed/mixed-relay/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Australia’s decision to field a full-strength team for the mixed relay paid off handsomely at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26

Hull anchors Australia to mixed relay gold in Tallahassee, ending Kenya’s reign

The opening press conference for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 brought together past and present champions and provided World Athletics President Sebastian Coe the perfect platform to reinforce the importance of the event and the discipline, particularly in such a busy year for the sport.
The competition on Saturday (10) kicks off an action-packed international athletics calendar. The World Cross Country Championships is the first of six World Athletics Series events taking place in 2026 &ndash; a year that will also feature the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September and the new World Treadmill Championship.
Saturday&rsquo;s event in Tallahassee, Florida, sees the United States host the World Cross Country Championships for the third time, following editions in New York in 1984 and Boston in 1992. It will feature more than 450&nbsp;athletes as they compete for individual and team titles across a programme of five races.
&ldquo;The local organising committee has really set some extraordinary standards here,&rdquo; said Coe during the press conference at the Apalachee Regional Park on Friday (9). &ldquo;Thank you to our local dignitaries and thank you to Tallahassee for being such gracious hosts.
&ldquo;Cross country is one of the core pillars of our sport. I joined the World Athletics Council in 2003 and from that moment, I've been pushing the cause of cross country. It's an inseparable part of the journey that distance and endurance athletes make.
&ldquo;We have royalty in the house this morning,&rdquo; added Coe, who was joined at the press conference by Kenya&rsquo;s five-time world cross-country champion&nbsp;Paul Tergat. &ldquo;Five straight world cross-country titles, and any number of medals on the track, which goes to show that, yes, you can do cross country and run track at the same time.&rdquo;
Reflecting on his cross-country career, Tergat said: &ldquo;Cross country is such a unique event. It is where some of us built our careers, through cross country. Winning five times in a row was a major milestone in my career.&rdquo;
With world champion Jimmy Gressier of France also speaking at the press conference, Tergat was asked about Gressier&rsquo;s performance in Tokyo &ndash; one that saw him win the 10,000m by just six hundredths of a second &ndash; and if it reminded him of his own fierce battles.
&ldquo;It gave me memories of what it used to be in 2000, at the Olympic Games, between me and Haile Gebrselassie,&rdquo; Tergat said. &ldquo;This is what sport is all about. Between me and Haile, we were fighting when it came to the competition, but immediately after that, we would hug each other and say we'll meet the next day. Sport is an opportunity to bring people together, for generations. I'm very proud that I have been part of the sport for many years, and I'm still able to see what the sport has given to the newer generations like these guys who are competing tomorrow.&rdquo;
Gressier is among them and during the press conference he explained how his runner-up finish at the European Cross Country Championships in December left him even more motivated for the competition in Tallahassee.
&ldquo;Yes, it is true that I fell in the last few metres at the European Championships, and it was really frustrating,&rdquo; explained Gressier, speaking through an interpreter. &ldquo;But it just pushed me even more to train harder, as I have a clear objective here, which is to go home with a medal.&rdquo;
Gressier was sitting alongside Australia&rsquo;s Olympic and world 1500m medallist Jessica Hull, who was asked about her versatility. As well as the World Cross Country Championships, she is targeting the World Indoor Championships, the Ultimate Championship and the World Road Running Championships in 2026.
&ldquo;When you have different things to focus on, it keeps it exciting,&rdquo; said Hull, who claimed bronze as part of the mixed relay team at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships on her home soil in Bathurst. &ldquo;The 800m was my kind of fun event last year and getting ready to start the year with some 2km cross country, you need to be versatile. Versatility is pretty important to me, and I think it's going to be the key to a long career.&rdquo;
Weini Kelati Frezghi will be racing for the host nation after winning the trial race in Portland in December, extending her cross-country career.
&ldquo;I love cross country, but as I&rsquo;m thinking of moving up the distances, my focus was going to be on longer distance training,&rdquo; explained Kelati Frezghi, who finished 14th at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships. &ldquo;But when I heard this event was going to be in the United States, I thought why not give it a try &ndash; to race with a home crowd on home soil.&rdquo;
Local organising committee co-Chairs Taylor Wheaton and Amanda Heidecker hope the experience leaves all athletes with lasting memories.
&ldquo;As a former athlete, I understand that tomorrow will be a day that these athletes will carry with them forever,&rdquo; said Wheaton. &ldquo;From the beginning, our vision for this event went beyond just staging a world-class competition. We set out to really have an immersive destination experience that reflects Florida's global tourism, one that's defined by energy, accessibility and unforgettable moments.&rdquo;
Heidecker added: &ldquo;This venue has become a world-renowned cross-country facility. We have hosted over 75 championships on every level and tomorrow marks a milestone unlike any other. Beyond this event, and what it means to Tallahassee and Leon County, we hope that it continues to elevate the sport of cross country and showcase why it deserves a place on the Olympic stage.&rdquo;
The press conference opened with a welcome from Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban and Leon County Administrator Vincent S Long.
&ldquo;This event is the first time that the World Cross Country Championships has been held in the United States in over 30 years, and it was chosen to be here at home for us and our neighbours in Leon County,&rdquo; said Caban. &ldquo;That is something for myself, my colleagues on the county commission and our entire community, our neighbours at home, to be so extremely proud of.&rdquo;
Long added: &ldquo;In my 30-plus years at Leon County, we're not supposed to have favourites, but this cross-country facility is one of my favourite projects. It's not just because of the result, it's not just because of big events like this, but it's because of how we got here. Runners built this course for runners.&rdquo;
World Athletics

