For Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the third time was beyond the charm as he etched his name among the greats in Tallahassee on Saturday with a commanding performance at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
Kiplimo entered the men’s senior race a heavy favorite with a chance to extend his streak to the straight wins and he understood the mission, clocking a 28:18 as he roared toward gold.
The stacked men’s field held steady, with a large lead group navigating a course filled with challenging features that made the race far more than a sprint to the finish. At the 4km mark at, Ethiopia’s Tadase Worku established a very slight early lead as he looked to establish himself — and possibly work his way toward a larger gap as field kicked through each loop.
But by 7km mark at 20:05, Kiplimo settled into his plan and surged with Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo staying close.
However, Kiplimo took off on the bell lap at 8km at 22:56 and pulled away from Ebenyo while the chase group began to fade further.
With the final turn in his rear view and open field on the final downhill, Kiplimo pressed ahead and bolted through the finish line, becoming just the fourth man in ever to win three consecutive world cross-country titles. The mark puts him in elite company with John Ngugi, Paul Tergat and Kenenisa Bekele.
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi took second in 28:36, while Kenya’s Ebenyo finished third in 28:45 as the race outside of Kiplimo’s pace came down to the two other podium spots and what nation would claim the team prize.
Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Ngetich opened the women’s senior race in control and never lost her lead as she opened a sizeable gap as she captured gold in 31:28.
Ngetich left little doubt that she could fill the void left by Beatrice Chebet and by the 2km mark at at 6:03 she made it clear that the race for second and third were up for grabs since the top podium slot was seemingly decided by that point.
Ethiopia’s Asayech Ayichew and Senayet Getachew and Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek trailed in second and third place while the group behind them struggled to keep pace. At 4km Ngetich crossed at 12:12 and widened her margin to 17 second over Ayichew and Getachew — and by 6km at 18:31 the lead expanded to 31 seconds.
Still, Ngetich pushed forward as if she was familiar with the course and did not seem concerned about her position being under any threat as the last of the five loops approached.
Ngetich soared to the finish in 31:28 with her 42 second gap coming close to the 44 seconds Grete Waitz put between herself and the women’s field of the 1980 race when she won the 4.82km event in 15:05.
“I am so happy with this title,” Ngetich said after the race. “I now have an individual title and I am proud to become the tenth woman to win world cross country gold for Kenya. Beatrice told me to bring the medal back home. This title is special.”
Cheptoyek took sliver in 32:10 while Getachew finished third in 32:13 for the bronze.
The win by Ngetich, the 10km world record holder, is the tenth straight individual title in the women’s senior race for Kenya.
