Jan 12, 2026
3 min read
For the third consecutive edition, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo won the senior men's title beating Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi.
For the third consecutive edition, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo won the senior title ahead of Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi at the 26th World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee on Saturday.
In doing so, Kiplimo confirmed his status as one of the great distance runners of his generation as the Ugandan proved untouchable when it mattered most, gaining an astonishing 18 seconds on his fellow medalists in the final lap alone.
Aregavi again had to settle for individual silver, but gained some consolation by leading Ethiopia to gold in the team event.Kenya's Daniel Ebenyo won the individual bronze behind Aregawi.
As always at the international level, Kiplimo allowed the competition to develop before giving control with a big loss in the final test.He also led Uganda to its best ever medal tally - seven in total, including two golds - at the Cross Country Games.
The early pace was set by USA's Wesley Kiptu, who took the lead from the gun and covered the opening lap in 5:39, gaining a two-second advantage over a chase pack led by Uganda's Don Kibet and Australia's Kai Robinson.The move widened the field a bit, but at 3km (8:39) Kiptu's lead group formed.started getting
At 4km, the race was complicated, with athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda filling the top 12 positions.Ethiopia's Tadese Worku led at that stage, closely followed by Chelimo Ugandan Dolphin and Kenya's Daniel Ebenyo, while Kiplimo moved into fourth place, calmly tracking the front and making his presence known.
Worku tried to force his way as the race approached the midway point, adding speed that saw him narrowly overtake Kiplimo and Ebenyo, with Aregawi just behind.However, the effort was short-lived.After 6km, Worku was retaken as Kiplimo took the lead at the end of the third lap, leading a packed group that included Ebenyo, Worku and Aregawi.Biniam Mehary and Ishmael Kipkurui followed in fifth and sixth, while European cross-country champion Thierry Ndikumwenoyo dropped back in seventh.
The fourth leg took another turn.Kipkurui first lost contact, then Warku reduced the battle for medals to four men: Kiplimo, Ebenyo, Mehari and Aregawi.As the bell rang for the final lap, the race progressed behind Meharry, leaving the three pre-race favorites to compete for the podium.
There, Kiplimo took his decisive step.Digging deep, the Ugandan opened an eight-second gap over Aregawi and Ebenyo in the next kilometer.His reputation grew with each step, and he continued to build on his advantage, alone on the last lap by 18 seconds.
Kiplimo crossed the line in 28:18 to become the fourth man in history to win three consecutive world cross-country titles, matching the feat previously achieved by John Ngugi, Paul Tergat and Kenenisa Bekele.His victory also marked the largest margin of victory in the senior men's race since 2007.
"I didn't expect to win, but I'm happy to cross the finish line first for the third time in a row," said Kiplimo."The course is really good. 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 are doing," added Kiplimo, whose last race before today was his 2:02:23 win at the Chicago Marathon in October."Many Ugandan runners are catching up."
Aregawi secured his fifth world silver medal, and third in the World Cross, in 28:36, while Ebenyo, who won the world half marathon silver medal, added another great honor to his collection by taking the bronze in 28:45.
Worku, Kipkurui and Mehary completed the top six.Ndikumwenayo finished eighth, while world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier was 15th, four places behind his French teammate Yann Schrub.US Champion Parker Wolfe was the first home in 12th.Ethiopia won the team ahead of Kenya and Uganda.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
|Individual adult male results |||
|🥇 |Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) |28:18 |
|🥈 |Briho Argavi (ETH) |28:36 |
||Dianiu Eb then (he) |28:45 |
|4 |Tadese Worku (ETH) |28:49 |
|5 |Ismael Child (NEN) |28:53 |
, 6 , Biniyam Mehari (Eth) , 29:03 ,
|7Dolphin Chelimo (Uga).29:07|
|8 |Thierry It's Me (ESP) |29:16 |
|9 |Denis Kipkoech Kemboi Kipkemoi (KEN) |29h18 |
|10 |Kenneth Kiprop (UGA) |29:20 |
|Full Results |
|Senior Men's Team Results |||
|🥇 |Ethiopia |30 |:
|🥈 |Kenya |34 |
|🥉 |Uganda |39 |
|Complete Results |
