Sawt Falasteen - Uganda's Kiplimo seeks third world cross country crown in a row

Kiplimo could become only the fourth man to win three world cross country titles in a row after Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele (2002-2006), Kenya's Paul Tergat (1995-1999) and Kenya's John Ngugi (1986-1989).

Kiplimo was last year's London Marathon runner-up in 2hrs 3mins 37secs in his debut at the 26.2-mile distance, then captured the Chicago Marathon in 2:02:23 and has not competed since ahead of the matchup at Apalachee Regional Park.

Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi, the world cross country runner-up to Kiplimo the past two events, lost the 10-kilometer showdown by nine seconds in 2023 and only three seconds in 2024.

Aregawi was the 10,000m runner-up at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ethiopian trials winner Bereket Nega and world half marathon runner-up Daniel Ebenyo of Kenya also figure into the title chase.

France's Jimmy Gressier, the reigning world 10,000m champion, and European champion Thierry Ndikumwenayo of Spain look to contend, as does Adriaan Wildschutt, the South African half-marathon record holder who makes his world cross country debut.

On the women's side, Kenya's two-time defending champion Beatrice Chebet has withdrawn from the event, her agent announcing she will take a maternity break in 2026.

With the reigning Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion out of the chase, compatriot Agnes Ngetich, the world 10km record-holder, will be among those looked to bring Kenya a 10th consecutive women's world cross country title.

Ngetich was third behind Chebet in 2023 and fourth in a Kenyan top-four sweep in 2024 as well as the world 10,000m final in Tokyo.

She has not competed in a cross country event since winning on home soil in the Sirikwa Classic last February.

Maurine Chebor, 21, won the Kenyan trials last October and joins trials runner-up Brenda Jepchumba Kenei as hopefuls to extend her homeland's reign.

Ethiopian contenders include 2023 world under-20 champion Senayet Getachew and 2024 under-20 runner-up Asayech Ayichew, who captured the Ethiopian Championship in November.

X.Habash--SF-PST