World’s half-marathon record holder, Jacob Kiplimo, returned to the dirt and secured his third consecutive world title over a talented field. The Ugandan star completed a 10-kilometer long fast course in 28 minutes 18 seconds after accelerating in the final lap and established a considerable gap on Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia, who finished as runner-up for the third time.
The race held in Florida’s countryside city, Tallahassee, with the presence of 43 nations, the fewest in 12 years, was criticized by some delegates due to rowdy visa denials of several African team members, including athletes. However, World Athletics boss Seb Coe doesn’t agree it was a politically motivated situation, insisting the athletics world has always had visa issues.
The senior men’s race was dominated by the East Africans, who occupied nine of the top 10 spots, with the only exception being eighth-placed Thierry Ndikumwenayo, the Burundian-born Spanish athlete who secured the European title last month in Portugal. When Kiplimo kicked out of the lead group on the penultimate lap, Ethiopians stayed in front consistently, clinching the team title by 4 points over their great rivals, Kenya. Ethiopia may not have tasted individual victory since 2008, but claimed team gold back in 2009. The East African nation swept women’s team gold as well, with four top 10 finishes, and celebrated double joy at the senior level.
However, women’s race individually conquered by a Kenyan. The world 10K road race record holder, Agnes Jebet Ngetich, ruled the race from the start to the end. Ngetich established a 15-second lead in the middle of the race, then extended her lead to 42 seconds at the finish. Ugandan Joy Cheptoyek won a silver medal in a fight against Ethiopian rivals and became the first-ever senior female medallist in World XC history.
Men’s junior race was totally dominated by Kenyans, where they all finished inside the top eight, including the top four slots. Frankline Kibet wins the 6-kilometre race by two seconds, leading the all-Kenyan podium. By the women’s side, Ethiopia’s Martha Alemayo retained her title from Belgrade a couple of years ago with a respectable gap. Alemayo broke up from the group before the bell and arrived at the finish line 26 seconds earlier than her teammate Wosane Asefa. The three Ethiopians finished the race in top five but they still did not include the team rankings - because of the fourth athlete missing by the visa denial, which cost them an extra gold medal.
In the first race of the programme, the strong Australian quartet wins the mixed team title ahead of France and Ethiopia. The Aussies open up the course, with Olivier Hoare, before taken up by Linden Hall, Jack Anstey, and Olympic medallist Jess Hull, all four of whom previously contested college-level cross races in the United States. Australia upgraded their home-winning 2023 bronze medal to gold, the nation's second XC world title since Benita Johnson’s epic victory in Brussels in 2004.
