5-star performance! Kenyans shine as Beatrice Chebet defends her world cross-country title

World 5km world record holder Beatrice Chebet successfully defended her World Athletics Cross Country Championships title in spectacular fashion on Saturday evening.

Chebet led her fellow countrywomen to a top-five finish in the race staged at the Park of Friendship in Belgrade, Serbia.

She turned on the screw in the last 200m to outpace Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and went on to break the tape in an impressive time of 31:05.

Rengeruk came in second place in 31:08 with Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi completing the podium place positions in 31:09.

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The duo of Emmaculate Anyango Achol and Agnes Jebet Ngetich, who appeared to struggle in the final stages of the race, settled for fourth and fifth positions.

Achol clocked 31:24 while Ngetich, the reigning 10km world record holder, completed the hotly contested race in a time of 31:27.

Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat managed a sixth-place position ahead of the Kenyan-born Kazakhstani runner Daisy Jepkemei. They each stopped the clock at 32:00 and 32:04 respectively.

In the men’s category, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo crossed the finishing line in 28:09 to defend the title he won in Bathurst, Australia.

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The half marathon world record holder was followed by Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi and Kenya’s Benson Kiplangat, who timed 28:12 and 28:14 respectively.

Other Kenyans in the race Nicholas Kipkorir (28:16), Samwel Chebolei Masai (28:18), Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (28:31) and Gideon Rono (28:31) registered fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth place finishes respectively.

Meanwhile, in the men’s U20 category, Samuel Kibathi won a gold medal for Kenya in 22:40 ahead of Ethiopia’s Mezgebu Sime.

Sime, who clocked 22:41, showed nerves of steel in the final stages of the race to beat Kibathi’s teammate Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto (22:46).

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On the other hand, Kenya failed to secure a medal in the women’s U20 category with the Ethiopians dominating the top 10 positions.

Marta Alemayo won the gold medal in 19:28 with her fellow citizens Asayech Ayichew (19:32) and Robe Dida (19:38) clinching a silver and bronze medal respectively.

Kenyan participants in the race Sheila Jebet (19:45), Diana Cherotich (19:47) and Deborah Chemutai (19:51) came a distant fourth, fifth and seventh.

Finally, Kenya’s mixed relay team lifted the country’s flag higher, showing other countries dust to comfortably win the coveted gold medal.

The team which was made up of Reynold Cheruiyot, Purity Chepkirui, Virginia Nyambura and Kyumbe Munguti won the title in 22:15. Ethiopia and Great Britain secured the second and third-place positions in 22:43 and 23:00.

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