Kenya tops medal table at 2024 African Cross Country Championships

Kenyan athletes ran the show at the 2024 African Cross-Country Championships held on Sunday, February 25 in Tunis, Tunisia.

The East African athletics powerhouse won all the individual titles except the women’s 6km under 20 category. 

Little-known Gideon Kipngetich led his compatriots Joash Kiprotich Ruto and Titus Kipkoech to a clean podium sweep in the men’s under 20 8km discipline. 

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Kipngetich crossed the finishing line in 23:16.34 while Ruto and Kiprotich managed times of 23:17.31 and 23:18.02.

Other Kenyan representatives in this race Maywa Simon and Joseph Wanjiru Njoroge settled for fourth and 11th positions respectively. 

In the senior 10km women’s category, Ethiopian runner Azimeraw Degitu prevented Kenyans from winning all the medals.

The hugely competitive race was won by Cintia Chepngeno who cut the tape at 32:31.04. Chepngeno was followed by teammate Virginia Nyambura (32:33.45) with Degitu settling for a bronze medal in 33:03.95.

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The situation was similar in the men’s 10km senior category where Kenyan men managed first and second-place finishes. Vincent Langat edged out Naibei Kiplimo in the race where Ethiopia’s runner bagged a bronze medal.

Meanwhile, in the U20 women’s 6km category, Ethiopia bagged the top three positions with Diriba Robe Dida clinching the title in 20.59.

She was closely followed by Ademas Yenenesh and Dagnaw Tinesbeb who clocked 21:00.18 and 21:00.58 respectively. 

The Kenyan duo of Judy Chepkoech (21:03.68) and Marion Jepngetich (21:05.03) settled for sixth and seventh positions in this category.

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Kenya also secured a gold medal in the mixed relay category with rivals Ethiopia and Morocco picking up silver and bronze medals.

A total of 12 nations took part in the sixth edition of the event which was staged at the Citrus Golf Club Hammamet.

These countries include Morocco, Angola, Algeria, Libya, Kenya, Ethiopia, Liberia, Seychelles, Congo, Uganda, Cape Verde and Tunisia.

This was the first time the championship was successfully held since the 2018 edition that was hosted by Algeria.

The 2020 edition which was supposed to be staged in Togo was delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic before being cancelled.

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2024 African Cross Country Championships Results

Senior Women’s Category

Cintia Chepngeno - Gold - Kenya

Virginia Nyambura - Silver - Kenya

Azimeraw Degitu - Bronze - Kenya

Senior Men’s Category

Vincent Langat - Gold - Kenya

Naibei Kiplimo - Silver

Mixed Relay Category

Kenya - Gold

Ethiopia - Silver

Morocco - Bronze

Under 20 Women’s Category

Diriba Robe Dida - Gold - Ethiopia

Ademas Yenenesh - Silver - Ethiopia

Dagnaw Tinesbeb - Bronze - Ethiopia

Under 20 Men’s Category

Gideon Kipngetich - Gold - Kenya

Joash Ruto - Silver - Kenya

Titus Kiprotich - Bronze- Kenya

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