The World Cross Country Championships is the first of six World Athletics Series events taking place in 2026

WXC Tallahassee 26 kicks off action-packed year of global athletics

Defending champions Kenya will be vying for a fourth title in the mixed relay at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26.
The East African powerhouse has won all but one title in this discipline since it was introduced to the World Cross in 2017. Reynold Cheruiyot, Kyumbe Munguti and Purity Chepkirui formed three-quarters of Kenya&rsquo;s victorious team in 2024 and will be back in action in Florida, keen to add another gold medal.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960405c3c5238afe261736b.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 watch live" /></a></div>
Cheruiyot, the world 1500m bronze medallist, won Kenya&rsquo;s 2km trial race in October, finishing ahead of Munguti, who also claimed mixed relay gold for Kenya in 2023. Chepkirui, the 2021 world U20 1500m champion, was a convincing winner of the women&rsquo;s trial race. Winfred Mbithe, who won mixed relay gold in 2017 and bronze in 2019, is also part of the squad, although the final team composition will be confirmed closer to race day.
Ethiopia, winners in 2019, remain the only other nation to have claimed a world cross-country mixed relay title. Although their squad has been affected by visa issues, they have assembled a competitive line-up that includes 2022 world indoor 1500m bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha, African 10,000m bronze medallist Gela Hambese and 2021 world U20 1500m silver medallist Wegene Adisu.
Two of the athletes who helped Australia claim bronze on home soil in Bathurst three years ago &ndash; Olympic 1500m silver medallist Jessica Hull and Commonwealth 1500m champion Ollie Hoare &ndash; return for relay duty as part of a full-strength team. Linden Hall, Sarah Billings and Jack Anstey complete Australia&rsquo;s relay pool.
Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland, bronze medallists two years ago in Belgrade, have also named several returning members. Thomas Keen, Adam Fogg and Alexandra Millard &ndash; all of whom stood on the podium in 2024 &ndash; are joined in the squad by world road mile silver medallist Callum Elson.
Sage Hurta-Klecker, who finished fifth in the 800m at last year&rsquo;s World Championships, is the stand-out name on the US team. The host nation will also be represented by NCAA indoor 3000m champion Ethan Strand.
Other contenders include 2019 silver medallists Morocco, whose team features national indoor 3000m record-holder Enass Essayi and 2023 NCAA indoor 3000m champion Fouad Messaoudi, along with a French team led by European indoor 1500m champion Agathe Guillemot.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

Defending champions Kenya will be vying for a fourth title in the mixed relay at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26.

