World record breaker and Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet reveals toughest race she has ever run
By Kiplagat Sang, January 6, 2025
After winning the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza circuit on Sunday, January 5, 2025, double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet has revealed that the circuit remains the toughest for her.
Although she was a pre-race favourite to emerge the winner, Chebet explained how the circuit remains one of the challenging competitions for her.
“Honestly, I expected to win. The circuit is arguably one of the toughest I have ever run, with plenty of ups and downs, but at the same time, it’s perfect to build up for the championships.
“Last year I won here and then became world champion in Belgrade. I now return to Kenya to keep on training, as I have not scheduled more races until 9 March, when I compete at the Lisbon 10K,” Chebet said as quoted by World Athletics.
Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi retained the title in the men’s race, and with Chebet also doing so, it was the first time that both winners retained their titles in Elgoibar.
How Chebet conquered race
She took command of the women’s 7.62 km race from the start and covered the opening lap on the track in a comfortable 1:22 with Ethiopia’s Melknat Wudu, Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi, and Spain’s Carolina Robles in close attendance.
After the short opening circuit, Chebet was already a lonesome leader some three seconds ahead of that trio. A second kilometre timed at 3:09 by the two-time world cross-country champion killed the race as Chebet strengthened her lead at the end of the first 2.2 km lap to 24 seconds following a 7:04 loop, according to stats provided by World Athletics.
It was Robles who stayed at the helm of the chasing group, but Niyomukunzi and Wudu ran comfortably at the Spaniard’s shoulder. Way ahead, Chebet maintained her frantic cadence to cover the second lap in 7:07 and extend her advantage to 46 seconds over her pursuers, with Robles at the helm by the bell. Rather than slow her speed over the closing lap, Chebet clocked her quickest time of 7:02 to run home completely unopposed in 25:49.