Mawia out to defend her Soria title as cross country tour continues

Kenya's Lucy Mawia headlines the women's 10km race at the Cross Internacional de Soria, the fourth Gold level meeting of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour takes place on Sunday 6 November at the Monte Valonsadero circuit. 

The 24-year-old Mawia is the defending champion in Soria and took a convincing win a fortnight ago in Bydgoszcz.

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Earlier this year, Mawia improved her 5000m career best to 15:22.93 and also ran 15:10 on the roads.

Mawia's main challengers are Burundi's Cavaline Nahimana, second last week in Amorebieta, and Spain's Marta Garcia, a 12th-place finisher at the European Championships in Munich over 5000m in a lifetime best of 15:23.36.

Meanwhile, the men’s 10km contest features some outstanding distance runners, including Burundi's Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Eritrea's Merhawi Mebrahtu. 

The former was the world's quickest athlete over 3000m during the outdoor season courtesy of the impressive 7:25.93 clocking he managed in Monaco in August. 

The 25-year-old Burundian is based in Castellon, where he trains under Pepe Ortuno and shares training sessions with his compatriot Rodrigue Kwizera. 

There won't be a clash between them on Sunday, however, since Kwizera has opted to compete in a low-key downhill 10km race in Alcobendas on the same day.

Ndikumwenayo successfully opened his cross country campaign on 16 October when he claimed a narrow sprint victory over Kwizera and he hopes to maintain his momentum in the 10,000m event on Sunday.

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His toughest opposition might well be Mebrahtu. The 19-year-old claimed a world U20 silver medal in Cali in August over 5000m, a distance for which he boasts a 13:04.49 PB set on the Spanish soil of Huelva in June.

Unlike many previous editions when the thermometer marked temperatures close to zero, weather forecasters predict a sunny day on Sunday with a pleasant 15°C by the time of the event.

Additional reporting by World Athletics.