Beatrice Chebet wins the 2024 Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza (© Felix Sanchez (Fotorunners))
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet and Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi will be the standout athletes at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza – the 13th World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season – in the Spanish town of Elgoibar on Sunday (5).
Both distance aces proved to be in stellar form on the roads last Tuesday as Chebet set an impressive world 5km record in Barcelona thanks to a 13:54 performance while Aregawi took the top spot at the San Silvestre Vallecana, setting a course record of 26:32 over a slightly downhill 10km circuit.
The women's 7.62km contest in Elgoibar features an overwhelming favourite in two-time world cross country champion Chebet. The 24-year-old is the defending champion and she’s set for her fourth appearance in Elgoibar following her two runner-up spots in 2020 and 2022 plus her win last year.
The Kenyan star enjoyed a stellar 2024 season topped by her 5000m and 10,000m Olympic titles in Paris and the feat of becoming the first woman in history to break the 29:00 barrier over 10,000m thanks to a 28:54.14 performance in Eugene and the 14:00 mark over any surface for 5km earlier this week.
Ethiopia’s Melknat Wudu, who turns 20 today, should lead the rest of the line-up. She boasts a 14:36.65 5000m career best and is fresh from a fourth place in Barcelona with a 14:53 clocking. Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi will also be aiming for a podium spot – something she has already managed in her three outings on Spanish soil this cross country season having won in Amorebieta before taking third in Atapuerca and the runner-up place in Soria. The 25-year-old holds lifetime bests of 14:44.97 in the 5000m and 30:42 over 10km.
Spain’s Carolina Robles, who is fresh from a fourth place in Madrid in 31:58, should be the leading European athlete ahead of France’s Marie Bouchard, 12th at the 2023 European Cross Country Championships.
Some fine U23 athletes will also be on show, including Spain’s Claudia Corral, who was 15th in the age-group race at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya in December, and the British duo of Kate Willis and Megan Gadsby, 18th and 23rd respectively on that occasion.
Thrilling Aregawi-Kwizera showdown
The men's 9.7km contest also boasts a mouth-watering line-up headed by Ethiopia's Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Aregawi. The 23-year-old made a hesitant debut on this cross country campaign on 17 November when he was clearly beaten by Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Rodrigue Kwizera in Seville, but the two-time world cross country silver medallist showed great shape in Madrid and proved to be ready for his title defence.
As for Kwizera, he finished second last year five seconds behind the Ethiopian and will be eager to climb a step on the podium in what should be a fascinating rematch from last year’s edition. Kwizera has reportedly recently spent three weeks at the altitude of Sierra Nevada and the current World Cross Country Tour leader seems to be in the form of his life.
The third place on the podium is wide open and is likely to be contested between Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu, the Spanish duo of Adel Mechaal and Aaron Las Heras, and Great Britain’s Tomer Tarragano. Firewu is a renowned 3000m steeplechase specialist who finished sixth at the Paris Olympics at just 20 years of age. He holds a lifetime best of 8:04:34 for the discipline although there is a question mark over how Firewu will adapt to a 30-minute effort on Sunday as he has not yet tackled that kind of mileage.
Meanwhile, the 34-year-old Mechaal managed third place in Madrid behind Aregawi and Jacob Kiplimo thanks to his 27:39 run, 33 seconds clear of Las Heras. Both of them were part of the Spanish team that clinched team gold at the European Cross Country Championships last month. As for Tarragano, the Briton will be competing the day after his 24th birthday. He won at the British trials in Liverpool before placing 19th in Antalya to score for the British team that grabbed bronze on that occasion.
In addition to the elite senior events, there will be strong U20 races with representatives from Great Britain, Belgium, France and Spain in the fight for the 22nd Mamo Wolde prize, an award created in 2003 in memory of Ethiopia’s legendary Olympic marathon champion. He is fondly remembered in Elgoibar after winning four times in the 1960s. Organisers will also pay tribute to national legends, world medallists and race champions Mariano Haro and Carmen Valero who passed away last year.
Weather forecasters predict a windy and cloudy day, with temperatures ranging between 13-15°C at the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
