Athletes compete in a previous cross country event/ TEDDY MULEI Athletics Kenya (AK) has revamped the 2025/26 cross-country calendar, with the 2026 World Cross Country Championships scheduled for January 10 in Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
In a statement, the federation said the shake-up aims to ensure that Kenyan athletes are in peak condition for the championships.
“To ensure that Kenyan athletes are well prepared for this important event, AK has adjusted its 2025-2026 cross country calendar,” read the statement from the federation.
“The cross country (series) will start earlier than usual to give athletes enough time to train, compete and be selected in good form ahead of the World (Cross Country) Championships.”
Under the restructured calendar, the cross country series will start earlier than usual, on August 9 at Machakos Teachers Training College.
County championships will follow on August 23, then the second leg of the circuit in Olkalau on September 6.
The regional and affiliate championships are pencilled for September 27, culminating in the national championships on October 25 at the Eldoret Sports Club.
“AK calls upon all athletes, coaches and all athletics stakeholders to take note of these dates and prepare accordingly,” the federation added.
In Tallahassee, Kenyan women will seek to extend their grip on the title, a streak that began in 2009 when Florence Kiplagat led a 1-2 Kenyan finish in Amman, Jordan.
Kiplagat clocked 26:13 ahead of Linet Masai (26:16) and Ethiopia’s Meselech Melkamu (26:19).
Since then, the title has never left Kenya, with Beatrice Chebet claiming back-to-back crowns in Bathurst 2023 (33:48) and Belgrade 2024 (31:05).
In Belgrade, Chebet spearheaded a podium sweep alongside Lilian Kasait (31:08) and Margaret Chelimo (31:09).
Kenya will, however, seek to reclaim the men’s title from Uganda, who have dominated the last three editions.
The last Kenyan man to win it was Geoffrey Kamworor, who won the 2017 edition in Kampala, clocking 28:24.
Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei won in Aarhus 2019 (31:40) with Jacob Kiplimo delivering victories in Bathurst 2023 (29:17) and Belgrade 2024 (28:09).