WXC Tallahassee 26 mixed relay preview: Kenya aim to extend dominance

Over the past 25 years, all 54 individual medals contested in the U20 women&rsquo;s race at the World Cross Country Championships have been won by Kenyan or Ethiopian athletes. It would be a surprise if that trend did not continue in Tallahassee on 10 January.
Many eyes will be on defending champion Marta Alemayo when she takes to the start line. The Ethiopian was just 15 years old when she won in Belgrade two years ago and will aim to become only the fourth woman in history to win back-to-back world U20 cross-country titles.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960405c3c5238afe261736b.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 watch live" /></a></div>
Viola Kibiwot, Genzebe Dibaba, Faith Kipyegon and Letesenbet Gidey have previously achieved that feat, although only the latter two have done so since the championships switched to a biennial format, introducing a two-year gap between titles.
Alemayo finished third at the Ethiopian trials for the World Cross, but the two athletes who beat her were among 14 members of the Ethiopian squad to be denied US visas. As a result, Ethiopia will field just three athletes in the U20 women&rsquo;s race in Tallahassee, ruling them out of the team contest, for which a minimum of four athletes is required to score. That brings to an end Ethiopia&rsquo;s run of making the team podium at every edition since 1991.
Despite that, both of Alemayo&rsquo;s teammates are genuine individual medal contenders and will be aiming to replicate the medal sweep Ethiopia achieved in 2024, 2015 and 2004.
On current form, Yenenesh Shimket is arguably the pre-race favourite. She was the fastest U20 athlete in the world over 3000m last year, clocking a PB of 8:32.01, and has since won World Athletics Cross Country Tour meetings in San Vittore Olona and Alcobendas, beating world and Olympic medallist Nadia Battocletti comfortably in the latter.
Shimket and Alemayo are joined on the Ethiopian team by steeplechase specialist Wosane Asefa, whose 9:20.83 PB made her the second-fastest U20 athlete in the world last year.
With Ethiopia unable to contend for team honours, Kenya looks well placed to regain the title it last won in 2013. Their team is led by Cynthia Chepkirui, who won the highly competitive Kenyan trials in October before beating a senior international field at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Cardiff two weeks later.
Miriam Kibet and Lonah Cherono, second and third respectively at the trials, complete the Kenyan team.
Uganda, a three-time team bronze medallist over the past 16 years, has a realistic opportunity to finish in the top two. Their Tallahassee line-up is led by Charity Cherop, who will also be in contention for an individual medal.
After finishing 11th at the last World Cross and helping Uganda secure team bronze, Cherop went on to claim 5000m bronze at the World U20 Championships later that year. In 2025 she set national U20 records over 3000m (8:49.96) and 5000m (15:06.84). She is joined on the Ugandan team by Bentalin Yeko, the East African U20 3000m champion.
Japan has secured 19 team medals from the 29 editions of the U20 women&rsquo;s race at the World Cross and should again be in the mix in Tallahassee. Their team is led by East Asian U20 5000m champion Mei Hosomi.
The host nation advantage could inspire the USA to repeat its team podium finish from 2023. The squad features Daniela Scheffler, who was second at the US Cross Country Championships behind Victoria Garces, who is no longer an U20 athlete.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

Over the past 25 years, all 54 individual medals contested in the U20 women’s race at the World Cross Country Championships have been won by Kenyan or Ethiopian athletes

WXC Tallahassee 26 U20 women's preview: Ethiopia's focus shifts to individual glory

