Kenyans hoping Tirop will lead team to another World Cross title

Agnes Ngetich lead in 10000m women race during the World Athletice Championship trials 2025 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya will once again field a formidable team in the senior women’s race at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee on Saturday, having won the past nine titles, and despite the absence of two-time champion Beatrice Chebet, Team Kenya athletes will be targeting another gold medal. 

World 10km record-holder Agnes Ngetich will spearhead Kenya’s bid in the senior women’s race as she looks to build on the bronze medal she won behind Chebet at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst. 

Ngetich was part of Kenya’s top-four sweep led by Chebet in Belgrade in 2024 and also placed fourth in the world 10,000m final in Tokyo. 

Also in the spotlight is fast-rising Maurine Chebor, who won the national trials in October and has returned strongly following injury struggles in 2024.

The 21-year-old finished second at the National Cross Country Championships in February and won the Kenyan police cross-country title last year, and will be among the leading contenders on her international championship debut. 

They will be joined by national trials runner-up Brenda Kenei, Joyline Chepkemoi, Rebecca Mwangi and Caren Chebet as Kenya targets a third successive senior women’s team title.

‎Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei has backed the squad to rise to the occasion and successfully defend Kenya’s overall crown in Tallahassee.

“We are the defending overall champions. This is a young team, and I am confident you will give your very best in Florida,” Tuwei said. “We wish you all the best of luck as you go out there to represent Kenya”.

The senior women’s team title at the World Cross Country Championships has been dominated by Kenya and Ethiopia, with the two nations sharing every gold since 1995. 

Ethiopia will once again field a strong line-up in Tallahassee, with former age-group stars Senayet Getachew, the 2023 world U20 champion, and Asayech Ayichew, runner-up in the U20 race in 2024, stepping up to the senior ranks. Ayichew arrives in form after winning the Jan Meda International Cross Country, which doubles as the Ethiopian Championships, in Addis Ababa in November.

The 20-year-old also gained valuable experience on the track last season with Diamond League appearances in Xiamen, Rome and Eugene.

In Addis Ababa she finished ahead of marathon specialist Shure Demise, who is also named in the squad, alongside world U20 3000m champion Aleshign Baweke, Alem Tsadik and Lemlem Nibret, who placed fifth and eighth respectively at the past two world U20 cross-country championships.

Uganda has emerged as a consistent podium presence in the senior women’s team race, securing medals at four of the past five editions, and should again be a major contender. 

The team is led by national champion Joy Cheptoyek, who won the Ugandan championships in Mbale in November.

She is joined by Sarah Chelangat, fifth at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade two years ago.

Cheptoyek dominated the national championships, winning by 26 seconds ahead of Rispa Cherop, Kereen Chemusto and Martha Chemutai, all of whom are also named in the squad alongside Rebecca Chelangat.

USA  hopes of good performance rest with Weini Kelati Frezghi, who extended her cross-country season in pursuit of a US team place for Tallahassee and was rewarded with victory at the trials in Portland in December.