At the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo successfully defended their titles from the previous year, proving that their victories in 2023 were no fluke. In the senior women’s 10km race, Chebet led a group of five Kenyan runners and broke away with Lilian Rengeruk and Margaret Kipkemboi towards the end. She made a decisive move in the final meters to cross the finish line in 31:05 and secure the gold medal. Rengeruk finished three seconds behind, followed by Kipkemboi just a second later.
In the men’s race, Kiplimo unleashed a powerful attack on the final lap that shattered the lead group of runners. Despite attempts by Kenya’s Gideon Rono and Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei to break away, Kiplimo proved to be the strongest competitor. He crossed the finish line in 28:09 to claim victory over Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi who finished just three seconds behind in second place.
Overall, Chebet and Kiplimo once again proved themselves as formidable competitors in cross country running by showcasing their skill and determination on a global stage. Their back-to-back wins in Belgrade solidified their status as elite athletes in this sport.
