Returning Ebenyo confident of Kenya shining at World Cross Country Championships
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 05.01.26. | 15:26
Last year the team won an impressive 11 medals; six gold, two silver and three bronze
Team Kenya, headed to the 46th edition of the World Cross Country Championships, set for Saturday, 10 January in Tallahassee, Florida, is expected to depart on Monday, 5 January, ready to battle for global glory as the 2026 athletics season gets underway.
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The team has been training at the Kigari Teachers’ Training College in Embu for the past month in preparation for the global competition, with skipper Daniel Simiu Ebenyo confident in his squad's abilities to defend the overall title clinched in Belgrade, Serbia, last year.
The world half marathon silver medalist says his focus is to make the podium in the senior men’s 10km race while also leading the country to a successful campaign.
"We compete against the best in the world, but we carry Kenya's spirit with us. The training has been going very well.
We have established every obstacle and found solutions, and the team is ready to compete with discipline, humility and hard work,” he says.
In Serbia, Team Kenya came home with an impressive 11 medals; six gold, two silver and three bronze.
Ebenyo has been out of the national team since 2023, having controversially missed out on the Tokyo Olympics.
Last year, he also watched from home as Kenya missed out on the 10000m World Athletics Championships podium, a first since Daegu 2011, a result that prompted the 2023 silver medalist to make a national team/track comeback.
“I’m happy to be back with Team Kenya, and I will do my best to get that cross-country medal," he offered, adding that discipline has been key to his consistency, something he hopes will carry him to the top of the world yet again in Florida.
Team Kenya's charge for the senior women's title won by Beatrice Chebet in the last two editions is led by world 10km record holder Agnes Ng'etich, alongside Maurine Chebor, Brenda Kenei, Rebecca Mwangi, Caren Chebet and Joyline Jepkemoi.
In the men's senior race, Ebenyo will spearhead the Kenyan onslaught. Adding further firepower is a deep cast featuring rising star Ishmael Kipkurui alongside Edwin Bett, Robert Koech, Weldon Langat, Shadrack Koech, Denis Kemboi and Kevin Chesang.
The U-20 women's 6km race will see Cynthia Chepkirui take charge, joined by Mirriam Kibet, Lonah Cherono, Mercy Mageso, Caren Chepng'eno, Mercy Jelimo and Joan Chepkirui.
On the men's side, the 8km U-20 contest will feature World U-20 5,000m champion Andrew Alamisi, who will line up alongside Emmanuel Kipkorir, Frankline Kibet, Edwin Elkana, Kevin Biwott, Andrew Kiptoo and Brian Kandie in a stacked youthful lineup.
