Jacob Kiplimo celebrates his senior title win at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 (© Getty Images)
As the year draws to a close, we look back at the key moments of 2024 in each area of the sport.
The series continues with a review of cross country. It will be followed over the coming days by reviews of all the other remaining event groups.
Men’s cross country
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Berihu Aregawi (ETH) | 1271 |
| 2 | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) | 1240 |
| 3 | Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) | 1240 |
| 4 | Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) | 1226 |
| 5 | Oscar Chelimo (UGA) | 1220 |
World Cross Country Championships medallists
| 🥇 | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) | 28:09 |
| 🥈 | Berihu Aregawi (ETH) | 28:12 |
| 🥉 | Benson Kiplangat (KEN) | 28:14 |
| Full results | ||
Major winners
World Cross Country Championships: Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 28:09
African Cross Country Championships: Vincent Kibet Langat (KEN) 28:32
European Cross Country Championships: Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 22:16
Asian Cross Country Championships: Gulveer Singh (IND) 32:43
Pan American Cross Country Championships: Segundo Jami (ECU) 29:35
Season snapshot
- Jacob Kiplimo successfully defended his world cross-country title in Belgrade, making it three consecutive triumphs for Uganda in the senior men’s race. He became just the fourth man to have won back-to-back senior men’s titles, joining Kenenisa Bekele, Paul Tergat and Geoffrey Kamworor. Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi – the leader in the cross country world rankings – took silver, as he did in 2023, and Kenya’s Benson Kiplangat earned bronze. The team title went to Kenya ahead of Uganda and Ethiopia.
- Samuel Kibathi, winner of the Kenyan trials, claimed the individual U20 title in Belgrade and helped Kenya secure team gold. Ethiopia’s Mezgebu Sime took silver ahead of Kenya’s Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto.
- Burundi's Rodrigue Kwizera took the 2023-2024 World Athletics Cross Country Tour honours, thanks to his victories in Soria and Alcobendas and his runner-up position in Elgoibar.
Rodrigue Kwizera wins the Cross Internacional de Soria (© Asociacion ADOC)
- With 12 out of the 17 Gold races of the 2024-2025 series completed, Kwizera leads the current standings after notching up victories at four Gold level meetings. World U20 cross country bronze medallist Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto has two Gold level wins, while other Gold meeting winners include Uganda’s Keneth Kiprop, Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, France’s Jimmy Gressier, Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat, Kenya’s Samwel Chebolei Masai and Spain’s Nassim Hassaous. Five more Gold level meetings are left in the series.
- Olympic 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen won his third senior men’s title at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya. At the African Cross Country Championships, Vincent Kibet Langat won the senior men’s title and led Kenya to team gold.
Women’s cross country
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) | 1293 |
| 2 | Edinah Jebitok (KEN) | 1240 |
| 3 | Likina Amebaw (ETH) | 1240 |
| 4 | Sarah Chelangat (UGA) | 1238 |
| 5 | Daisy Jepkemei (KAZ) | 1236 |
World Cross Country Championships medallists
| 🥇 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) | 31:05 |
| 🥈 | Lilian Kasait Rengeruk (KEN) | 31:08 |
| 🥉 | Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) | 31:09 |
| Full results | ||
Major winners
World Cross Country Championships: Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 31:05
African Cross Country Championships: Cintia Chepngeno (KEN) 32:32
European Cross Championships: Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 25:43
Asian Cross Country Championships: Seema (IND) 37:20
Pan American Cross Country Championships: Shellcy Ester Sarmiento (COL) 35:06
Season snapshot
- The ultimate milestone of cross-country success this year came at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade where Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet retained her individual title, becoming the first woman to win back-to-back titles since Tirunesh Dibaba in 2006. She led a Kenyan sweep of the top five positions to take team gold ahead of Ethiopia and Uganda. Lilian Rengeruk secured individual silver and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi took bronze.
Beatrice Chebet wins the senior women's race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 (© Getty Images)
- Teenager Marta Alemayo won the U20 title in Belgrade, leading an Ethiopian sweep of the podium places ahead of Asayech Ayichew and Robe Dida. Ethiopia earned the team title for the fifth consecutive edition.
- Chebet, who went on to earn double Olympic gold on the track in 2024, topped the standings in the 2023-2024 World Athletics Cross Country Tour, thanks to her victories in Atapuerca and Elgoibar. She also currently leads the world rankings for the discipline.
- The senior women’s contest in the 2024-2025 World Athletics Cross Country Tour remains wide open with the 12 Gold level meetings producing 12 different winners. Chebet, who was victorious in Seville, is one of those, alongside Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi, Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei and Kenya's Grace Loibach Nawowuna. It’s all to play for in the remaining five Gold level meetings in the series.
- Cintia Chepngeno won the senior women’s title and led Kenya to team gold at the African Cross Country Championships, while Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti took the senior women’s title at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya.
Michelle Katami for World Athletics
