Likina Amebaw celebrates her win at the 2023 Cross Internacional Zornotza (© Asociacion ADOC)
Ultimate champion Likina Amebaw and Egide Ntakarutimana will be among the leading contenders when the Cross Internacional Zornotza, the second Gold-level fixture of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour, takes place in the Spanish town of Amorebieta on Sunday (18).
Amebaw, who has been based in Spain for eight years, has enjoyed a superb 2026 – a year topped by her commanding 5000m win at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship last month in Budapest. On that occasion, the 28-year-old triumphed in scintillating fashion following a devastating change of speed. Just six days later, the Ethiopian star maintained the momentum by winning the 5km title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen thanks to a 14:41 clocking.
In addition, Amebaw improved her 5000m PB as she recorded 14:18.41 to win at the Golden Gala Diamond League meeting in Rome, five months after lowering her 10km career best in Valencia where she finished runner-up in 29:29.
Sunday’s event will mark her third appearance in Amorebieta and she remains unbeaten so far having succeeded in both 2023 and 2025.
Although Amebaw had a few days off after Copenhagen, she remains the overwhelming favourite for the 8.7km race. But she will face Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi who is also a double victor in Amorebieta having won in 2021 and 2024. The 27-year-old proved to be in the form of her life during the track season as she set massive PBs of 8:33.27 in Monaco and 14:41.46 in Rome for the 3000m and 5000m, respectively, but she had to settle for 18th in Copenhagen last month over 5km.
Niyomukunzi kicked off her cross-country campaign the following weekend with a clear win at the opening World Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season in Lidingö over 15km.
Watch out too for the world mile bronze medallist Mirriam Cherop. The 27-year-old formed part of Kenya’s gold medal-winning mixed relay team at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships and she won the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Albufeira in February, while she also holds a fine 30:59 10km PB set in June. Cherop will be joined by her compatriot Dorcus Chepkwemoi, the winner at last year’s Venta de Baños Cross Country Tour Gold race.
In the men’s race, which will also be held over 8.7km, athletes from Burundi look poised to extend their winning streak to five consecutive editions, with Ntakarutimana seemingly the athlete to beat.
The 28-year-old made a major breakthrough this season. He clocked the second-quickest 5000m of the year thanks to his 12:46.73 national record performance at the Diamond League Final in Brussels just nine days after improving his 3000m career best to 7:28.13 in Zurich. Ntakarutimana then finished ninth in the 5km at the World Road Running Championships before winning the cross-country race in Lidingö one week later.
He will be eager to improve on his sixth place from the 2024 Cross Internacional Zornotza. His compatriot Elie Sindayikengdera, fourth last year, should be his closest opponent. The 22-year-old, who was third in Lidingö, holds a 13:01.96 5000m lifetime best set last year and he was 20th in the 5km in Copenhagen last month. They will be joined on the start line by Kenyan steeplechaser Peter Rono.
The Spanish hopes rest on Nassim Hassaous, who was runner-up last year, as well as steeplechaser Daniel Arce, Abdessamad Oukhelfen and European U20 cross-country silver medallist Oscar Gaitán.
Amorebieta hosted the 1993 World Cross Country Championships, where William Sigei and Albertina Dias took victory, and a then 19-year-old Paula Radcliffe made her senior international debut, finishing 18th.
The weather on Sunday is forecast to be cloudy with a high chance of rain, with temperatures around 14°C during the early afternoon races.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
