Gold Level XC Meet

Silver Level XC Meet

Bronze Level XC Meet

2026/27

2025/26

2024/25

2023/24

2022/23

2021/22

XLIV Cross Internacional de Itálica

Sparkassen Cross Pforzheim

32 "Campo A Traves" Internacional De Soria

Broken Hill Man - The Mud Test

94th Cinque Mulini

Chepsaita Cross County Tour Gold

Sirikwa Classic Continental Tour Gold

XLI Cross Internacional de Italica

World Athletics Cross Country Tour

Rodrigue Kwizera wins the Cross Internacional de Soria

Nancy Chepleting wins in Calzadilla

Beatrice Chebet wins the Cinque Mulini

World and Olympic medallist Nadia Battocletti retained her Campaccio title while Burundi&rsquo;s Egide Ntakarutimana claimed a commanding victory at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting on Sunday (25).
Light rain and heavy mud in San Giorgio su Legnano created testing conditions on one of the sport&rsquo;s most iconic cross-country courses.
The women&rsquo;s 6km race unfolded over three laps, with a compact pack settling into a measured tempo on the opening circuit. Battocletti, 2024 Campaccio winner Francine Niyomukunzi, Elvanie Nimbona and Giulia Zanne and were prominent early as the field assessed the slippery conditions.
The race began to take shape on the second lap when Battocletti made a decisive surge, while Niyomukunzi, Nimbona and Britain&rsquo;s Emily Collinge struggled to respond. A slip in one of the course&rsquo;s most technical muddy sections briefly cost the Italian a few seconds, but she quickly regained control and continued to press on.
Battocletti powered away on the final lap to secure a convincing victory in 21:10. Niyomukunzi finished second in 21:32, edging out Burundian compatriot Nimbona (21:33). Collinge and Italy&rsquo;s Lucia Arnoldo rounded out the top five.
&ldquo;There was so much mud in some corners, you almost sank into it &ndash; I even crashed on the second lap,&rdquo; said Battocletti. &ldquo;We started quite slowly, but in the technical sections I realised it was difficult to stay together, so I decided to push on for safety. Winning Campaccio for the second year in a row is really special. It&rsquo;s a great way to start my 2026 season.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s 10km contest, contested over five laps, remained tightly packed through the early stages before the decisive moves came in the closing kilometres. Burundi&rsquo;s Celestin Ndikumana and Egide Ntakarutimana, along with Uganda&rsquo;s Dolphine Chelimo, formed a leading trio from the fourth lap. Much to the delight of the home crowd, Italy&rsquo;s Luca Alfieri maintained contact with the leaders for much of the race.
At the start of the final lap, Ndikumana and Ntakarutimana began to assert themselves, gradually dropping Chelimo. Midway through the lap, Ntakarutimana launched a powerful solo attack and continued to increase his advantage, crossing the line first in 30:38.
Chelimo recovered strongly in the closing stages to claim second in 30:45, narrowly ahead of 2025 runner-up Ndikumana, who finished third in the same time. Alfieri rallied late to finish sixth.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy with how I ran today,&rdquo; said Ntakarutimana, who was 10th here last year and fourth in 2024. &ldquo;After some ups and downs, I&rsquo;ve regained confidence and form thanks to my training group. I&rsquo;ll continue with the cross-country season and try to keep representing my club at my best.&rdquo;
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women (6km) 1 Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 21:10 2 Francine Niyomukunzi (BDI) 21:32 3 Elvanie Nimbona (BDI) 21:33 4 Emily Collinge (GBR) 21:34 5 Lucia Arnoldo (ITA) 21:52 6 Chiara Munaretto (ITA) 22:05
Men (10km) 1 Egide Ntakarutimana (BDI) 30:38 2 Dolphine Chelimo (UGA) 30:45 3 Celestin Ndikumana (BDI) 30:45 4 Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui (TUN) 31:00 5 Abrham Sime (ETH) 31:04 6 Luca Alfieri (ITA) 31:06 
<h2>Kiprop and Van Lent dominate in Hannut</h2>
Fresh from earning team bronze at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26, Uganda&rsquo;s Keneth Kiprop enjoyed a moment of individual glory at the Lotto CrossCup &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in Hannut on Sunday (25).
He had Eritrean teenager Saymon Amanuel for company most of the way, with both men featuring in a larger lead pack earlier in the race, but Kiprop managed to break free in the closing stages and went on to win comfortably in 24:21.
Amanuel finished second in 24:33 with France's Bastien Augusto in third (24:45).
In her first race since clocking a 10km PB of 30:10 &ndash; which briefly stood as a European record earlier this month &ndash; Belgium&rsquo;s Jana Van Lent was a clear winner of the women's race, also held over 8km.
Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet, the defending champion, and Uganda&rsquo;s Charity Cherop, the world U20 cross-country bronze medallist, ran alongside Van Lent for the first half. Cherop&rsquo;s challenge faded slightly while Jebet stayed with the Belgian for a little longer, but Van Lent proved strongest on the final lap.
She went on to win in 27:30 while Jebet secured her sixth successive podium finish in a World Cross Country Tour Gold meeting, taking second place in 27:46, five seconds ahead of Cherop.

World and Olympic medallist Nadia Battocletti retained her Campaccio title while Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana claimed a commanding victory

