A look at the Kenya U20 team going for World Cross Country Championships success

When the starting gun fires at the 2026 World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, January 10, Kenya’s Under-20 athletes will not just be racing against the world’s best. They will be running against history, expectation and a proud legacy that has defined junior cross country for decades.

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For the last 25 years, the U20 men’s podium has been an exclusive East African affair, dominated by Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.

The last time an athlete from outside the region managed to crack the medals was in 2001, when American Dathan Ritzenhein claimed bronze.

That statistic alone shows the pressure that comes with wearing the national colors.

However, the pressure is nothing new to Kenya’s junior runners. Once again, the country arrives as defending champions, boasting depth, experience and hunger across both the men’s and women’s categories.

Team Kenya U20 women keen to reclaim elusive World Cross Country title

Women’s U20 6km

Leading the Kenyan charge in the women’s 6km race is Cynthia Chepkirui, a runner whose steady rise has been built on consistency and discipline.

Well-versed in the demands of cross country, Chepkirui has spent the last two seasons proving she thrives on tough terrain and competitive fields.

Her victory at the Chepsaita Cross Country in December 2024 was an early signal of her potential, before she stamped her authority at the Sirikwa Classic U20 Cross Country Championships in Eldoret in February 2025.

On the track, she has shown she can translate endurance into speed, finishing fourth in the 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic before dominating the African U18/U20 Combined Championships trials.

That momentum carried into continental success, where she claimed gold in the 3,000m at the African U18 Championships.

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Later in the year, she reaffirmed her cross-country credentials by winning the national U20 title in Eldoret and closing the season with victory at the Cardiff Cross Country in November.

She trains under coach Paul Kemei at the Lemotit Camp and enters the global stage as a genuine medal prospect.

She will not be alone in that pursuit. Mirriam Kibet, who finished second behind Chepkirui at the National Cross-Country Championships, has quietly assembled an impressive résumé of her own. The South Rift-based athlete has been consistent across cross country and track competitions, including the African U20 and U18 trials, where she posted competitive times.

Lonah Cherono brings a different kind of story to the team. A beneficiary of the Tegla Loroupe Foundation, Cherono understands the power of opportunity.

She claimed the junior title at the National Cross-Country Championships in February 2025 after previously finishing second at the Discovery Kenya Cross Country in Eldoret.

Adding further depth is Mercy Mageso, whose background in the steeplechase gives her strength and stamina over longer distances.

A bronze medalist in the 2,000m steeplechase at the CAA U18/U20 Championships in Nigeria, Mageso followed that with a fourth-place finish at the national cross-country championships. Like Chepkirui, she trains at Lemotit under Kemei.

Young Caren Chepng’eno represents the next wave of Kenyan talent.

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The younger sister of 2021 World U20 1500m champion Purity Chepkirui, Caren first caught attention after winning the Girls 14–15 title at the Chepsaita Cross Country in 2024.

Now a Form Three student at Tiloa, she earned her first global call-up after finishing fourth in the U20 race at the national championships, a moment made even sweeter as she later watched her elder sister triumph in the senior women’s category.

Joan Chepkirui and Mercy Jelimo complete a well-balanced squad that blends experience, youthful ambition and regional diversity all aimed at keeping Kenya firmly on the podium.

Men’s U20 8km

In the men’s 8km race, Kenya once again looks to a familiar name at junior level: Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi. The World U20 5,000m champion from Lima 2024 has enjoyed a remarkable run of form, seamlessly moving between track, road and cross country.

Alamisi’s 2025 season included a runner-up finish at the Adidas Adizero Road to Records 5km, second place at the Zagreb Meeting, victory in Rovereto, and a strong showing at the Cross Italica in Spain.

Alamasi leads Team Kenya charge for men's U20 Cross Country World title in Tallahassee

Such versatility has become his trademark and a valuable asset on the unpredictable terrain of world cross country.

“Our training has been going on well. We had camp in Embu doing various exercises like hill and speed work. The coaches have pushed us throughout. As the men’s 8km squad, we are well prepared and motivated, knowing what lies ahead,” Alamisi said.

Standing in his way is Emmanuel Kipkorir, who dethroned Alamisi at the National Cross-Country Championships to claim the U20 8km title. Kipkorir’s consistency across Athletics Kenya meets has marked him out as one of the strongest challengers in the field.

Frankline Kibet, who trains at the Siyoi Camp, adds further firepower after a standout season that included a podium finish at the Sirikwa Cross Country. Brian Kandie and Edwin Elkana round out a squad rich in depth and internal competition.

Kenya heads to Tallahassee as defending champions following Samuel Kibathi’s victory at the previous edition in Belgrade, where the country also secured the overall team title.