Rodrigue Kwizera wins the 2025 Cross Internacional das Amendoeiras em Flor (© European Athletics / Marta Gorczynska)
As the year draws to a close, we look back at the key moments of 2025 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 | Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) | 1240 |
| 1 | Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (KEN) | 1240 |
| 1 | Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto (KEN) | 1240 |
| 4 | Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) | 1233 |
| 5 | Nassim Hassaous (ESP) | 1220 |
Season snapshot
- The king of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour, Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera, clinched his third title after winning the 2024-25 tour. The 26-year-old won five races in the series – in Amorebieta, Atapuerca, Soria, Alcobendas and Albufeira. Kenyan Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto finished second after winning at the Cinque Mulini and in Carhaix, while Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo finished third.
- For the 2025-2026 series, 10 of the 15 Gold races have already been completed and Kenya’s Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang sits at the top of the standings. He has won the Cardiff Cross Challenge, the Campo a Traves Internacional de Soria and the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca.
- Second in the standings is the reigning champion, Kwizera. He claimed victories at the Cross Internacional de Italica and the Alcobendas-Comunidad de Madrid, and finished runner-up in Soria and Atapuerca.
- Kipruto is placed third. The 20-year-old won the Chepsaita Cross Country Tour, finished runner-up at the Cinque Mulini and placed third at the Campo a Traves Internacional de Soria. Other Gold meeting winners include Burundi’s Emile Hafashimana, Ethiopia’s Milkesa Fikadu, Kenya’s Brian Kiptoo and Saymon Amanuel, who was the first Eritrean since Zersenay Tadese in 2008 to win the Cinque Mulini.
- Kwizera, Kipsang and Kipruto currently top the world rankings ahead of the Spanish duo of Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Nassim Hassaous.
- Ndikumwenayo won at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, an upgrade from the bronze medal he claimed 12 months ago in Antalya.
Thierry Ndikumwenayo at the European Cross Country Championships (© Getty Images)
- Five legs remain of the Cross Country Tour Gold but before it resumes in January, the world will assemble in Tallahassee, Florida, for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships on 10 January. After that, the tour will head to Elgoibar in Spain, San Giorgio su Legnano in Italy, Hannut in Belgium, Albufeira in Portugal and Eldoret in Kenya.
Women’s cross country
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Nadia Battocletti (ITA) | 1240 |
| 1 | Yenenesh Shimket (ETH) | 1240 |
| 3 | Francine Niyomukunzi (BDI) | 1233 |
| 4 | Likina Amebaw (ETH) | 1226 |
| 5 | Daisy Jepkemei (KAZ) | 1226 |
| 5 | Sheila Jebet (KEN) | 1226 |
Season snapshot
- Versatile Italian runner Nadia Battocletti topped the standings at the end of the 2024-25 World Athletics Cross Country Tour to claim the overall win. After finishing third at the Cinque Mulini, winning in Alcobendas and bagging gold at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya in 2024, Battocletti started 2025 by emerging victorious on home soil at the Campaccio. Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi, winner in Amorebieta and Albufeira, finished second in the series, while Kenya’s Sheila Jebet placed third.
- Battocletti, the world 10,000m silver and 5000m bronze medallist, is currently at the helm of the 2025-26 season standings following her triumphant performance at the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca on her fourth attempt. A week later, the Italian was runner-up at the Alcobendas-Comunidad de Madrid and on 14 December she retained her European title in Lagoa.
Nadia Battocletti celebrates victory at the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca (© Ricardo Ordóñez)
- The Italian also sits joint top of the world rankings alongside Ethiopia’s Yenenesh Shimket, the 18-year-old who won at the Cinque Mulini and in Alcobendas.
- Behind Battocletti in the tour standings is Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw, who won the season opener in Amorebieta-Etxano, placed third at the Cross Internacional de Italica and won the Campo a Traves Internacional de Soria. Jebet is currently third after she placed second in Cardiff, Soria and Atapuerca, and third in Alcobendas.
- Other winners on the current tour include Bahrain’s Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi, Kenyans Cynthia Chepkirui and Dorcus Chepkwemoi, and Shimket and her fellow Ethiopian Tirhas Gebrehiwet.
Michelle Katami for World Athletics