Battocletti and Ntakarutimana triumph at Campaccio

Nadia Battocletti returns to defend her Campaccio crown but she faces 2024 champion Francine Niyomukunzi who will look to regain the title when the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting takes place in San Giorgio su Legnano on Sunday (25).
Celestin Ndikumana was second in the men&rsquo;s race last year and he is also back in Italy, looking to go one better this weekend.
Last year Olympic and world medallist Battocletti became the first Italian winner at Campaccio in 31 years, covering the 6km course in 21:14 to triumph by 44 seconds.
This time she heads to San Giorgio su Legnano off the back of two wins in December &ndash; one at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa and the other over 5km at the BOclassic in Bolzano. Prior to that she won the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Atapuerca and was second in Alcobendas.
Burundi&rsquo;s Niyomukunzi will be looking to deny her another win on home soil, to regain the Campaccio title she won for the first time two years ago. On that occasion the 26-year-old clocked 19:42 to beat Battocletti by four seconds, but the pair also met at Campaccio in 2023, when Battocletti finished fourth, two seconds and one place ahead of Niyomukunzi.
Last year Niyomukunzi won the Cross Country Tour Gold event in Albufeira and she was third in Elgoibar at the start of the year.
They will be joined by Elvanie Nimbona, who finished third in the Cinque Mulini in November, plus Micheline Niyomahoro, who finished fourth at Campaccio last year.
Italy&rsquo;s Adele Roatta and Lucia Arnoldo also finished in the top 10 last year and return, Arnoldo now with a seventh-place finish in the vertical uphill race at the World Mountain &amp; Trail Running Championships in Canfranc-Pirineos to her name.
In the men&rsquo;s 10km race, two athletes who finished in the top four last year will battle again. Burundi&rsquo;s Ndikumana was second and Tunisia&rsquo;s Olympic steeplechase fourth-place finisher Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui was fourth and they both race again as part of a field that also features Kenya&rsquo;s Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto, Uganda&rsquo;s Dolphine Chelimo, Rwanda&rsquo;s Yves Nimubona, Burundi&rsquo;s Emile Hafashimana and Ethiopia's Abrham Sime.
Kipruto makes his Campaccio debut after finishing third, second and then first respectively in Cross Country Tour Gold races in Soria, San Vittore Olona and Eldoret in the last couple of months of 2025.
Chelimo secured seventh place at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee earlier this month, while Nimubona finished third at Campaccio in 2024.
Other top 10 finishers last year who are returning are Hafashimana who was sixth last year and his compatriot Egide Ntakarutimana who placed 10th, plus Italy&rsquo;s Luca Alfieri who was eighth.
<h2>Jebet defends in Hannut</h2>
Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet will face Uganda&rsquo;s world U20 cross-country medallist Charity Cherop when she returns to defend her title at the Cross Cup de Hannut, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting, on Sunday (25).
The pair will renew their rivalry over 8km after their respective first- and third-place finishes in Hannut last year. Jebet went on to claim three second-place finishes and a third place in Cross Country Tour Gold races in November &ndash; in Cardiff, Soria, Atapuerca and Alcobendas &ndash; while Cherop focused on the track.
They have both raced once so far this year, 18-year-old Cherop opening her season at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee where she clinched a historic bronze medal in the U20 race and 20-year-old Jebet finishing second in the Cross Country Tour Gold event in Elgoibar last weekend.
That performance saw Cherop become Uganda's first ever women's individual medallist at the World Cross Country Championships and she was joined on her nation&rsquo;s team gold medal-winning squad by Bentalin Yeko who finished seventh and also races in Hannut.
Belgium won the senior women&rsquo;s team title at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa last month and team members Jana Van Lent, who finished fourth, and Lisa Rooms, who was fifth, will race on home soil in Hannut.&nbsp;
Kenya&rsquo;s 20-year-old Keneth Kiprop heads to Hannut to contest the senior men&rsquo;s 8km race, two weeks on from finishing 10th at the World Cross Country Championships.
He faces Eritrea&rsquo;s 18-year-old Saymon Amanuel who was runner-up in Elgoibar last weekend and finished first and second respectively at the Cinque Mulini and in Alcobendas in November, plus Uganda&rsquo;s Martin Kiprotich who finished second in the mountain classic race at the World Mountain &amp; Trail Running Championships in September.
Milkesa Fikadu helped Ethiopia to bronze in the mixed relay at the World Cross Country Championships and he steps up in distance to race in Hannut.
Belgium&rsquo;s Cross Cup leader Guillaume Grimard finished fifth in Hannut in 2024 and returns, as does Luxembourg&rsquo;s Ruben Querinjean, the 3000m steeplechase specialist who was sixth last year and placed seventh at the European Cross Country Championships.
Other steeplechasers in action are Germany&rsquo;s Frederik Ruppert, who won the Diamond League title last year, and Belgian champion Tim Van de Velde.

Nadia Battocletti returns to defend her Campaccio crown but she faces 2024 champion Francine Niyomukunzi who will look to regain the title

Past two champions Battocletti and Niyomukunzi in Campaccio clash

Bahrain&rsquo;s Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi lived up to their status as pre-race favourites by capturing commanding wins at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; in the Spanish town of Elgoibar on Sunday (18).
While Yavi dominated to clinch her first win at the event, Aregawi completed a hat-trick of consecutive victories as he prevailed against Eritrea&rsquo;s rising star Saymon Amanuel.
Yavi took command of the women's 7.62km race from the start and covered the opening lap on the track in 1:15 with only Tunisia&rsquo;s Marwa Bouzayani and Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet in close attendance. By then, the British pair of Lucy Jones and Kate O'Neill plus the Spanish tandem of Isabel Barreiro and Angela Viciosa headed the large chasing pack three seconds back.
Yavi&rsquo;s relentless pace soon paid off as Bouzayani began to cede ground some 2.1km into the race and the Yavi-Jebet clash only lasted a couple of minutes as the former broke away before reaching the third kilometre. Yavi covered the first big lap in 6:55 and she had built a five-second margin on Jebet, the 20-year-old Kenyan herself 15 seconds clear of world 3000m steeplechase fourth-place finisher Bouzayani. Jones, Barreiro and Viciosa travelled 45 seconds adrift of the lonesome leader.
The penultimate 2.2km circuit saw an outstanding Yavi gradually extend her lead as she enjoyed a huge 26-second advantage on Jebet and 52-second gap over Bouzayani at the bell following another brisk 6:57 loop. Over the closing lap, the 2023 world champion maintained her swift rhythm and the final circuit was covered in 6:56 as she reached the finish line unopposed. Her winning margin grew to 1:06 on Jebet, while Bouzayani secured her third place a further 19 seconds behind. In the fight to become the top European, Barreiro and Jones battled fiercely to the finish line, the 26-year-old Spaniard finally prevailing over the Briton by one second.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m delighted,&rdquo; said Yavi. &ldquo;In Elgoibar, the people are so nice and they make me feel special. I came here very well prepared both physically and mentally. It&rsquo;s a great success for me to win here after my third place some years ago. I&rsquo;ll next compete at the World Military Cross Country Championships in Trikala (Greece) at the end of February.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s 9.71km contest was held after a heartfelt one-minute silence observed in memory of Great Britain&rsquo;s Lachie Stewart, a three-time winner in Elgoibar in 1969, 1970 and 1972 and the Commonwealth 10,000m champion in 1970.
The race kicked off at a very comfortable pace, the opening 400m on the track being covered in 1:14 with Spain&rsquo;s Nassim Hassaous and Britain&rsquo;s Edward Buck at the helm, while the favourites Aregawi, Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Amanuel ran effortlessly close to them.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/696d1a9d3d3ce1bc815c3e0a.jpg" alt="Berihu Aregawi celebrates his Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza win" />
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Berihu Aregawi celebrates his Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza win (&copy; @fotorunners <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> F&eacute;lix S&aacute;nchez)
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The first serious move came some nine minutes into the race when Said Mechaal, fresh from a Spanish 10km record of 27:25 in Valencia the previous weekend, injected a brisker pace to cover the opening big lap in 6:29 and whittle down the head pack to eight athletes.
The 18-year-old Amanuel moved to the front just before the midway point and his pace was only followed by Aregawi and Ndikumwenayo, while Mechaal dropped back a few metres in fourth. After a second big loop timed at 6:22, Amanuel and Aregawi led three seconds clear of Ndikumwenayo, himself another two seconds ahead of Mechaal, while Uruguay&rsquo;s Santiago Catrofe travelled one second behind the latter.
The fascinating Aregawi-Amanuel duel came to an end when Aregawi &ndash; back in action eight days after securing his third consecutive silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee &ndash; found another gear with the clock reading 22 minutes. That saw him drop the emerging Eritrean who lost four seconds at the bell after an impressive 6:12 circuit by Aregawi, while Mechaal, Ndikumwenayo and Catrofe formed a trio some 20 seconds behind the Ethiopian.
Over the final lap Aregawi kept Amanuel at bay, the Eritrean never threatening his rival&rsquo;s lead as Aregawi built an eight-second advantage on Amanuel before the closing kilometre. By the tape the 24-year-old Ethiopian stamped his authority thanks to another 6:10 circuit to finish seven seconds clear of his young rival, while a powerful Mechaal proved to be in great form as he unleashed an attack inside the final 500 metres to speed away from Ndikumwenayo &ndash; the eighth-place finisher at last weekend&rsquo;s World Cross Country Championships &ndash; and Catrofe.
&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s win is my third consecutive win here and that makes me very happy,&rdquo; said Aregawi, who joins Spain&rsquo;s Mariano Haro in winning the men&rsquo;s race three times in a row. &ldquo;The circuit is tough but I already know how to manage it.&rdquo;
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women (7.6km) 1 Winfred Yavi (BRN) 25:23 2 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 26:29 3 Marwa Bouzayani (TUN) 26:49 4 Isabel Barreiro (ESP) 27:07 5 Lucy Jones (GBR) 27:08 6 Angela Viciosa (ESP) 27:29 7 Andrea Romero (ESP) 27:50 8 Kate O&rsquo;Neill (GBR) 27:50 9 Marta Serrano (ESP) 28:00 10 Rosalia Tarraga (ESP) 28:09
Men (9.7km) 1 Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 29:33 2 Saymon Amanuel (ERI) 29:40 3 Said Mechaal (ESP) 30:09 4 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 30:12 5 Santiago Catrofe (URU) 30:15 6 Nassim Hassaous (ESP) 30:32 7 Yahya Aouina (ESP) 30:35 8 Javier Guerra (ESP) 30:39 9 Carlos Mayo (ESP) 30:44 10 Mesfin Escamilla (ESP) 30:54
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-tour/calendar-results/7231829/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>

