At the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo successfully defended their titles from the previous year. Chebet and Kiplimo were the favorites going into the competition after their wins in Bathurst, Australia, and they did not disappoint.
In the senior women’s 10km race, Chebet emerged as the winner after breaking away from the lead group towards the end of the race. Alongside her fellow Kenyans Lilian Rengeruk and Margaret Kipkemboi, Chebet pushed the pace and eventually made a decisive move in the final few hundred meters. She crossed the finish line in 31:05, three seconds ahead of Rengeruk and one second ahead of Kipkemboi.
Meanwhile, in the men’s race, Kiplimo displayed his dominance with a powerful attack on the final lap. Despite attempts by Kenyan runner Gideon Rono to break away earlier in the race, Kiplimo and his teammate Joshua Cheptegei caught up and eventually dropped Cheptegei as the pace increased in the final kilometers. Kiplimo went on to win comfortably in 28:09, followed closely by Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi and Kenya’s Benson Kiplangat.
Cheptegei finished in sixth place after struggling to keep up with the pace set by Kiplimo. Overall, Chebet and Kiplimo proved once again that they are formidable forces in cross country running, showcasing their strength and skill on the global stage.