Some of the biggest names in athletics &ndash; including multiple global champions Kenenisa Bekele, Eliud Kipchoge and Jacob Kiplimo &ndash; claimed U20 men&rsquo;s titles early on in their careers. The world&rsquo;s leading teenage talents will want to follow in their footsteps when they compete at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday (10).
Bekele won in 2001, Kipchoge in 2003 and Kiplimo in 2017, and not since 1991 has an athlete from a nation other than Ethiopia, Kenya or Uganda clinched the crown. In fact, it has been 25 years since an athlete from outside those three nations stood on the U20 men&rsquo;s podium &ndash; and that was USA&rsquo;s bronze medallist Dathan Ritzenhein in 2001.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960405c3c5238afe261736b.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 watch live" /></a></div>
While the U20 races are often hard to predict, Kenya has the chance to claim a third consecutive individual crown and Andrew Alamisi will be among those focused on retaining the title for his country. His compatriots Ishmael Kipkurui and Samuel Kibathi respectively won in Bathurst in 2023 and Belgrade in 2024 and the 18-year-old already has international experience as he won the world U20 5000m title in Lima in 2024. He was also second in the senior race at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Seville in November, only narrowly beaten by Rodrigue Kwizera in a sprint finish, and he placed third in the U20 trial race in Eldoret in October.
Emmanuel Kiprono was the champion that day and the 17-year-old will surely be buoyed by finishing three seconds ahead of Frankline Kibet in that highly competitive race in Eldoret, with Alamisi a further four seconds back. They all feature on the Kenyan squad for Tallahassee along with Kelvin Kariankei, Andrew Kiptoo and Edwin Elkana.
Uganda&rsquo;s Abraham Cherotich is another athlete who will be able to call on his major championship experience. The 18-year-old earned U20 bronze as part of a Ugandan sweep at the World Mountain &amp; Trail Running Championships in Canfranc-Pirineos in September and he then won the national trial in Mbale in November.
Jeremiah Kwemoi, Solomon Andiema, Daniel Kiprotich Chelogoi and Dan Kipyeko followed Cherotich over the finish line in Mbale and join him on a Ugandan squad on the hunt for another team medal.
Ethiopia will be unable to extend its streak of winning a U20 men&rsquo;s team medal at every edition since 1982, as visa challenges leave Ayele Sewnet as the nation&rsquo;s sole entrant, short of the four athletes required for team scoring.
The 18-year-old will still want to make his mark in the individual race, following his ninth-place finish at the Jan Meda International Cross Country, which serves as the Ethiopian trial event, in Addis Ababa in November. He also placed ninth in the 5000m at the Ethiopian Championships in May.
After continental success on the track and cross country, Belgium&rsquo;s Willem Renders steps on to the global stage. The 18-year-old won the European U20 5000m title in Tampere in August after setting a national U20 record in Oslo and then clinched cross-country gold in Lagoa in December.
He will renew his rivalry with 17-year-old Alois Abraham of France, who finished third behind Renders after a sprint finish in Lagoa before setting a national U20 5km record of 13:38 in Barcelona at the end of last month.
Aidan Torres won the U20 title at the US Cross Country Championships in Portland last month and leads the host nation team. He will be joined by runner-up Tyler Daillak and Daniel Skandera, who completed the podium in Portland.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Some of the biggest names in athletics claimed U20 men’s titles early on in their careers and the world’s leading teenage talents will want to follow in their footsteps

WXC Tallahassee 26 U20 men's preview: rising stars ready to break through

Kenyan athletes have won the past nine senior women&rsquo;s titles and while two-time champion Beatrice Chebet will not be defending her crown, her compatriots will be going for gold again at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday (10).
With Chebet missing the 2026 season to start a family, a new champion will be crowned at the Apalachee Regional Park and the race for the title will be fierce. Her compatriot Agnes Ngetich, the world 10km record-holder, has the chance to build on the bronze she claimed behind Chebet in Bathurst in 2023.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960405c3c5238afe261736b.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 watch live" /></a></div>
Ngetich placed fourth as part of a Kenyan top four led by Chebet in Belgrade in 2024 and finished in the same position in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo. Her most recent cross-country outing came at the Sirikwa Classic &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event &ndash; which she won in February.
Maurine Chebor won the national trials in October. She also finished second at the Kenyan Cross Country Championships in February and claimed the Kenyan police cross-country title last year. The 21-year-old has shown a strong return to form following some injury struggles in 2024 and should be among the leading contenders when she makes her international championship debut.
Ngetich and Chebor will be joined on the Kenyan team by national trials runner-up Brenda Jepchumba Kenei, Joyline Chepkemoi, Rebecca Mwangi and Caren Chebet as they look to claim the senior women&rsquo;s team title for the third consecutive edition and the eighth time in 10 editions.
The senior women&rsquo;s team title has been won by either Kenya or Ethiopia at each World Cross Country Championships since 1995. Senayet Getachew, the world U20 champion in 2023, and Asayech Ayichew, who finished second in the U20 race in 2024, both step up to Ethiopia&rsquo;s senior squad this time.
Ayichew won the Jan Meda International Cross Country, which serves as the Ethiopian Championships, in Addis Ababa in November and the 20-year-old&rsquo;s track season included Diamond League appearances in Xiamen, Rome and Eugene. In Addis Ababa she placed two spots ahead of marathon specialist Shure Demise, who also features on the team for Tallahassee, along with world U20 3000m champion Aleshign Baweke, Alem Tsadik and Lemlem Nibret, who finished fifth and then eighth in the past two world U20 cross-country races.
Uganda has claimed a team medal in four of the past five editions and should be a strong force again. Joy Cheptoyek, who won the national championships in Mbale in November and finished seventh in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo, leads the team alongside Sarah Chelangat, who placed fifth in Belgrade two years ago.
Cheptoyek won the national title by 26 seconds, finishing ahead of Rispa Cherop, Kereen Chemusto and Martha Chemutai. The trio also feature on the team alongside national 10,000m champion Rebecca Chelangat.
Weini Kelati Frezghi decided to extend her cross-country career in an attempt to secure a host nation team place in Tallahassee and it paid off as the 29-year-old won the trial race in Portland in December. It was redemption of sorts following her fourth-place finishes in both the 5000m and 10,000m at the US Championships, which saw her narrowly miss qualifying for the World Championships in Tokyo.
&ldquo;I thought that last year was going to be my last cross-country race,&rdquo; said Kelati Frezghi, who finished 14th at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships and 21st at the 2023 edition, &ldquo;but when I heard that the World Cross Country Championships were going to be in the US, I thought &lsquo;why not try to make the team and represent USA and show the world we can be competitive&rsquo;.&rdquo;
The first six athletes in that race in Portland made the host nation team, including runner-up Katie Izzo, who ran as part of the mixed relay team in Belgrade in 2024, and Ednah Kurgat, who was USA&rsquo;s top finisher at the 2023 World Cross in 18th place.
Others to watch at the Apalachee Regional Park include Great Britain&rsquo;s European cross-country silver medallist Megan Keith and Burundi&rsquo;s Francine Niyomukunzi, who regularly competes on the Cross Country Tour and won last year&rsquo;s Gold race in Albufeira. Australia&rsquo;s Lauren Ryan finished ninth, one place ahead of Keith, in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo and the pair will meet again in Tallahassee.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