Bahrain’s Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi and Ethiopia’s Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi lived up to their status as pre-race favourites

Aregawi and Yavi unstoppable in Elgoibar

Bahrain&rsquo;s Olympic steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi will be the standout athletes at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza &ndash; the 11th World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season &ndash; in the Spanish town of Elgoibar on Sunday (18).
Yavi is the overwhelming favourite in the women&rsquo;s 7.62km contest. The 26-year-old placed third here three years ago and will be keen to go one better this time. The 2023 world steeplechase champion has been in fine form, claiming a commanding victory in Seville in November. Later that month, she completed a steeplechase and 5000m double at the Islamic Games in Riyadh.
Her strongest challenge should come from Sheila Jebet. The 20-year-old Kenyan has shown excellent consistency in her four European appearances this season. The 2024 world U20 5000m fifth-place finisher opened her campaign with second-place finishes in Cardiff and Soria, followed by another runner-up finish in Atapuerca before placing third in Alcobendas against strong opposition.
Tunisia&rsquo;s Marwa Bouzayani is another athlete to watch. She placed fourth in the steeplechase at last year&rsquo;s World Championships with a lifetime best of 9:01.46, finishing just behind Yavi. On New Year&rsquo;s Eve, the 28-year-old finished second at a cross-country meeting in the Dutch town of Soest, beaten only by Belgium&rsquo;s Jana Van Lent.
The domestic contingent will be led by European U23 steeplechase silver medallist Marta Serrano. The rising Spaniard finished sixth in the U23 race at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa last month. She will be joined by Isabel Barreiro, who ran a 10km PB of 31:31 last weekend in Valencia, Angela Viciosa, who finished 18th in Lagoa, and Irene Sanchez-Escribano. The 33-year-old returns to competition after becoming a mother last year and owns a steeplechase PB of 9:10.43, set when placing 11th in the 2024 Olympic final.
The men&rsquo;s 9.7km race also boasts a mouth-watering line-up, headed by Berihu Aregawi, who last week in Tallahassee secured a third consecutive silver at the World Cross Country Championships.
Aregawi claimed back-to-back victories in Elgoibar in 2024 and 2025, defeating Rodrigue Kwizera on both occasions. With the Burundian absent this weekend, Aregawi&rsquo;s main rival may be Kwizera&rsquo;s training partner Thierry Ndikumwenayo. The Spaniard won the European cross-country title in December then placed a creditable eighth in Tallahassee, his best ever finish at the World Cross.
Eritrea&rsquo;s Saymon Amanuel is also a potential contender. The 18-year-old won the Cinque Mulini in November, one week before finishing second in Alcobendas. He has PBs of 13:01.85 for 5000m and 27:10 for 10km and could compete for another podium place alongside Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto. The 25-year-old Kenyan finished second in Soria before again placing runner-up in San Vittore Olona behind Amanuel. Kipruto recorded the biggest victory of his career last month, winning at the Chepsaita Cross Country in Eldoret.
Alongside Ndikumwenayo, the Spanish challenge also includes Aaron Las Heras, ninth at the European Cross Country Championships, Spanish half marathon record-holder Carlos Mayo, and Nassim Hassaous, fresh from a fifth-place finish at the San Silvestre Vallecana on New Year&rsquo;s Eve.
In total, 26 world cross-country champions and 15 Olympic gold medallists have competed in Elgoibar over the years. Such is the depth of quality that even greats like Haile Gebrselassie, Selemon Barega and Linet Masai were unable to claim victory here.
In addition to the senior elite races, strong U20 competitions will feature athletes from Great Britain, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain, all vying for the Mamo Wolde Trophy. The award was created in 2003 in memory of Ethiopia&rsquo;s legendary Olympic marathon champion, who is fondly remembered in Elgoibar after winning here in 1963, 1964, 1967 and 1968.
Weather forecasts suggest a cloudy day, with temperatures of 8&ndash;10C at race time and a 75% chance of rain.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

Olympic steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi will be the standout athletes at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza

