Charity Cherop claims 2024 Cardiff Cross Challenge victory (© Paul Stillman)
Rodrigue Kwizera and Charity Cherop head the fields for the Cross Internacional de Soria, the fourth Gold-level meeting of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour, on Sunday (15).
Kwizera is a three-time victor in Soria, having triumphed in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and the 27-year-old is keen to maintain the momentum following his recent wins at the Valencia Half Marathon – where he set a Spanish record of 58:03 – and the Cross Internacional de Itálica in Seville last weekend.
Yet, the Castellón-based star will face stiff opposition from the Kenyan duo of last year’s winner Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang and Charles Kiboino, runner-up in Seville.
On his fifth appearance at the venue – the Monte Valonsadero circuit, a beautiful forest on the outskirts of Soria – the in-form Kwizera will try to take advantage of his knowledge of the circuit to take revenge following his narrow loss last year to Kipsang.
Kipsang was a brilliant winner of the 2025/26 World Athletics Cross Country Tour and will compete on the eve of his 31st birthday. The Commonwealth 5000m champion also improved his 3000m PB to 7:27.58 in May and that track speed might be especially threatening for Kwizera as the race will be contested over a relatively short distance of 8km.
While Kipsang’s last outing came at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen a couple of months ago when he had to settle for eighth in the 5km in 13:11, Kiboino proved to be in stellar form last weekend as he pushed Kwizera to the line in Seville following a thrilling sprint. The 19-year-old, a 27:22.80 10,000m performer this year, will be eager to turn the tables on Sunday.
They will be joined by Kenya’s 2022 world U20 3000m silver medallist Felix Kiptarus Korir and steeplechaser Peter Rono, third in Amorebieta last month, plus Uganda’s Dismas Yeko, who was eighth in Seville. Ethiopia’s Wegene Adisu is also among the entries, along with Spain’s Sergio Paniagua, fourth in Amorebieta, who will be aiming for a top eight place.
Cherop-Chepkirui showdown
The women’s contest, which will also be held over 8km, promises to be a thrilling clash between two athletes from Sunday’s podium in Seville – Uganda’s runner-up Cherop and the third-place finisher Cynthia Chepkirui of Kenya.
Cherop is the world U20 5000m champion who produced a magnificent display of front running during her cross-country debut on the senior scene last weekend to be beaten only by the Ultimate 5000m and world 5km champion Likina Amebaw. Chepkirui also showed top shape again behind Cherop as was also the case at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January when they finished third and fourth in the U20 race, respectively.
Watch out too for Kenya’s Mirriam Cherop, the world mile bronze medallist in Copenhagen in September. The 27-year-old placed third in Amorebieta and will be chasing another podium spot on Sunday, while Uganda’s Peace Chebet, another top 10 finisher in the U20 race in Tallahassee, will be in contention following a 31:44 10km PB in Berlin last month. Also among the entries is Ethiopia’s Lemlem Nibret, a two-time top 10 athlete in U20 races at the World Cross Country Championships in 2023 and 2024.
The European challenge will be provided by Spain’s Idaira Prieto and Portugal’s Mariana Machado. The former, who is coached by her father Antonio Prieto, a two-time fifth-place finisher at the World Cross Country Championships (1981 and 1983), was a surprise fourth over 10,000m at the European Championships in August and will be making her cross-country debut this campaign. The same goes for the 26-year-old Machado, the 2019 victor in Soria. She will be joined by her compatriot Salome Afonso, the European indoor 1500m silver medallist.
Several technical sessions will take place on the eve of the event, with 1992 Olympic 1500m champion Fermín Cacho and the Portuguese pair of world 1500m champion Isaac Nader and Afonso in attendance
Illustrious past winners in Soria include 1997 world 10,000m champion Sally Barsosio, 2000 Olympic 5000m champion Million Wolde, 2001 world 10,000m gold medallist Charles Kamathi, 2007 world cross-country champion Zersenay Tadese, 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai, 2010 world cross-country gold medallist Joseph Ebuya and three-time world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo.
Weather forecasters predict a rainy and windy day on Sunday, with the temperature ranging between 10-12°C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
