Rodrigue Kwizera wins the Cross Internacional de Soria (© Asociacion ADOC)
Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw lead the fields for the Cross Internacional de Soria, the fourth Gold level meeting of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour, on Sunday (16).
Kwizera is a three-time victor in Soria, having triumphed in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and the 25-year-old is keen to maintain the momentum following his win at the Cross Internacional de Italica in Seville last weekend. His stiffest opposition looks to be Kenya’s Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang and Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, but Kwizera appears ready to make history by becoming a four-time winner in Soria to break the tie with Uganda’s Timothy Toroitich, who won three times in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Kipsang will compete on his 30th birthday, fresh from a fine win at the Cardiff Cross Challenge on Saturday. The Kenyan finished third in Soria last year and, after PBs of 7:33.23 (3000m) and 12:58.61 (5000m) this year, he should be a dangerous rival for Kwizera as the race will be held over the relatively short distance of 8km. The same goes for Ndikumwenayo – the 28-year-old Spaniard is still rounding into form and had to settle for fifth last weekend at the Italica meeting but he will be fighting hard to grab his second win in Soria following his 2022 victory.
Other contenders include Burundi’s Emile Hafashimana, who won in Amorebieta and was ninth last weekend in Seville, plus Uganda’s Martin Kiprotich and Samuel Cherop, and Kenya’s Edwin Kiplangat Bett and Naibei Kiplimo Mayebei.
Kiprotich finished 14th at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade and has shown great versatility in clinching silver in the classic race at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in September. More recently, the 22-year-old resumed his cross-country career and finished second in San Sebastian, just ahead of Mayebei and Bett. As for Cherop, he placed fifth in the 5000m at last year’s World U20 Championships in Lima. The local challenge will be led by Ilias Fifa, who showed he is in form with a Casablanca 10km win in 27:51 last month.
Amebaw versus Jebet
The women’s race will also be held over 8km and promises a showdown between Amebaw and Kenya’s Sheila Jebet. Amebaw will be making her third appearance of this cross-country season as she won in Amorebieta last month and finished third last weekend at the Italica. She won in Soria in 2023 and aims for her third podium spot following her 2021 runner-up finish.
Jebet secured second place in Cardiff last weekend and seeks her first win on the European cross-country circuit. The 20-year-old finished fourth in the U20 race at the last World Cross Country Championships and then placed fifth in the 5000m at the World U20 Championships.
Local hopes rest on Idaira Prieto and Marta Perez. Spanish 1500m record-holder Perez has been living and training in Madrid for the last 14 years but she is a Soria native and will enjoy the support of her home crowd as she did last year when she placed fifth. She competed at the World Championships in Tokyo, as did Prieto, who is coached by her father Antonio Prieto, a two-time fifth-place finisher at the World Cross Country Championships.
Illustrious past winners in Soria include 2000 Olympic 5000m champion Million Wolde, 2001 world 10,000m gold medallist Charles Kamathi, 1997 world 10,000m champion Sally Barsosio, 2007 world cross country champion Zersenay Tadese, 2010 world cross country gold medallist Joseph Ebuya, 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai and two-time world cross country gold medallist Jacob Kiplimo.
The venue of the event will be the Monte Valonsadero circuit, a beautiful forest on the outskirts of Soria. Weather forecasters predict a wet and windy day on Sunday, with the temperature ranging between 10-12°C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
