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The spotlight is firmly on Kenya’s world cross-country and 5km champion, Beatrice Chebet ahead of the upcoming Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce, in Seville, Spain

The race will be the fourth Gold standard meeting in the World Athletics Cross Country Tour.

Beatrice Chebet in form

Chebet fresh off a triumphant performance in Atapuerca just two weeks ago will be eager to add another victory to her name.

Despite a second-place finish in 2020 and a third-place effort the following year at Itálica, Chebet is determined to claim the top spot in this highly competitive race.

Chebet’s presence adds an extra layer of excitement to a race already featuring top-tier athletes. Her compatriot Edinah Jebitok, who impressed with an eighth-place finish at the World Cross in Bathurst and a third-place result in Atapuerca, will be among those vying for victory.

Beatrice Chebet competitors

Ethiopian talents Senayet Getachew and Wede Kefale, along with Uganda’s Anne Chelangat, who secured 13th place at the World Cross and a third-place finish last week in San Sebastián, promise fierce competition.

World and Olympic finalist Nadia Battocletti, racing in Santiponce for the first time, adds an intriguing element to the event. Having recently placed fifth in the 5km at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Battocletti aims to challenge Chebet’s dominance on Sunday.

The diverse field also includes Spanish steeplechasers Irene Sánchez-Escribano and Carolina Robles, European U20 cross-country champion María Forero, and Britain’s talented runner, Amelia Quirk, who secured a 25th-place finish in Bathurst