Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi lived up to their status as pre-race favourites by capturing commanding wins at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in the Spanish town of Elgoibar on Sunday 5, 2025. It was the first time that both winners retained their titles in Elgoibar.
Newly-minted world 5km record-holder Beatrice Chebet took command of the women’s 7.62km 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 2.2km lap to 24 seconds following a 7:04 loop.
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.
Robles began to lose ground midway through the closing loop as Niyomukunzi injected a brisker rhythm which was only followed by Wudu. The battle for the runner-up spot was fierce, the young Ethiopian prevailing over the Burundian after a sprint finish, both athletes given the same time.
“Honestly, I expected to win,” said the 24-year-old victor. “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.”
Asked whether she plans an assault on her compatriot Agnes Ngetich’s world record there, a cautious Chebet laughed and said: “That record is impressive, I’m not sure I can do that. I’ll just try to win the race.”
Aregawi proves to be the strongest
The men’s 9.71km contest kicked off at a reasonable pace, the opening 400m on the track being covered in 1:11. The small lap witnessed the lead of Spain’s Adel Mechaal and Britain’s Alfie Manthorpe, while the favourites Aregawi and Rodrigue Kwizera ran comfortably close to them.
The first big loop was covered in a slow 6:47 but shortly afterwards Mechaal picked up the pace and the large lead group whittled down to seven athletes: Aregawi, Kwizera, Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu, the Spanish trio of Mechaal, Miguel Baidal and Miguel Angel Martinez, plus Britain’s Tomer Tarragano.
The second loop was timed at 6:27 just before Aregawi moved to the front for the first time to push hard and only Kwizera, Firewu and Mechaal managed to follow in his footsteps, running in crocodile file.
Aregawi then clocked a frantic 6:12 for the penultimate lap and by the bell he had built a two-second margin on Kwizera, the Burundian three seconds clear of Firewu, while Mechaal had already lost any podium chance and travelled 15 seconds in arrears.
The final circuit was thrilling as a powerful Aregawi continued to run aggressively but a brave Kwizera never surrendered and maintained his chances throughout, while Firewu ran lonesome in third. Finally, the two-time world cross country silver medallist Aregawi held off the challenge to cross the finish line one second ahead of his rival following a blistering 5:57 closing circuit.
“I had competed earlier this week in Madrid and the course is quite tough,” said Aregawi, “so I decided to be cautious for the first half, then I pushed hard and could get rid of Kwizera, who is a great rival.”
While Chebet joined the likes of her compatriot Hellen Obiri, women’s winner in 2019 and 2020, Aregawi became the third athlete to take back-to-back men’s victories this century to match Kenyans Abraham Chebii, victor in 2001 and 2002, and Leonard Komon, who took the spoils in 2010 and 2011.
The winners in the U20 category were Britain’s Eleanor Strevens and Belgium’s Sem Serrano to take the Mamo Wolde Trophies.
Leading results
Women (7.6km)
1 Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 25:49
2 Melknat Wudu (ETH) 26:31
3 Francine Niyomukunzi (BDI) 26:33
4 Carolina Robles (ESP) 27:03
5 Carla Arce (ESP) 27:26
6 Holly Dixon (GBR) 27:27
7 Tugba Guvenc (TUR) 27:39
8 Angela Viciosa (ESP) 27:40
9 Marie Bouchard (FRA) 27:42
10 Blanca Fernández (ESP) 27:54
Men (9.7km)
1 Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 29:36
2 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 29:37
3 Samuel Firewu (ETH) 29:59
4 Adel Mechaal (ESP) 30:28
5 Miguel Angel Martinez (ESP) 30:39
6 Miguel Baidal (ESP) 30:50
7 Richard Slade (GBR) 30:55
8 Alfie Manthorpe (GBR) 30:56
9 Tomer Tarragano (GBR) 31:08
10 Jacob Cann (GBR) 31:16
SOURCE: World Athletics.
