Third-time lucky for world record holder Ngetich?
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 07.01.26. | 16:39
Kenyan women have dominated the global competition winning the individual title every year since Florence Kiplagat's victory in 2009
World 10km record-holder Agnes Ngetich returns to the World Cross Country Championships action three years on from claiming bronze in Bathurst with the huge responsibility of making it 10 titles in a row for Kenya in the senior women's race.
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Ngetich, alongside 34 others left the country in two batches on Monday, 5 and Tuesday, 6 for the 46th edition of the global showpiece set for Saturday, 10 January in Tallahassee, Florida.
On debut in Bathurst back in 2023, she stayed with the leading pack, pushing eventual champion Beatrice Chebet to the final stretch, finishing behind Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselama who was eight seconds behind the current World 5,000m and 10,000m champion.
She added Team gold to her debut performance.
The following year in Serbia, she finished in fifth place as Kenya won team gold. Chebet defended her title, leading a Kenyan podium sweep as Lilian Kasait and Margret Kemboi settled for silver and bronze respectively.
Emmaculate Anyango and Ngetich completed the top five places.
As she makes her third appearance in the global competition, she is a huge favourite, in the absence of Chebet who has taken time off to prepare for motherhood.
Will Ngetich finally clinch gold?
Ng’etich will be joined by national trials winner Maurine Chebor, Keringet’s Brenda Jepchumba Kenei, Joyciline Chepkemoi, Rebecca Mwangi and Caren Chebet.
Their challengers include Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat, who finished fifth, one place behind Ngetich, in Belgrade two years ago, and Joy Cheptoyek, who finished seventh in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo.
Senayet Getachew, who won the U20 title in 2023, features on Ethiopia’s team.
Weini Kelati Frezghi won at the US Cross Country Championships in Portland to secure her spot on the host nation team and she has been confirmed for Tallahassee, along with runner-up Katie Izzo.
Meanwhile, Kenya is also out to defend the mixed relay title and the nation’s squad includes world 1500m bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot, Purity Chepkirui and Kyumbe Munguti, who all formed part of the gold medal-winning team in Belgrade two years ago.