Yavi and Aregawi the favourites in Elgoibar

Kenyan teenagers Dorcus Chepkwemoi and Brian Kiptoo were victorious at the Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos, the 10th Gold level meeting of this season&rsquo;s World Athletics Cross Country Tour, held on Sunday (21).
The races took place on a cold day (3C) over a tough, muddy circuit following non-stop rain on the eve of the competition. In doing so, the unheralded Chepkwemoi and Kiptoo claimed the most remarkable victories of their young careers so far.
The women&rsquo;s event kicked off at a slow pace, with pre-event favourite Chepkwemoi and Spanish duo Carla Gallardo and Isabel Barreiro leading a large front pack. The decisive move came as early as 1.5km into the race when the long-legged Kenyan increased the pace and broke away with ease. The 19-year-old covered the opening 2.3km lap in 8:04, opening an eight-second lead over a chasing group led by Maria Forero and Angela Viciosa, who were two seconds clear of Claudia Corral.
Midway through the second lap, newly crowned European U23 cross-country champion Forero dropped Viciosa to move into a clear second place. Chepkwemoi clocked 7:59 for the lap to extend her lead to 16 seconds over Forero, who in turn was six seconds ahead of Viciosa, now reeled in by Corral.
Over the penultimate loop, Corral left Viciosa behind, while Chepkwemoi posted a slightly slower 8:07 lap but still widened her advantage to 36 seconds over Forero and 43 over Corral. There were no major changes on the final lap as the young Kenyan romped home well clear of Forero, with finishing times of 36:09 and 37:03 respectively, while Corral secured the final podium spot a further 15 seconds back.
&ldquo;The race was very tough,&rdquo; said Chepkwemoi. &ldquo;Every step was complicated because of the mud, and I felt cold throughout. I knew Forero had won the European U23 title last weekend and wanted to push hard as early as possible to secure the win.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s contest, also held over 9.3km, saw an early lead by Burundi&rsquo;s Eric Nzambimana, followed closely by Morocco&rsquo;s Abderraahmane Aferdi, Brian Kiptoo and Spaniards Aaron Las Heras and Nassim Hassaous. Hassaous, racing less than two weeks after his marathon debut in Valencia, moved to the front about 5km into the race. Shortly afterwards, Kiptoo slipped and fell on a muddy section but quickly regained his footing to rejoin the leaders.
The opening 2.3km lap was covered in 7:15 before Hassaous&rsquo;s relentless pace reduced the lead group to three, with only Kiptoo and Aferdi able to follow, while pre-race favourite Las Heras began to lose ground. The trio ran a quicker 7:06 second lap, driven by Aferdi at the front, opening a five-second gap on Las Heras in fourth.
Aferdi&rsquo;s pace proved too much for Hassaous, who lost contact with the Moroccan and Kiptoo early in the penultimate lap, timed at 7:03. At the bell, Aferdi and Kiptoo had built a 15-second lead over Hassaous, who himself was eight seconds ahead of Las Heras. The final lap produced a thrilling duel, with both athletes taking turns at the front before Aferdi unleashed a strong surge with 900m remaining, briefly opening a small gap. Kiptoo refused to give in and chased him down.
The pair entered the final 300m on the cinder track separated by just five metres. Aferdi appeared to hold off the late challenge, but Kiptoo surged past in the final 10 metres to claim victory in 31:43 after a fast 6:57 final lap, with Aferdi, a 1:01:15 half marathon specialist, finishing one second behind.
&ldquo;Honestly, I didn&rsquo;t know any of my rivals today so I decided to wait and see in the early laps,&rdquo; said 17-year-old Kiptoo, who has a 5:31.96 PB for the 2000m steeplechase. &ldquo;When Aferdi made his move it was very difficult to follow, but I managed to overtake him at the very end. I&rsquo;ll race again next weekend at another cross country event in Amurrio.&rdquo;
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Dorcus Chepkwemoi (KEN) 36:09 2 Maria Forero (ESP) 37:03 3 Claudia Corral (ESP) 37:18 4 Angela Viciosa (ESP) 37:35 5 Naima Ait Alibou (ESP) 37:36
Men 1 Brian Kiptoo (KEN) 31:43 2 Abderraahmane Aferdi (MOR) 31:44 3 Nassim Hassaous (ESP) 32:10 4 Aaron Las Heras (ESP) 32:36 5 Yahya Aouina (ESP) 32:44

Kenyan teenagers Dorcus Chepkwemoi and Brian Kiptoo were victorious at the Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos

Chepkwemoi and Kiptoo secure Kenyan double in Venta de Banos

Dorcus Chepkwemoi and Aaron Las Heras will start as the athletes to beat at the Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos, the 10th Gold leg of this season&rsquo;s World Athletics Cross Country Tour, on Sunday (21).
Eighteen-year-old Kenyan Chepkwemoi enters the race fresh from a convincing victory at the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Eldoret two weeks ago, while 25-year-old Spaniard Las Heras arrives after securing a top-10 finish at the recent European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa.
Chepkwemoi may still be regarded as something of an unheralded performer, having clocked a modest-looking 15:41.57 for 5000m last summer in Kampala, but her emphatic 24-second win over fellow Kenyan Brenda Jepchirchir &mdash; who recently ran 30:05 for 10km in Lille &mdash; has propelled the teenager into the role of hot favourite for Sunday&rsquo;s 9.3km contest.
The Kenyan will face strong opposition from several leading Spanish specialists, including Mar&iacute;a Forero, Angela Viciosa, Carla Gallardo and Isabel Barreiro. Forero arrives as the newly crowned European U23 cross-country champion; the 22-year-old capped an outstanding 2025 campaign in Lagoa, having already claimed the European U23 5000m title in Bergen in July, one month after setting a lifetime best of 15:03.88 in Vienna. She led the Spanish U23 team to bronze, while Viciosa finished 18th in her first senior international appearance, some 26 seconds ahead of Spanish 10km record-holder Gallardo (31:11). Gallardo finished third here last season, just ahead of Viciosa.
Forero and Viciosa were named earlier this week in the Spanish team for the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee on 10 January. Barreiro, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a below-par performance in Lagoa, where she placed 51st after having been the second-best Spaniard at both Italica and Atapuerca. Portugal&rsquo;s Ana Marinho and Beatriz Rios will also be in contention.
The men&rsquo;s race, also over 9.3km, promises to be a closely fought duel between Aaron Las Heras and Nassim Hassaous. Las Heras will be seeking revenge after finishing runner-up to Hassaous here last year. The Spaniard has enjoyed a consistent cross country campaign, finishing sixth in Seville before placing ninth at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa. The 2019 European U20 5000m champion continues to build steadily across disciplines.
Hassaous, meanwhile, made an eye-catching marathon debut just two weeks ago in Valencia, clocking 2:08:44. The 31-year-old defending champion rested for a week after that outing and has since resumed training, aiming to secure back-to-back victories in Venta de Banos.
The international challenge will also feature Morocco&rsquo;s Abderraahmane Aferdi, Kenya&rsquo;s Brian Kiptoo and Burundi&rsquo;s Eric Nzambimana. The Spanish contingent includes national champion Yahya Aouina, as well as Ruben Leonardo &ndash; fourth in the steeplechase at this year&rsquo;s European U23 Championships &ndash; and Mesfin Escamilla, both members of the Spanish U23 team that earned bronze in Lagoa.
Despite having just 6,500 inhabitants, the small village of Venta de Banos has hosted this high-quality cross country meeting since 1980. Notable past winners include Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele, Letesenbet Gidey and Selemon Barega.
Weather forecasts point to a cold and rainy day, with temperatures expected to range between 2-4C at race time.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

Dorcus Chepkwemoi and Aaron Las Heras will start as the athletes to beat at the Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos

