Kiprop, Cherop on song as Uganda rules Cardiff Cross

Uganda’s Keneth Kiprop successfully defended his title, while his compatriot Charity Cherop held off a late challenge from Kenya’s Sheila Jebet to triumph at the Cardiff Cross Challenge.

The challenge was this season’s third World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event.

In a repeat of the finish to the 2023 edition of this race, world U20 5000m bronze medalist Kiprop outsprinted Kenya’s Vincent Mutai in the closing stages of the 9600m senior men’s race to retain his Cardiff crown.

While Mutai had put himself in a strong position with the finish line in sight, he couldn’t match Kiprop’s finishing strength and the Ugandan 19-year-old sprinted over the finish line untroubled.

Uganda’s Kiprop reached the finish line in 27:06 to retain his title while Kenya’s Mutai came second on 27:08 while fellow Kenya Kibet came third on 27:15 .

In the senior women’s race over 6400m, Uganda’s 17-year-old Cherop had looked a clear winner before her fellow teenager Jebet launched a late attack.

Cherop, the world U20 5000m bronze medallist in Lima in August, also picked up her pace over the final stretch and held off her rival, clocking 20:15 to finish one second clear of Jebet, who finished fourth in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships in March and fifth in the 5000m at the World U20 Championships.

Women (6400m)
1 Charity Cherop (UGA) 20:15
2 Sheila Jebet (KEN) 20:16
3 Kate Axford (GBR) 20:21
4 Cari Hughes (GBR) 20:25
5 Izzy Fry (GBR) 20:30

Men (9600m)
1 Keneth Kiprop (UGA) 27:06
2 Vincent Mutai (KEN) 27:08
3 Daniel Kibet (UGA) 27:15
4 Celestin Ndikumana (BDI) 27:19
5 Emile Hafashimana (BDI) 27:21