A new champion will be crowned at the Apalachee Regional Park and the race for the title will be fierce

WXC Tallahassee 26 senior women's preview: new champion to be crowned

The World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 may take place just 10 days into 2026, but the anticipated clash in the senior men&rsquo;s race could stand up as one of the most compelling distance races of the entire year.
At the centre of it all stands Jacob Kiplimo, already one of the defining cross-country runners of his era and now chasing a rare slice of sporting immortality. Victory in Tallahassee would make the Ugandan just the fourth man in history to win three successive world cross-country titles, a feat previously achieved by John Ngugi, Paul Tergat and Kenenisa Bekele.
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6960405c3c5238afe261736b.jpg" alt="WXC Tallahassee 26 watch live" /></a></div>
Since winning his second world cross-country title in 2024, Kiplimo has raced sparingly on the track and instead has focused more on the roads. Last year he placed second at the London Marathon in 2:03:37 on his debut at the distance, then went on to win the Chicago Marathon in a national record of 2:02:23, making him the seventh fastest man in history.
He hasn&rsquo;t raced since then and will arrive in Tallahassee with fresh legs and the motivation to make history.
Berihu Aregawi has followed Kiplimo home for silver at both the 2023 and 2024 editions of the World Cross Country Championships, but the margins tell their own story. Nine seconds separated the pair in 2023; that gap shrank to just three seconds in 2024. It is a narrowing that hints at a rivalry reaching boiling point and at the tantalising possibility that the balance could yet tip.
The Ethiopian arrives in Tallahassee with unfinished business and the knowledge that, on his day, he has the strength and speed to finally deny Kiplimo a hat-trick. Having already won four global silver medals &ndash; two at cross country, one outdoors (10,000m at the 2024 Olympics) and one indoors (3000m at the 2025 World Indoor Championships) &ndash; the 24-year-old is long overdue a first global gold.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s depth ensures that Aregawi will not be carrying the nation&rsquo;s hopes alone. Bereket Nega emerged victorious at the Jan Meda Cross Country, which doubled as the Ethiopian trials, stamping his authority in a race that also saw Aregawi, Tadese Worku and Hagos Eyob finish close behind. That quartet gives Ethiopia a formidable blend of endurance, tactical nous and championship experience, keeping them firmly in the frame for the team title.
But Kenya &ndash; winner of the team title for the past two editions &ndash; brings a squad built for relentless pressure. World half marathon silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo leads the charge after a convincing victory at the Kenyan trials, supported by Kevin Chesang, Denis Kemboi and Shadrack Koech. With the Florida course expected to reward strength as much as speed, Kenya&rsquo;s ability to apply sustained pressure over the closing laps could be crucial.
Uganda has made the team podium at the past four editions, but this year they&rsquo;ll be without 2019 world cross-country champion Joshua Cheptegei. Dan Kibet, who finished 11th in 2024, should bolster Uganda&rsquo;s chances alongside Kiplimo.
Beyond the traditional powerhouses, the contenders list reads like a roll call of modern distance running. World 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier suffered a narrow defeat at last month&rsquo;s European Cross Country Championships, where Spain&rsquo;s Thierry Ndikumwenayo went on to take gold. They will both be in Tallahassee, ready not only to renew their continental rivalry but also to challenge for individual honours. Gressier is joined on the French team by 2023 European cross-country champion Yann Schrub.
Canada&rsquo;s 2021 Olympic 5000m silver medallist Moh Ahmed makes his first appearance at the World Cross since 2013. World and Olympic finalist Adriaan Wildschutt, who holds the South African records from 3000m up to the half marathon, makes his World Cross debut. Australia&rsquo;s Ky Robinson, who finished fourth over 5000m at last year&rsquo;s World Championships, could also be one to watch.
Other contenders include Tanzania&rsquo;s Gabriel Geay, runner-up at the 2023 Boston Marathon and 2022 Valencia Marathon, and Burundi&rsquo;s Celestin Ndikumana, a regular on the World Athletics Cross Country Tour.
The US team is led by Parker Wolfe, the national champion, alongside Rocky Hansen, Wesley Kiptoo and outdoor US 5000m record-holder Nico Young. The home soil advantage could inspire them to a prominent team finish.
As ever in cross country, conditions, tactics and the willingness to suffer will shape the outcome. Yet all roads appear to lead back to Kiplimo and Aregawi, two athletes separated by seconds, history and an ever-tightening rivalry.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