Chepkwemoi and Las Heras to strike in Venta de Banos

Mathew Kipkoech stormed to victory in the senior men&rsquo;s race at the Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run, while Dorcus Chepkwemoi Ndiema claimed the women&rsquo;s title at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting held in Eldoret on Saturday (6). Both athletes mastered a brutal course on Chepsaita&rsquo;s rolling hills that humbled hundreds of runners across categories.
Chepsaita, whose name in the local language refers to a place where &ldquo;droplets fall on to the ground&rdquo;, certainly lived up to its meaning &ndash; only this time, it was sweat providing the downpour. The cross-country course sits about 54km west of Eldoret along the Eldoret-Uganda highway, and nearly every winner mentioned just how tough it was as they caught their breath at the finish.
As promised by the organisers, this year&rsquo;s edition was bigger, more competitive, and undeniably more dramatic.
The senior men&rsquo;s 10km race drew the day&rsquo;s largest field with 364 entrants. It was also the fastest and arguably the most competitive, the leaders hitting the first lap counter in 6:34.
Kipkoech, currently world ranked No.3 in cross country, remained patient until the final lap, moving to the front with Kisa Kipserem, Vincent Kimaiyo and Cornelius Konor close behind. The last lap turned into a fierce, exhausted scramble for the line. Kipkoech summoned one last burst to win in 31:49 before collapsing as first-aid responders rushed over. Konor finished one second behind, with Kipserem third in 31:51. The top five were separated by a single second each.
&ldquo;Last year, I was third in Chepsaita, and I went back to the drawing board with the aim of coming back and improving my performance,&rdquo; said Kipkoech. &ldquo;I just put in more effort in training and remained focused. This win means a lot to me.&rdquo;
The senior women&rsquo;s 10km featured 175 runners. Faith Cherono led Dorcus Ndiema, Mercy Chepkemoi and Emmaculet Jepkosgei through the first lap in 7:31. Jepkosgei was the first to slip back, followed by Chepkemoi, leaving Ndiema and Cherono stride for stride at halfway.
But the afternoon heat and punishing terrain soon reshuffled the order. Ndiema pushed to the front and held it all the way to the finish, clocking 35:44. Brenda Jepchirchir surged from behind to take second in 36:08, while Cherono, visibly struggling and collapsing after the line, settled for third in 36:39.
Just like Kipkoech, Ndiema was already familiar with the course &ndash; an advantage she believes helped her clinch the title.
&ldquo;Last year, I was in the under-20 category and finished seventh,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;My transition to the senior category has been great.&rdquo;
Joan Chepkurui, who finished fourth over 3000m at the Kenyan trials for the African U20 and U18 Championships, won the U20 women&rsquo;s 6km title in 21:34. Kelvin Kariankei took the U20 men&rsquo;s 8km race in 25:20, winning comfortably by seven seconds.
Before the U20 events, younger age-group races served as curtain-raisers and a reminder of the depth of Kenya&rsquo;s future talent. Athletics icons Paul Tergat and Beatrice Chebet were among those presenting awards to the children.
Justin Lagat for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women (10km) 1 Dorcus Chepkwemoi Ndiema (KEN) 35:44 2 Brenda Jepchirchir (KEN) 36:08 3 Faith Cherono (KEN) 36:39 4 Christine Komen (KEN) 36:46 5 Sandrafelis Chebet Tuei (KEN) 36:51
Men (10km) 1 Mathew Kipkoech (KEN) 31:49 2 Cornelius Kipkosgei Konor (KEN) 31:50 3 Sammy Kisa Kapserem (KEN) 31:51 4 Vincent Kimaiyo (KEN) 31:52 5 Amos Kiprotich (KEN) 31:53

Mathew Kipkoech stormed to victory in the senior men’s race at the Great Chepsaita Run, while Dorcus Chepkwemoi Ndiema claimed the women’s title

Kipkoech and Ndiema shine at Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run

Uganda&rsquo;s&nbsp;Loice Chekwemoi will defend her title and Kenya&rsquo;s Ishmael Kipkurui will look to regain the crown he claimed in 2023 when The Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event &ndash; takes place in Chepsaita, on the outskirts of Eldoret, on Saturday (6).
Competition director Kennedy Tanui confirmed that athletes from more than 20 countries have confirmed their participation. As well as Uganda and Kenya, the countries represented include Ethiopia, USA, China, Japan and Djibouti.
World U20 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Chekwemoi returns seeking a repeat win in the senior women's 10km. Last year's race featured a fascinating duel between the 18-year-old African 3000m steeplechase champion and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Mekides Shimeles, after the latter made an early surge only to be hunted down by Chekwemoi during the last lap.
This time, Rebecca Mwangi will be among the athletes hoping to bring the title back to Kenya. The 24-year-old claimed African 10,000m silver last year and became the national 5000m champion in June.
Rispa Cherop, who finished sixth in the classic race at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in September, will be another star from Uganda to watch out for.&nbsp;
Phemelo&nbsp;Matshaba, the 2023 African U20 3000m steeplechase silver medallist and South African champion, will be among those joining them to race the Chepsaita course.
The men&rsquo;s race will also be held over 10km and Kipkurui, who won during the first edition of The Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run, will be among those hunting for victory. The 20-year-old finished fourth in the 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
The race is also set to feature a number of athletes currently in the Kenyan national camp preparing for the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee next month.
After securing a second-place finish over 6.9km at the&nbsp;Cross Internacional de San Sebastian Cross Country Tour Gold event at the start of November, Uganda&rsquo;s Martin Kiprotich will be another star to look out for.&nbsp;
Many track stars see the cross-country season&nbsp;as a build-up towards a successful track season, and some of the other notable names expected to be in action in Chepsaita include George Manangoi.
Lopang Oontse of Botswana, a two-time national champion in the 3000m steeplechase, and South Africa&rsquo;s Collins Kgadima will also be among those in action.
The land has been expanded since the first edition of the race in 2023. "Hills, valleys, a river and a shower point are all on the course,&rdquo;&nbsp;said Tanui. &ldquo;A good cross-country needs a vast space, and Chepsaita has offered that.&rdquo;
Not only has the land been expanded, but the prize-money structure has also grown.
According to event director Barnaba Korir, KES 750,000 ($5,800) is the prize on offer for the first-place finisher. The prizes go down to 10th place.
Justin Lagat for World Athletics

Loice Chekwemoi will defend her title and Ishmael Kipkurui will look to regain the crown he claimed in 2023 when The Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run takes place on Saturday

