Get ready for an exciting weekend of cross-country action as the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold series heads to Cardiff and Seville! The stage is set for some thrilling races and potential upsets.
On Saturday, the Cardiff Cross Challenge will welcome a diverse group of athletes from around the globe. Representing their nations are runners from Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands, Morocco, and Spain. Llandaff Fields will be buzzing with anticipation as these athletes prepare to battle it out.
In the men's race, we have a star-studded lineup. Mathew Kipsang, a finalist in the world 5000m, will be going head-to-head with his Kenyan teammate Stephen Kimutai, who finished an impressive fifth at the Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon last October. Keep an eye on Victor Kimosop, a promising young Kenyan athlete who recently won the Betika Cross Country Series. And here's where it gets controversial: Morocco's 17-year-old Osama Er Redouani, who competed at the World Cross Country Championships, will be joining the fray. Can he make a statement against more experienced runners?
Ethiopia's Kadar Omar, a regular in South Wales and a previous winner of the Cardiff Half Marathon, will be a force to reckon with. Jesse Fokkenrood and Nathan Houwaard from the Netherlands will also be in action, with Fokkenrood aiming to improve on his 13th-place finish last year. Irish cross-country champion Keelan Kilrehill and Great Britain's Zakariya Mahamed, a two-time runner-up in Cardiff, add further depth to the field.
Welsh hopes rest on Osian Perrin, the 5km record holder, and Dafydd Jones. Great Britain's Megan Keith, who finished 10th in the world 10,000m, returns to Cardiff with a title to defend. She'll be looking to replicate her success from 2023 and add another championship to her belt.
And this is the part most people miss: Kate Axford, the leading British finisher last year, is back, along with Kenya's Sheila Jebet, who was the runner-up in 2024 and has since won the Cross Cup De Hannut. Jebet's 17-year-old compatriot, Cynthia Chepkirui, hopes to make a mark as she prepares for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee.
The competition will be fierce, with Canada's 3000m steeplechase record holder, Ceili McCabe, and Denmark's Sofia Thogersen, a multiple European age-group track medallist, joining the fray. Maria Urena of Spain and Ireland's Mary Mulhare complete the international lineup.
Welsh fans will be cheering for Cari Hughes, who finished fourth last year. Other British entries include Amelia Quirk, Holly Dixon, Poppy Tank, Jess Gibbon, and Hannah Irwin.
The mile races make a comeback in 2025, serving as the Great Britain trial for the mixed relay at the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal. Keep an eye out for Revee Walcott-Nolan, Sarah Calvert, Abbie Ives, Sarah McDonald, Holly Dixon, Will Barnicoat, Callum Elson, Joe Wigfield, Henry Jonas, and Corentin Tixier.
In the U20 races, European U20 cross-country champion Innes FitzGerald takes center stage, joined by William Rabjohns, who was an U20 winner in Cardiff last year.
Now, let's shift our focus to Seville, where the Cross Internacional de Italica promises an even more star-studded lineup. This race is shaping up to be a battle of the best.
The women's race, contested over 9.2km, features the in-form Ethiopian Likina Amebaw, who has been breaking personal records across various distances this year. She kicked off her cross-country campaign with a win at the Amorebieta meeting. But the most decorated woman in the field is Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, the Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion. Despite her limited cross-country experience, she's expected to be a podium contender.
Maurine Jebor of Kenya, fresh off her win at the national trials for the World Cross Country Championships, will be a force to reckon with. She'll be joined by Celestine Jepkorir, who dominated the San Sebastian Silver Cross Country Tour meeting. Keep an eye on Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhstan, the runner-up in Seville last year and a sixth-place finisher at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships.
Mariana Machado, preparing for the European Cross Country Championships in her native Portugal, will be a strong contender. Norway's Kristin Eikrem, riding high after a half marathon PB of 1:10:32 in Valencia, will also aim for a top-five finish.
The local charge will be led by the promising duo of Marta Serrano and Maria Forero.
In the men's event, also held over 9.2km, we have a thrilling clash between training partners Rodrigue Kwizera of Burundi and Spain's Thierry Ndikumwenayo. Kwizera, a two-time Cross Country Tour winner, has an impressive record at the Italica meeting, having finished first, second, and third in previous years. Ndikumwenayo, who also succeeded in 2022, will be looking to repeat his victory from last year.
Both athletes train under the guidance of Lluis Torla in Castellon. Kwizera recently finished second at the Valencia Half Marathon, setting a national record of 58:39. Ndikumwenayo, who finished ninth in the world 10,000m, is still finding his form after spending time in his native Burundi with his newly expanded family. He returned to action at the Castellon cross country race, pushing Kwizera to the limit before settling for second.
A large Kenyan squad, including Denis Kipkoech Kemboi, Robert Koech, Edwin Kiplangat, Naibei Kiplimo, Titus Kibet, and Andrew Alamisi, will be a formidable force. Kemboi, Koech, and Kiplangat finished third, sixth, and seventh, respectively, at the Kenyan trials, while Kibet, Kiplimo, and Kiplangat dominated the San Sebastian race last weekend.
Tunisia's 3000m steeplechaser Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui, who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics, will be a wildcard. He'll be joined by Burundi's Egide Ntakarutimana and Emile Hafashimana, who started their cross-country season with a win in Amorebieta.
Ndikumwenayo will be supported by other Spanish hopes, Aaron Las Heras and Dani Arce, as well as Mohamed Attaoui, an Olympic and world 800m finalist. Attaoui, known for his high mileage, will make a rare appearance over 9.2km.
Weather forecasters predict a sunny day with temperatures ranging from 18-20ºC by the time of the elite races on Sunday. Perfect racing conditions!
Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of cross-country action! Who do you think will emerge victorious? Share your predictions and thoughts in the comments below!