The anticipated clash in the senior men’s race could stand up as one of the most compelling distance races of the entire year

WXC Tallahassee 26 senior men’s preview: History beckons as Kiplimo and Aregawi renew rivalry

Entry lists for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 (WXC Tallahassee 26) confirm that 485 athletes from 52 federations are entered for the global event in Florida, USA, on Saturday 10 January.
The entry lists can be downloaded here: <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/695d0a5c7a5dad25a940fb69.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by event</a> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/695d0a2e7a5dad25a940fb68.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by event and federation</a>
A total of 246 athletes (101 women, 145 men) are entered for the individual senior races, while 163 athletes (76 women, 87 men) are listed for the U20 races. In the mixed relay, 15 teams have been entered.
Kenya topped the medal table ahead of Ethiopia and Uganda at the last edition of the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade in 2024 with a total of 11 medals, six of them gold.
Uganda&rsquo;s Jacob Kiplimo defends his title in the senior men&rsquo;s race. The 25-year-old won the U20 title on home soil in Kampala in 2017 before claiming senior titles in Bathurst in 2023 and Belgrade in 2024.
He will go for a senior hat-trick in Tallahassee, where he will be joined on the Ugandan team by Dan Kibet, who formed part of the nation&rsquo;s silver medal-winning team at the last edition.
Berihu Aregawi secured individual silver behind Kiplimo in both Bathurst and Belgrade, and the pair are set to renew their rivalry as the Olympic 10,000m silver medallist is listed on the Ethiopian team along with Biniam Mehary and Tadese Worku.
The entry list also includes world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier of France, Spain&rsquo;s European cross-country champion Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Kenya&rsquo;s world half marathon silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo.
World 10km record-holder Agnes Ngetich returns to World Cross Country Championships action three years on from claiming bronze in Bathurst. She features on Kenya&rsquo;s senior women&rsquo;s team along with national trials winner Maurine Chebor.
Their challengers include Uganda&rsquo;s Sarah Chelangat, who finished fifth &ndash; one place behind Ngetich &ndash; in Belgrade two years ago, and Joy Cheptoyek, who finished seventh in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo. Senayet Getachew, who won the U20 title in 2023, features on Ethiopia&rsquo;s team.
Weini Kelati Frezghi won at the US Cross Country Championships in Portland to secure her spot on the host nation team and she has been confirmed for Tallahassee, along with runner-up Katie Izzo.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s 17-year-old Marta Alemayo will defend her title in the U20 race.
Kenya will defend the mixed relay title and the nation&rsquo;s squad includes world 1500m bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot, Purity Chepkirui and Kyumbe Munguti, who all formed part of the gold medal-winning team in Belgrade two years ago.
The final start lists will be available on the eve of the competition.
World Athletics
&nbsp;
- <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/tallahassee26/key-info" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Key info for WXC Tallahassee 26</a>