Past winners Chekwemoi and Kipkurui return to Chepsaita

Ethiopia&rsquo;s Yenenesh Shimket and Burundi&rsquo;s Rodrigue Kwizera stamped their authority at the Cross Internacional de la Constitucion &ndash; the sixth Gold meeting in this season&rsquo;s World Athletics Cross Country Tour &ndash; in Alcobendas on Sunday (30).
On a cold but sunny day, 18-year-old Shimket beat Italy&rsquo;s world and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti , while Kwizera overcame the challenge of Eritrea&rsquo;s Symon Amanuel to notch up his fourth victory in Alcobendas.
Battocletti and Britain&rsquo;s European 10,000m bronze medallist Megan Keith took an early lead in the women&rsquo;s 8.1km race while Shimket and Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet positioned themselves close behind.
Battocletti, the European cross-country champion, then began to increase the pace but Shimket and Jebet seemed to run comfortably at her shoulder with Keith towards the rear of the lead quartet. About 14 minutes into the race, Keith lost ground on the leaders while the Italian maintained her relentless pace, closely followed by Shimket and Jebet.
Shimket seized her opportunity with three kilometres to go on the toughest section of the course and pushed hard to break away from Jebet and Battocletti with ease. The Ethiopian covered the penultimate 2.2km lap in 7:15 to open a seven-second margin on Jebet, herself another three seconds clear of Battocletti.
On the final lap, Shimket proved her win in San Vittore Olona last weekend was no fluke as she extended her lead. Battocletti managed to catch and leave behind Jebet before embarking on the final kilometre.
Shimket, having covered the final lap in 7:10, crossed the finish line 11 seconds ahead of Battocletti. Further back, Jebet kept Keith at bay to claim third.
Italy&rsquo;s Yohanes Chiappinelli and Sweden&rsquo;s Oliver Lofqvist were the early leaders in the men&rsquo;s race, closely followed by Kwizera and Eritrean teenager Saymon Amanuel, two of the pre-race favourites.
At exactly the same hilly point of the course where Shimket had broken away from her rivals, 18-year-old Amanuel surged ahead of the field and quickly built a six-second margin on Kwizera and Uganda&rsquo;s Samuel Cherop. The penultimate lap took the Eritrean just 6:18; by then, Kwizera was four seconds in arrears with Cherop in third another two seconds behind.
In a thrilling finish to the 8.1km race, the Burundian put in a desperate chase to catch Amanuel and he finally did so with about 650m remaining. The 26-year-old went on to finish six seconds ahead of Amanuel while Uganda&rsquo;s Dismas Yeko overtook compatriot Cherop in the battle for third place.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very satisfied after my fourth win in a row here,&rdquo; said Kwizera. &ldquo;Although the Eritrean guy proved to be very strong, I remained confident of catching him and winning. After a busy November, tomorrow I&rsquo;m flying back to Burundi to spend a month with my family, then I&rsquo;ll travel to Ethiopia for a one-month stint before returning to Spain for the European Cross Country Team championships in February.&rdquo;
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Yenenesh Shimket (ETH) 25:32 2 Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 25:43 3 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 25:57 4 Megan Keith (GBR) 25:59 5 Micheline Niyomahoro (BDI) 27:25
Men 1 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 22:55 2 Saymon Amanuel (ERI) 23:01 3 Dismas Yeko (UGA) 23:09 4 Samuel Cherop (UGA) 23:16 5 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 23:31

Ethiopia’s Yenenesh Shimket and Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera stamped their authority at the Cross Internacional de la Constitucion

Shimket and Kwizera triumph in Alcobendas

Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti and Burundi&rsquo;s Rodrigue Kwizera are the marquee athletes at the Cross Internacional de la Constituci&oacute;n &ndash; the sixth Gold level event of this season&rsquo;s World Athletics Cross Country Tour &ndash; in Alcobendas on the outskirts of Madrid on Sunday (30).
Battocletti and Kwizera took commanding wins in Alcobendas last year on their way to winning the overall titles on the World Athletics Cross Country Tour.
World and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Battocletti won convincingly in Atapuerca last weekend on her season&rsquo;s opener. This weekend the European cross-country champion will line up against a quality field which includes the likes of Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet, Great Britain&rsquo;s Megan Keith and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Yenenesh Shimket.
Jebet, a fifth-place finisher over 5000m at the 2024 World U20 Championships, finished runner-up to Battocletti in Atapuerca while Keith was fourth. Both Battocletti and European 10,000m bronze medallist Keith are building up for the European Cross Country Championships on 14 December and Alcobendas will be their last stops before that encounter in Lagoa.
Eighteen-year-old Shimket, fresh from a 35-second victory last Sunday in San Vittore Olona, has PBs of 8:32.05 for 3000m and 14:48 for 5km. The local challenge is led by Laura Luengo, who finished 11th in the marathon at the World Championships and recently clocked 30:59 on a downhill 10km course.
Kwizera has crossed the finish line in first place in Alcobendas for four years in a row (although his 2021 victory wasn&rsquo;t allowed to stand as he wasn&rsquo;t wearing his club&rsquo;s vest). The Spain-based Burundian kicked off this cross country campaign with a tight victory in Seville but then had to settle for the runner-up spot in Soria and Atapuerca.
This weekend the 25-year-old will be up against the likes of Eritrea&rsquo;s Saymon Tesfagiorgis, Italy&rsquo;s Yohanes Chiappinelli and Spain&rsquo;s Thierry Ndikumwenayo. Eighteen-year-old Tesfagiorgis, who was a convincing winner in San Vittore Olona last weekend, competed in the 5000m at the World Championships. He has PBs of 13:01.85 for 5000m and 27:10 for 10km.
European 10,000m and cross-country bronze medallist Ndikumwenayo has placed fifth, fourth and third in his past three races. He won here in 2019 and will be keen to reclaim the top spot on the podium.
Former steeplechaser Chiappinelli will be racing for the first time since finishing sixth in the marathon at this year&rsquo;s World Championships. Ugandan duo Dismas Yeko and Samuel Cherop, fifth in the 5000m at last year&rsquo;s World U20 Championships, complete the international field.
Notable past winners here include Portugal's 1993 world cross-country champion Albertina Dias (1996), Eritrea's former world half marathon record-holder Zersenay Tadese (2005), Kenya&rsquo;s 2016 Olympic 5000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot (2009), Ethiopia&rsquo;s Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola (2015) and Uganda&rsquo;s two-time world cross country champion Jacob Kiplimo (2018).
Weather forecasters predict a partially cloudy and windless day on Sunday with temperatures ranging between 9-11C at the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti and Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera are the marquee athletes at the Cross Internacional de la Constitución

