For the third edition in a row, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo claimed the senior men’s title at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26 on Saturday, finishing ahead of Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi.
In doing so, Kiplimo confirmed his status as one of the great distance runners of his generation. The Ugandan proved untouchable when it mattered most, opening up a staggering 18-second gap on his fellow medallists on the final lap alone.
Aregawi once again had to settle for individual silver but found consolation by leading Ethiopia to gold in the team competition. Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo secured the bronze medal.
WXC Tallahassee 26 highlights
As he has done so often on the world stage, Kiplimo allowed the race to develop before asserting control with a devastating surge in the closing stages. He also spearheaded Uganda to their best-ever medal haul at a World Cross Country Championships—seven medals in total, including two golds.
The early pace was set by USA’s Wesley Kiptoo, who surged to the front from the gun and covered the opening lap in 5:39, establishing a two-second advantage over a chase pack led by Uganda’s Dan Kibet and Australia’s Ky Robinson. The move briefly stretched the field, but by the 3km mark (8:39), Kiptoo had been reeled in as the leading group began to take shape.
By 4km, the complexion of the race was familiar, with Kenyan, Ethiopian and Ugandan athletes occupying the top 12 positions. Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku led at that stage, closely followed by Uganda’s Dolphine Chelimo and Kenya’s Ebenyo, while Kiplimo moved into fourth place, calmly tracking the leaders.
Worku attempted to force the pace as the race approached halfway, injecting a burst of speed that briefly gave him a narrow cushion over Kiplimo and Ebenyo, with Aregawi sitting just behind. The effort, however, proved short-lived.
By 6km, Worku had been caught as Kiplimo edged to the front at the end of the third lap, leading a tightly packed group that included Ebenyo, Worku and Aregawi. Biniam Mehary and Ishmael Kipkurui followed in fifth and sixth, while European cross-country champion Thierry Ndikumwenayo ran seventh.
The fourth lap marked another turning point. Kipkurui was the first to lose contact, followed soon after by Worku, reducing the medal battle to four men: Kiplimo, Ebenyo, Mehary and Aregawi. As the bell sounded for the final lap, Mehary dropped back, leaving the three pre-race favourites to contest the podium.
It was then that Kiplimo made his decisive move. Digging deep, the Ugandan opened up an eight-second gap over the next kilometre, breaking clear of Aregawi and Ebenyo. His authority grew with each stride as he relentlessly extended his lead, gaining 18 seconds on the final lap alone.
Kiplimo crossed the line in 28:18 to become only the fourth man in history to win three consecutive world cross-country titles, matching feats previously achieved by John Ngugi, Paul Tergat and Kenenisa Bekele. His victory also represented the largest winning margin in the senior men’s race since 2007.
“I didn’t expect to win, but I was happy to cross the finish line first for the third consecutive time,” said Kiplimo. “The course was really nice. I’m happy for my gold, but also for the team.
“The key to my success is consistency in training and belief in what you’re doing,” added Kiplimo, whose previous race was his 2:02:23 victory at the Chicago Marathon in October. “Many more Ugandan runners are catching up.”
Aregawi secured his fifth global silver medal—and his third at the World Cross—in 28:36, while world half marathon silver medallist Ebenyo added another major honour to his collection by claiming bronze in 28:45.
Worku, Kipkurui and Mehary completed the top six. Ndikumwenayo finished eighth, while world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier placed 15th, four positions behind his French teammate Yann Schrub. US cross-country champion Parker Wolfe was the leading home finisher in 12th. Ethiopia won the team title ahead of Kenya and Uganda.
