NAIROBI, Kenya, November 17 – Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet continued her winning run in 2024 with victory in the women’s race at the Cross Internacional de Italica in Spain on Sunday.
The World Cross Country champion led from start to finish to take top honour in 23:32, ahead of Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei (23:59) and Uganda’s Charity Cherop (24:35) in second and third respectively.
Another Kenyan, Diana Chepkemoi, narrowly missed out on podium, clocking 24:38 to finish fourth.
Chebet has had an unforgettable year in which she has won every race she has competed in and etched her name in history books along the way.
It all started in March with a successful defence of the World Cross Country title in Belgrade, Serbia, where she recovered from a slow start to win the women’s 10km in 31:05.
Come May and the 24-year-old was in the international headlines once again when she clocked a world record of 28:54.14 in the women’s 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.
Consequently, she was one of the highlights of the Paris Olympics courtesy of gold in the women’s 5000m and 10,000m — the first Kenyan to win the title in the latter race.
Chebet crowned her track and field season with victory at the Brussels Diamond League in September where she subsequently clinched the Diamond League Trophy for the women’s 5000m.
Podium sweep for Kenya in Hong Kong
Elsewhere, Kenya’s Loice Chemnung clocked a personal best of 30:25 to win the women’s to win the Standard Chartered Hong Kong 10km race.
Completing the podium were fellow countrywomen Janeth Chepngetich (30:56) and World Road Running 5k silver medalist Lilian Kasait (31:12) who finished second and third respectively.
It was equally a Kenyan affair in the men’s race where Samwel Mailu triumphed after clocking 28:00, ahead of Vincent Langat (28:01) and Ethiopia’s Tadese Gebresilase (28:12) in second and third respectively.
