TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, January 10 — In an impressive display of dominance, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich completed the 10K course at Tallahassee’s Apalachee Regional Park in 31:28, securing her first major title. Unfazed by above-average temperatures and humidity exceeding 90%, Ngetich led the entire race without serious challenge. Her winning margin of 42 seconds was the second largest in history, surpassed only by Grete Waitz’s 44-second margin in 1980.
Tallahassee previously hosted the NCAA XC championships in 2021 on the same course, but the addition of five Florida-themed “elements” spaced throughout each 2K loop created a distinctly different experience. These elements included a short, steep hill, a sandy patch, a pool of water, a series of four logs decorated with wooden alligators, and a muddy stretch before the final turn to the start/finish.
With two-time defending champion Beatrice Chebet on maternity leave in ’26 and thus unable to defend her title, the favorite’s mantle passed to her countrywoman Ngetich. Ngetich’s personal records — including a 10K road World Record of 28:46, a half-marathon of 63:04, and a track 5K of 14:01.29 — made her the clear class of the field, despite having only one major championship medal (a 2023 World XC bronze).
Ngetich set off at a blistering pace from the start, and by the end of the first 2K loop (6:03), only three others remained with her: Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek and the Ethiopian duo of Senayet Getachew and Asayech Ayichew. Early in the second lap (around 2.5K), Ngetich surged ahead coming out of the sand, quickly opening a significant gap.
By 4K, reached in 12:12 (a 30:30 10K pace), Ngetich’s lead had grown to 17 seconds, making it clear the race was hers to lose. Although the initial pace was unsustainable, even for Ngetich, and she slowed considerably in the second half, her 2K splits of 6:03, 6:09, 6:19, 6:31, and 6:26 still allowed her to steadily increase the gap to her pursuers, which reached 45 seconds at 9K.
Only a spirited battle for silver between Cheptoyek and Getachew prevented Ngetich’s winning margin from breaking Waitz’s record. Nevertheless, Ngetich’s final margin of 42 seconds was the second largest all-time and unprecedented in recent years. The largest gap since 2007 had been 9 seconds. Kenyan women have now won 10 consecutive titles since Ethiopian great Tirunesh Dibaba’s 2008 victory.
Ethiopia and Kenya secured the top two team positions for the 16th consecutive time. While Kenya dominated in 2024, finishing 1-2-3-4-5 (later adjusted to 1-2-3-4 after a drug disqualification), Ngetich was the only returning member from that squad and the only Kenyan with prior global championship experience. The Ethiopian team was similarly inexperienced at the senior level, but Getachew (2023 U20 gold) and Ayichew (2024 U20 silver) finished 3rd and 4th, leading Ethiopia to only their third team win in the last 10 championships, 19–36 over Kenya. Uganda, with 37 points, narrowly missed a historic top-2 finish, as the three African countries claimed 11 of the top 12 places.
In similarly oppressive conditions to those in Belgrade in 2024, Weini Kelati ran aggressively from the start, aiming for a top 10 finish. In 2024, she faded from 6th to 14th in the final lap and required post-race medical attention but still recorded the best US finish since 2013. This time, her decline was more severe, with a final 2K loop of 8:28 dropping her from 13th to 40th.
Ednah Kurgat adopted a different strategy, settling into 19th place during the first lap but steadily moving up on each subsequent lap to finish as the top American in 10th place (33:28). Kurgat, who was also the top American finisher in 2023, became the first American in the top 10 since Shalane Flanagan’s 2011 bronze. With additional top-25 finishes from Karissa Schweizer (17th in 33:58) and Katie Izzo (24th in 34:25), the American women secured a solid 4th-place team finish.
WORLD XC WOMEN’S RESULTS
Teams
1. Ethiopia 19; 2. Kenya 36; 3. Uganda 37; 4. United States 83; 5. Australia 103; 6. Spain 123; 7. Great Britain 130; 8. Canada 158; 9. South Africa 172; 10. Peru 260; 11. China 274; 12. Singapore 322; 13. Lebanon 345.
Individuals (10K)
1. Agnes Ngetich (Ken) 31:28; 2. Joy Cheptoyek (Uga) 32:10; 3. Senayet Getachew (Eth) 32:13; 4. Asayech Ayichew (Eth) 32:44; 5. Aleshign Baweke (Eth) 32:49; 6. Risper Cherop (Uga) 32:52; 7. Alem Tsadik (Eth) 33:00; 8. Maurine Chebor (Ken) 33:06; 9. Sarah Chelangat (Uga) 33:20; 10. Ednah Kurgat (US) 33:28;
11. Caren Chebet (Ken) 33:31; 12. Shure Demise (Eth) 33:33; 13. Lauren Ryan (Aus) 33:47; 14. Maria Forero (Spa) 33:53; 15. Leanne Pompeani (Aus) 33:53; 16. Rebecca Mwangi (Ken) 33:55; 17. Karissa Schweizer (US) 33:58; 18. Sarah Lahti (Swe) 34:00; 19. Hannah Gapes (NZ) 34:01; 20. Rebecca Chelangat (Uga) 34:06;
21. Niamh Allen (Ire) 34:19; 22. Joyline Chepkemoi (Ken) 34:20; 23. Fiona Everard (Ire) 34:22; 24. Katie Izzo (US) 34:25; 25. Megan Keith (GB) 34:25; 26. Lemlem Nibret (Eth) 34:27; 27. Martha Chemutai (Uga) 34:30; 28. Idaira Prieto (Spa) 34:32; 29. Poppy Tank (GB) 34:39; 30. Carolina Robles (Spa) 34:42;
31. Chloe Thomas (Can) 34:46; 32. Grace Hartman (US) 34:47; 33. Emily Venters (US) 34:48; 34. Glenrose Xaba (SA) 34:51; 35. Phoebe Anderson (GB) 34:52; 36. Maudie Skyring (Aus) 34:54; 37. Brenda Jepchumba (Ken) 35:04; 38. Makenna Fitzgerald (Can) 35:17; 39. Bronte Oates (Aus) 35:24; 40. Weini Kelati (US) 35:25;
41. Verity Ockenden (GB) 35:29; 42. Grace Fetherstonhaugh (Can) 35:32; 43. Kyla Jacobs (SA) 35:36; 44. Holly Campbell (Aus) 35:38; 45. Cacisile Sosibo (SA) 35:40; 46. Sheila Eulogio (Per) 35:44; 47. Ceili McCabe (Can) 35:47; 48. Wakana Itsuki (Jpn) 35:57; 49. Kereen Chemusto (Uga) 36:09; 50. Karabo Mailula (SA) 36:14. (90 started, 89 finished)