Entry lists for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 include 490 athletes from 53 federations

Entry lists for World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 published

The official programme of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on 10 January.
<iframe src="https://player.flipsnack.com?hash=NkJDQkRFNTU2OUIreGgzNDltM3RrNQ==" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" seamless="seamless" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

The official programme of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26

WXC Tallahassee 26 official programme

Two-time defending champion Jacob Kiplimo will lead Uganda&rsquo;s team for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on 10 January.
Kiplimo won the U20 title on home soil in Kampala in 2017 before claiming senior titles in Bathurst in 2023 and Belgrade in 2024.
He will go for a senior hat-trick in Tallahassee, where he will be joined on the men&rsquo;s team by Dolphine Chelimo, Dan Kibet, Emmanuel Kibet, Keneth Kiprop and Deogracius Musobo.
The women&rsquo;s team includes Sarah Chelangat, who finished fifth in Belgrade two years ago, and Joy Cheptoyek, who finished seventh in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo.
The U20 women&rsquo;s squad features world U20 5000m bronze medallist Charity Cherop.
<h3>Ugandan team for Tallahassee</h3>
Senior women: Sarah Chelangat, Rebecca Chelangat, Kereen Chemusto, Martha Chemutai, Joy Cheptoyek, Rispa Cherop Senior men: Dolphine Chelimo, Dan Kibet, Emmanuel Kibet, Jacob Kiplimo, Keneth Kiprop, Deogracius Musobo U20 women: &lrm;Peace Chebet, Felister Chekwemoi, Nancy Chepkwurui, Charity Cherop, Bentalin Yeko U20 men: Solomon Andiema, Daniel Kiprotich Chelogoi, Abraham Cherotich, Dan Kipyeko, Jeremiah Kwemoi Mixed relay: &lrm;Brenda Chekwemoi, Sylvia Chelangat, Silas Chemutai, Daniel Comboni

Two-time defending champion Jacob Kiplimo will lead Uganda’s team for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on 10 January

Two-time champion Kiplimo to lead Ugandan team for WXC Tallahassee 26

Multiple global medallists are on Kenya&rsquo;s team for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on 10 January.
World 10km record-holder Agnes Ngetich, who claimed world cross country bronze in 2023, features on the senior women&rsquo;s team along with national trials winner Maurine Chebor, Brenda Jepchumba Kenei, Rebecca Mwangi,&nbsp;Joyline Chepkemoi and Caren Chebet.
World half marathon silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo, who won the Kenyan trials and finished sixth at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships, leads the men&rsquo;s team.
He will line up alongside Kevin Chesang, Denis Kipkoech Kipkemoi, Shadrack Koech, Weldon Langat and Robert Koech.
World 1500m bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot and Purity Chepkirui, who formed part of the gold medal-winning mixed relay team in Belgrade two years ago, feature in the squad again this time.
<h3>Kenyan team for Tallahassee</h3>
Senior women: Caren Chebet, Maurine Chebor, Joyline Chepkemoi, Brenda Jepchumba Kenei, Rebecca Mwangi, Agnes Ngetich Senior men: Kevin Chesang, Daniel Ebenyo, Denis Kipkoech Kipkemoi, Robert Koech, Shadrack Koech, Weldon Langat U20 women: &lrm;Mercy Jelimo, Miriam Chemutai Kibet, Cynthia Chepkirui, Caren Chepngeno, Mercy Chepngeno, Lonah Cherono U20 men: Andrew Alamisi, Frankline Kibet, Emmanuel Kiprono, Kelvin Kariankei, Andrew Kiptoo, Edwin Elkana Mixed relay: &lrm;Purity Chepkirui, Reynold Cheruiyot, Judy Kemunto, David Kipkoech, Winfred Mbithe, Daniel Munguti

Multiple global medallists are on Kenya’s team for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on 10 January

Gold, guidance and greatness: Ngetich's historic win

The Kiplimo-Cheptegei effect: how Uganda has redrawn the cross-country map

History repeats as Kiplimo wins senior men's gold from Aregawi in Tallahassee

Ngetich delivers masterclass to maintain Kenyan win streak in Tallahassee

Kibet gains redemption and leads Kenya to U20 men’s sweep in Tallahassee