Battocletti and Kwizera the athletes to beat in Alcobendas

Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti won the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca on her fourth attempt, while Kenya&rsquo;s Mathew Kipsang pipped Rodrigue Kwizera to victory at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event on Sunday (23).
Kazakhstan&rsquo;s defending champion Daisy Jepkemei took charge of the pacing duties right from the start of the women&rsquo;s 6.82km race and she led a five-strong group, followed by Battocletti, Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet, Great Britain&rsquo;s Megan Keith and Spain&rsquo;s Majida Maayouf.
The 36-year-old Spaniard began to lose ground shortly after the third kilometre, but she still ran clear ahead of a group of her compatriots which included Idaira Prieto, Isabel Barreiro, Marta Serrano and Angela Viciosa.
Keith moved to the front midway through the race but Battocletti looked comfortable running on her shoulder, followed by Jepkemei and Jebet. At the bell, with a 2km lap remaining, the lead quartet had built a 24-second margin over Maayouf, herself 25 seconds clear of Prieto, who was always at the helm of the chasing pack.
Some 17 minutes into the race, 20-year-old Jebet decided to push hard and her change of speed was only covered by Battocletti, while Jepkemei and Keith formed another pair way back.
Jebet led for just over a kilometre before the 25-year-old Italian made her move some 500 metres from home, breaking away from the Kenyan with incredible ease as she opened a sizeable advantage in a matter of a few strides.
She crossed the finish line unopposed in 22:21, 13 seconds ahead of Jebet. In a tough fight for the third place on the podium, Jepkemei prevailed over Keith by a couple of seconds, while Maayouf finished fifth.
&ldquo;My win might have seemed easy, but I felt frozen and the race was tough because of the cold and the wind,&rdquo; said Battocletti, the world 10,000m silver and 5000m bronze medallist this year in Tokyo. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my fourth outing in Atapuerca and I finally managed to win here. That makes me extremely happy.&rdquo;
Boosted by the local crowd, as he was born just 30km away from Atapuerca, Spain&rsquo;s Daniel Arce was a lonesome leader at the start of the men&rsquo;s contest, also held over 6.82km. Although his margin never surpassed six seconds, Arce led for 2.6km before he was reeled in by the pack of favourites that was always led by Kwizera, while Kipsang travelled quietly in the middle of the large group.
Following a relatively slow penultimate 2km circuit, which took 5:56, Kwizera picked up the pace at the bell. His change of speed whittled down the lead group to six athletes, including Kipsang, Burundi&rsquo;s Emile Hafashimana and the Spanish trio of Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Said Mechaal and the national 10km record-holder Ilias Fifa.
Kwizera&rsquo;s pace soon paid off, as first Hafashimana then Mechaal and finally Fifa could not maintain the change of speed. The trio of Kwizera, Kipsang and Ndikumwenayo entered the closing kilometre in single file but the latter lost any chance of winning with some 350 metres remaining as he began to lose ground.
Kwizera tried desperately to lose Kipsang over the closing stages, but the in-form Kenyan managed to remain close to the Burundian despite a brisk circuit timed at 5:35.
Kipsang finally unleashed a powerful sprint to overtake Kwizera, as he had done a week earlier at the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Soria. As a result, the 30-year-old Kenyan remains unbeaten on his European cross-country tour as he has won successively in Cardiff, Soria and Atapuerca.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women (6.8km) 1 Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 22:21 2 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 22:34 3 Daisy Jepkemei (KAZ) 22:35 4 Megan Keith (GBR) 22:37 5 Majida Maayouf (ESP) 23:23
Men (6.8km) 1 Mathew Kipsang (KEN) 20:05 2 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 20:06 3 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 20:14 4&nbsp;Ilias Fifa (ESP) 20:16 5 Said Mechaal (ESP) 20:20
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-tour/calendar-results/7221535/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>Shimket retains title, Amanuel beats Kipruto at Cinque Mulini</h2>
Yenenesh Shimket successfully defended her Cinque Mulini title, while Saymon Amanuel beat last year&rsquo;s winner Matthew Kipruto to win the men&rsquo;s race at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in San Vittore Olona on Sunday (23).
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Shimket broke away during the first of the three laps making up the 6.2km women&rsquo;s race and had a five-second advantage over Burundi&rsquo;s Elvanie Nimbona and Kenya&rsquo;s Sharon Chepkemoi by the end of that first loop.
Shimket&nbsp;continued to dominate, building a lead of 21 seconds by the end of the second lap and 35 seconds by the finish line, which she crossed in 19:11.
Nimbona, who finished fourth at the Cinque Mulini last year, improved by one place as she was pipped by Chepkemoi in the race for the runner-up spot. A single second separated them &ndash; Chepkemoi clocking 19:46 to Nimbona&rsquo;s 19:47.
Valentina Gemetto was the leading Italian athlete, finishing fourth in 20:19.
Amanuel secured the men&rsquo;s title by a similar margin to become the second Eritrean winner of the race after Zersenay Tadese who won in 2008.
The 18-year-old made his winning move during the third of the four laps and, after finishing fourth over 10.2km last year, he won this year&rsquo;s 8.2km contest in 22:48 &ndash; 32 seconds ahead of the defending champion Kipruto of Kenya.
Home star Iliass Aouani finished third in his first race since claiming marathon bronze at the World Championships in Tokyo, clocking 23:29. He joined Kipruto and Amanuel in the lead pack during the first couple of laps but was seven seconds back by the end of the second circuit.
Aouani was applauded over the finish line by Amanuel, as he held off his compatriot Luca Alfieri by two seconds to finish as the top Italian.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women (6.2km) 1 Yenenesh Shimket (ETH) 19:11 2 Sharon Chepkemoi (KEN) 19:46 3 Elvanie Nimbona (BDI) 19:47 4 Valentina Gemetto (ITA) 20:19 5 Lucia Arnoldo (ITA) 20:25
Men (8.2km) 1 Saymon Amanuel (ERI) 22:48 2 Matthew Kipruto (KEN) 23:20 3 Iliass Aouani (ITA) 23:29 4 Luca Alfieri (ITA) 23:31 5 Osama Zoghlami (ITA) 23:34
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-tour/calendar-results/7226076/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>Fikadu and Gebrehiwet secure Ethiopian double in Allonnes</h2>
Milkesa Fikadu and Tirhas Gebrehiwet battled the wet conditions and their rivals to complete an Ethiopian double at the Cross International Le Maine Libre-Allonnes-Sarthe &ndash; the weekend's third World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; on Sunday (23).
The 20-year-old Fikadu improved on his third-place finish from last year, covering the muddy 6.71km course in 21:13, while 18-year-old Gebrehiwet won the women&rsquo;s race &ndash; held over the same distance &ndash; in 24:05.
Due to the wet conditions, many athletes ran without their bibs meaning full results could not be confirmed on the day of competition, but the victories by Fikadu and Gebrehiwet were without doubt.
French athletes clinched the runner-up spots in both races, Fikadu finishing strongly to hold off Yann Schrub and Gebrehiwet winning five seconds clear of Alessia Zarbo.
Fikadu&rsquo;s compatriot Abrha Gebru and Kazakhstan&rsquo;s 2022 world steeplechase champion Norah Jeruto both finished fourth in Allonnes last year but this time they made the podium &ndash; each improving by one place to finish third.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women (6.71km) 1 Tirhas Gebrehiwet (ETH) 24:05 2 Alessia Zarbo (FRA) 24:10 3&nbsp;Norah Jeruto&nbsp;(KAZ) 24:12
Men (6.71km) 1 Milkesa Fikadu (ETH) 21:13 2 Yann Schrub (FRA) 21:15 3 Abrha Gebru (ETH) 21:17
&nbsp;

Coverage of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meetings in Atapuerca, Allonnes and San Vittore Olona

