Jacob Kiplimo at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 (© Getty Images 
Morgan Tencza)
For the third edition in a row, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo won the senior men’s title ahead of Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday.
In so doing, Kiplimo confirmed his status as one of the great distance runners of his generation as the Ugandan proved untouchable when it mattered most, opening up a staggering 18 seconds on his fellow medallists on the final lap alone.
Aregawi once again had to settle for silver individually, but he gained some consolation by leading Ethiopia to gold in the team contest. Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo claimed individual bronze behind Aregawi.
As he has done so often on the world stage, Kiplimo allowed the race to develop before asserting control with a devastating surge in the closing stages. He also led Uganda to their best ever medal haul – seven in total, including two gold – at a World Cross Country Championships.
The early pace was set by USA’s Wesley Kiptoo, who surged to the front from the gun and covered the opening lap in 5:39, establishing a two-second advantage over a chase pack led by Uganda’s Dan Kibet and Australia’s Ky Robinson. The move briefly stretched the field, but by 3km (8:39) Kiptoo had been reeled in as the leading group began to take shape.
At 4km, the complexion of the race was a familiar one, with Kenyan, Ethiopian and Ugandan athletes filling the top 12 positions. Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku led at that stage, closely followed by Uganda’s Dolphine Chelimo and Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo, while Kiplimo moved into fourth place, calmly tracking the front and making his presence known.
Worku attempted to force the pace as the race approached halfway, adding a burst of pace that briefly gave him a narrow cushion over Kiplimo and Ebenyo, with Aregawi sitting just behind. The effort, however, proved short-lived. By 6km, Worku had been brought back as Kiplimo edged to the front at the end of the third lap, leading a tightly packed group that included Ebenyo, Worku and Aregawi. Biniam Mehary and Ishmael Kipkurui followed in fifth and sixth, while European cross-country champion Thierry Ndikumwenayo ran further back in seventh.
The fourth lap marked another turning point. Kipkurui was the first to lose contact, followed soon after by Worku, reducing the medal battle to four men: Kiplimo, Ebenyo, Mehary and Aregawi. As the bell sounded for the final lap, the race distilled further with Mehary falling behind, leaving the three pre-race favourites to contest the podium places.
It was then that Kiplimo made his decisive move. Digging deep, the Ugandan opened up a gap of eight seconds over the next kilometre, breaking clear of Aregawi and Ebenyo. His authority grew with each stride, and he continued to stretch his advantage relentlessly, gaining 18 seconds on the final lap alone.
Kiplimo crossed the line in 28:18 to become the fourth man in history to win three consecutive world cross-country titles, matching feats previously achieved by John Ngugi, Paul Tergat and Kenenisa Bekele. His victory also marked the biggest winning margin in the senior men’s race since 2007.
"I didn't expect to win, but I was happy to cross the finish line first for the third consecutive time," said Kiplimo. "The course was really nice. I'm happy for my gold, but also for the team.
"The key to my success is consistency in training and belief in what you're doing," added Kiplimo, whose last race prior to today was his 2:02:23 victory at the Chicago Marathon in October. "Many more Ugandan runners are catching up."
Aregawi secured his fifth global silver medal, and his third at the World Cross, in 28:36, while world half marathon silver medallist Ebenyo added another major honour to his collection by claiming bronze in 28:45.
Worku, Kipkurui and Mehary completed the top six. Ndikumwenayo finished eighth, while world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier placed 15th, four positions behind his French teammate Yann Schrub. US cross-country champion Parker Wolfe was the leading home finisher in 12th. Ethiopia won the team title ahead of Kenya and Uganda.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
| SENIOR MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS | ||
| 🥇 | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) | 28:18 |
| 🥈 | Berihu Aregawi (ETH) | 28:36 |
| 🥉 | Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (KEN) | 28:45 |
| 4 | Tadese Worku (ETH) | 28:49 |
| 5 | Ishmael Kipkurui (KEN) | 28:53 |
| 6 | Biniam Mehary (ETH) | 29:03 |
| 7 | Dolphine Chelimo (UGA) | 29:07 |
| 8 | Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) | 29:16 |
| 9 | Denis Kipkoech Kemboi Kipkemoi (KEN) | 29:18 |
| 10 | Keneth Kiprop (UGA) | 29:20 |
| Full results | ||
| SENIOR MEN'S TEAM RESULTS | ||
| 🥇 | Ethiopia | 30 |
| 🥈 | Kenya | 34 |
| 🥉 | Uganda | 39 |
| Full results |
||
