Jacob Kiplimo upset distance king Joshua Cheptegei to win the world cross country title Saturday as top women’s star Letesenbet Gidey dramatically collapsed in sight of the finish line as she looked destined for gold. Cheptegai — the 5,000m and 10,000m world record holder — was defending the title he won four years ago in Aarhus, Denmark when Kiplimo took silver. They faced a gruelling challenge on a hot day, with an uphill start followed by a run through a vineyard and a rapid 350m downhill section before an uphill run at the end of each 2km loop. She looked to have timed her race perfectly but began grimacing in the closing stages and collapsed with barely 100m to go, handing world 5,000m silver medallist Chebet the title in 33.48. Kenyan Ishmael Kipkurui claimed the men’s U20 title while Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew was the women’s champion.

Source: Ethiopian News February 18, 2023 20:54 UTC