Battocletti wins on fourth try, Kipsang pips Kwizera in Atapuerca

A strong field will be in action when the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca returns near the northern Spanish city of Burgos as one of three&nbsp;World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold&nbsp;meetings taking place on Sunday (23).
Italy&rsquo;s Nadia Battocletti makes her cross-country season debut, following a successful track campaign that included two medals at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 &ndash; 10,000m silver and 5000m bronze. The Olympic 10,000m silver medallist is also an accomplished cross-country runner and she made history last year as the first woman to collect individual gold medals in the U20, U23 and senior categories at the European Cross Country Championships.
She makes her fourth appearance in Atapuerca and will be eager to build on her 14th place in 2019, 12th place in 2021 and sixth place in 2022.
Battocletti&rsquo;s stiffest opposition should come from the in-form Ethiopian Likina Amebaw and last year&rsquo;s winner, Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhstan. The former has already claimed two wins this season as she triumphed in Amorebieta and Soria, but she had to settle for third at the It&aacute;lica event where she was pipped by Jepkemei in the closing stages, in a fight for the runner-up place.&nbsp;
Amebaw&rsquo;s best performance in Atapuerca came in 2023 when she took fourth place, just ahead of Britain&rsquo;s Megan Keith. The world 10,000m 10th-place finisher won the European U23 cross-country title in Brussels two years ago by a record margin and she opened her cross-country campaign a fortnight ago in Cardiff, where she finished fourth. She was 20 seconds behind the runner-up on that occasion, Kenya&rsquo;s Sheila Jebet, who is also among the contenders in Atapuerca following her second place behind Amebaw in Soria last weekend.&nbsp;
Burundi&rsquo;s Micheline Niyomahoro completes the international line-up, while the local challenge will be led by European U23 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Marta Serrano, national 10km record-holder Carla Gallardo, Isabel Barreiro, Angela Viciosa and Carolina Robles.
The men&rsquo;s race offers a Soria rematch as Kenya&rsquo;s Mathew Kipsang and Burundi&rsquo;s Rodrigue Kwizera will clash again after their thrilling battle last Sunday, when the Kenyan won after a dramatic sprint finish.&nbsp;
It won&rsquo;t be an easy task for Kwizera to retain his title as the event distance has reduced from 9km to 7.3km for men and women and that would seem to play in favour of the world 5000m 11th-place finisher Kipsang, who was third in Atapuerca last year.&nbsp;
Watch out too for the Spanish pair of Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Said Mechaal. Ndikumwenayo is rapidly rounding into form and he finished just three seconds behind Kipsang in Soria, while&nbsp;Mechaal will try to replicate the form he demonstrated on the roads last month, when he took third place at the Paris 20km.
Kenya&rsquo;s Naibei Kiplimo Mayebei and the Burundian pair of Emile Hafashimana and Celestin Ndikumana will also be chasing top five finishes.
Sunday&rsquo;s races will also serve as the national cross country championships. Weather forecasters predict a windy and cold day with temperatures between 4-6&ordm;C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<h2>Kipruto and Shimket defend Cinque Mulini crowns</h2>
Matthew Kipruto and Yenenesh Shimket will defend their Cinque Mulini titles when the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting is held in San Vittore Olona on Sunday (23).
Kenya&rsquo;s Kipruto, the world U20 cross-country bronze medallist, will return to Italy one week on from finishing third in the Cross Country Tour Gold race over 8km in Soria.
This time his competition in the 8.2km contest will include home star Iliass Aouani, who claimed marathon bronze at the World Championships in Tokyo, and his Italian compatriots Pietro Arese and Osama Zoghlami.
When he discovered that the last Italian winner of the men&rsquo;s race was Alberto Cova in 1986, Aouani told organisers: &ldquo;I'm coming to win.&rdquo;
Joining them on the start line will be Eritrea&rsquo;s Saymon Amanuel, who finished fourth last year in San Vittore Olona, and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Adehena Kasaye, a two-time world cross-country relay silver medallist.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Shimket leads the field for the women&rsquo;s 6.2km race. Last year she clinched victory ahead of Sheila Jebet and home favourite Nadia Battocletti, but this time both Jebet and Olympic and world 10,000m silver medallist Battocletti have decided to race at the Cross Country Tour Gold event in Atapuerca taking place on the same day.
Instead, Shimket will face Burundi&rsquo;s Elvanie Nimbona, who finished fourth at the Cinque Mulini last year, and Kenya&rsquo;s Sharon Chepkemoi. Italian athletes in action include Micol Majori and Gaia Colli.
&nbsp;
<h2>Schrub and Trapp return to Allonnes</h2>
Multiple European medallist Yann Schrub and Manon Trapp will be among the home hopes at the Cross International Le Maine Libre-Allonnes-Sarthe &ndash; a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting &ndash; on Sunday (23).
Schrub, the 2023 European cross-country champion, will look to follow in the footsteps of his French compatriot Jimmy Gressier, who won last year in Allonnes and returns this year to support the event, rather than race. Schrub opens his cross-country campaign in Allonnes as he races for the first time since finishing ninth in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. He placed seventh in Allonnes last year, and was runner-up in 2023.
He will go up against Ethiopia&rsquo;s Milkesa Fikadu and Abrha Gebru, who respectively finished third and fourth last year, as well as last year&rsquo;s fifth-place finisher Vincent Kimaiyo of Kenya. John Aimun, who beat his compatriot Kimaiyo to claim 10km victory in Lille last weekend, is also among the contenders.
Joining Schrub in racing on home soil are Hugo Hay and Fabien Palcau, who finished fifth behind Aimun and Kimaiyo in Lille.
The senior women's race features Trapp, who finished third in Allonnes last year &ndash; one place ahead of Kazakhstan&rsquo;s 2022 world steeplechase champion Norah Jeruto. The pair clash again on Sunday.
Trapp contested the marathon at the World Championships in Tokyo, while Jeruto placed sixth in the steeplechase. Last year&rsquo;s Cross International Le Maine Libre-Allonnes-Sarthe was Jeruto&rsquo;s first cross-country appearance since 2021 and she returns to open her season again in Allonnes.
They will face Kaoutar Farkoussi, who formed part of Morocco&rsquo;s silver medal-winning mixed relay team at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships, and Kenya&rsquo;s Alice Chemtai Loitasia, as well as France&rsquo;s Alessia Zarbo, Agathe Guillemot, Marie Bouchard and national marathon record-holder Mekdes Woldu.

Three World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meetings take place on Sunday

Calendar
Date	Meeting	Venue	Country
08 NOV 2026	XLIV Cross Internacional de Itálica	Conjunto arqueológico de Itálica, Sevilla	ESP
14 NOV 2026	Sparkassen Cross Pforzheim	Pforzheim	GER
15 NOV 2026	32 "Campo A Traves" Internacional De Soria	Monte Valonsadero, Soria	ESP
21 NOV 2026	Broken Hill Man - The Mud Test	Kabwe Golf Club, Kabwe	ZAM
22 NOV 2026	94th Cinque Mulini	San Vittore Olona	ITA
05 DEC 2026	Chepsaita Cross County Tour Gold	Chepsaita, Eldoret	KEN
13 FEB 2027	Sirikwa Classic Continental Tour Gold	Lobo Village, Eldoret	KEN

Battocletti and Kipsang win 2025/26 World Athletics Cross Country Tour

Ngetich and Korir victorious in Eldoret

Defending champions Ngetich and Ebenyo head fields for Sirikwa Classic

Kwizera and Cherop dominate in Albufeira

Kwizera defends title against Ndikumwenayo in Albufeira

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