WXC: Beatrice Chebet breaks 18-year-old record to lead Kenyan top five

Beatrice Chebet equalled Tirunesh Dibaba's record after winning the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade on Saturday, March 2024.

The 24-year-old became the first senior female athlete to win the title back-to-back since Dibaba in 2006.

It was a strong Kenyan field but Chebet broke away from Lilian Kasait Rengeruk just 400m from the finish line to win in 31:05. Rengeruk secured silver in 31:08 as Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi won bronze in 31:09.

Meanwhile, Chebet led the Kenyan team to a sweep of top five positions and this is a feat that was last witnessed at the Kampala edition in 2017 when Kenya swept the top six positions in the senior women’s race.

Chebet, after her historic win, revealed what helped her perform better. 

“We won the team title, which showed very strong teamwork. After trials, we trained together, and we ate the same food. We were a team and being together helped us achieve the best result here. 

“It is not easy to come to a world championship and defend your title, there is a lot of pressure. My target was to be on the podium. I felt I was stronger with about 500m to go. The course was so good, the weather was good like in Kenya, very sunny, and the obstacles were not as hard," she said as quoted by World Athletics.

Meanwhile, Agnes Ng'etich, Emmaculate Anyango, Chebet, Rengeruk and Kipkemboi were at the front from take-off in the 10km senior women’s race, taking the rest of the field through the first lap in 6:30. 

In the second lap, they picked up the pace and covered in 5:56 with Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek and USA’s Weini Kelati Frezghi in the mix.  

Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei led for a few seconds, only for the Kenyan quintet to take over again. Five Kenyans remained as teh lead group dwindled to seven 

The third lap was 5:57, with Ngetich, Anyango, Rengeruk, Chebet and Kipkemboi to the fore. Uganda’s Sarah Chelang'at trailed and Jepkemei was a distance back. 

Kenyan affair

The fourth lap was an all-Kenyan affair and at this point, it was clear it was going to be a Kenyan.

After a powered push and pull, Anyango was the first to drop back, Rengeruk, Chebet and Kipkemboi went over the last hill, and Ngetich dropped back before it was down to Chebet, Rengeruk and Kipkemboi. 

Chebet made the decisive move in around 400m and crossed the finish line to retain her title as Rengeruk got silver and Kipkemboi claimed bronze.