President William Ruto has congratulated Kenyan athletes for winning various titles at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships, Tallahassee 26.

Taking to his official X account on the night of Saturday, January 10, 2025, Ruto celebrated Kenya’s brilliant clean sweep in the U20 men’s final, where Frankline Kibet took gold, Emmanuel Kiprono won silver, and Andrew Alamasi secured bronze.

Kenya’s Andrew Kiptoo finished fourth in the same race.

“Congratulations to our outstanding athletes for these remarkable performances at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26. We celebrate a brilliant clean sweep in the U20 men’s final, with Frankline Kibet taking gold, Emmanuel Kiprono winning silver, and Andrew Alamasi securing bronze. Andrew Kiptoo’s strong fourth place finish completed a display of total Kenyan dominance,” Ruto stated.

Agnes Ngetich hailed

The Head of State further hailed Agnes Ngetich, who stormed to victory, securing the nation’s 10th consecutive senior women’s title at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26.

Ruto noted that the Kenyan athletes had all demonstrated greatness that defines the nation.

“We equally salute Agnes Ngetich for another historic victory. The 10 km world record holder won the women’s cross country title to secure Kenya’s tenth straight title, finishing an extraordinary 42 seconds ahead of the field. You have all demonstrated the greatness that defines Kenya. Well done,” Ruto wrote on X.

Agnes Ngetich’s victory

Winning by an emphatic 42 seconds, the world 10 km record holder recorded the second-largest winning margin in the history of the World Cross Country Championships.

Ngetich, the 2023 Bathurst bronze medallist and 2024 Belgrade team gold winner, produced a dominant run, lapping several rivals and clocking 31:28 to secure her first global title ahead of Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek and Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew.

Ngetich was determined not only to raise the nation’s flag high individually but also to succeed Kenya’s sensational Beatrice Chebet, who had dominated the event for the past two editions but did not compete in 2026 after announcing maternity leave for the season.

Meanwhile, another pre-race favourite, Kenya’s Maurine Chebor, could not handle the pressure and finished eighth in 33:06, ahead of Caren Chebet, who placed 11th in 33:31.