Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, the reigning Chicago Marathon champion, will attempt to win his third consecutive men's crown at the World Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Tallahassee, Florida. 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). 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. 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. She has not competed in a cross country event since winning on home soil in the Sirikwa Classic last February.

Source: Ethiopian News January 10, 2026 02:44 UTC