Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda secured his third consecutive senior men's title at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26. He finished ahead of Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia, extending his lead by 18 seconds on the final lap.
Aregawi earned an individual silver medal and led Ethiopia to a gold medal in the team competition. Daniel Ebenyo of Kenya secured the individual bronze medal.
Kiplimo executed a late surge during the race. Uganda achieved its highest medal count at a World Cross Country Championships, totaling seven medals, including two gold.
Race Progression
Wesley Kiptoo of the USA led the initial lap in 5:39, establishing a two-second lead. By 3km, Kiptoo was re-joined by the main group. At 4km, Tadese Worku of Ethiopia was in the lead, followed by Dolphine Chelimo of Uganda and Daniel Ebenyo of Kenya, with Kiplimo in fourth position.
Worku increased the pace nearing the halfway mark, briefly leading Kiplimo and Ebenyo, with Aregawi close behind. By 6km, Kiplimo moved to the front, leading a group including Ebenyo, Worku, and Aregawi. Biniam Mehary and Ishmael Kipkurui were in fifth and sixth, respectively.
During the fourth lap, Kipkurui and Worku fell back. Entering the final lap, Mehary also fell back, leaving Kiplimo, Ebenyo, and Aregawi to contend for the podium.
Kiplimo made a decisive move, creating an eight-second gap over Aregawi and Ebenyo within the next kilometer. He increased his lead by 18 seconds on the final lap. Kiplimo finished in 28:18, becoming the fourth man to win three consecutive world cross-country titles, joining John Ngugi, Paul Tergat, and Kenenisa Bekele. This victory also represented the largest winning margin in the senior men’s race since 2007.
Aregawi finished with a time of 28:36, marking his third silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships. Ebenyo secured bronze in 28:45.
Top Finishers
- Jacob Kiplimo (UGA): 28:18 (Gold)
- Berihu Aregawi (ETH): 28:36 (Silver)
- Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (KEN): 28:45 (Bronze)
- Tadese Worku (ETH): 28:49
- Ishmael Kipkurui (KEN): 28:53
- Biniam Mehary (ETH): 29:03
Ethiopia won the team title, with Kenya in second and Uganda in third. Parker Wolfe was the top U.S. finisher in 12th place.