Chebet wins 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Tour after topping season standings

The good week for Kenyan long distance runner Beatrice Chebet continued into April after she was on Wednesday declared the winner of the 2023-2024 World Athletics Cross Country Tour, having topped the women’s overall standings.

The announcement by World Athletics comes days after the 24-year-old claimed back to back wins in the World Cross Country Championships, leading Kenya to a top five sweep in Belgrade, Serbia on Saturday.

With the feat - a 31:05 finish - she became the first repeat champion since Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba in 2006.

Chebet’s recent individual victory comes at the back of impressive performances in the 26-races calendar running between September 2023 and 31 March, where she recorded victories at the Gold levels in Atapuerca (October) and Elgoibar (February).

Her latest win in Belgrade was the difference maker thereafter, and propelled her lead in the overall standings with a score of 3880.

Chebet’s compatriot Edinah Jebitok – winner in Seville, Venta de Banos and Hannut – shared second place in the standings with Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw, who achieved victories in Amorebieta, Soria and Alcobendas.

Kenyan Lucy Mawia, who is currently provisionally suspended by the Italian Athletics federation, finished ninth in the standings with 3525 points, wrapping up the Kenyans in the top 10.

In the men’s division, Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera, who shared the lead in the Cross Country Tour standings last season, this time ended the tour as the sole winner of the men’s contest.

He was victorious at the Gold level meetings in Soria and Alcobendas last November, then was runner-up in Elgoibar earlier this year, giving him an overall score of 3700.

Fellow Burundian Celestin Ndikumana was second in the overall standings, helped by his victory in Amorebieta, and Kenya’s Ronald Kwemoi was third.

Prize money is awarded to the top six finishers in the series, with the winners each receiving €10,000 (Ksh. 1,420,603.30).

WXC Belgrade 24: Clean sweep for Kenya as Beatrice Chebet defends her senior title