As it turned out, three-time World Cross Country Champion Beatrice Chebet was unneeded as Agnes Ngetich dominated the women’s race at the 2026 Tallahassee World Cross Country Championships.
It was Kenya’s 10th consecutive gold in the event.
Ngetich ran to a 42-second lead, finishing in the time of 31:28 for the 10km race distance to take the title. Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek took silver in 32:10, becoming Uganda’s first-ever individual senior women’s medallist at the World Cross Country Championships. Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew earned bronze in 32:13.
THE STREAK LIVES ON 🇰🇪
Agnes Ngetich, 10km world record holder, storms to victory at the #WorldCountryCountry to claim Kenya’s 10th straight women’s title 👑
She tore away from the pack early and wins by 42 seconds, the second biggest margin in the history of the… pic.twitter.com/SLyMA6ra2Y
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) January 10, 2026
Ngetich was in control for almost the entirety of the race. It was during the second of five laps that she began to turn the screws on the field. She was unchallenged and continued to stretch the gap during each lap.
Getachew helped lead Ethiopia to the team title, their first since 2019, ahead of Kenya and Uganda. The victory marked a breakthrough moment for Ngetich, who added world gold to the bronze she earned in 2023, which secures her status as one of the all-time greats.
Ngetich holds the world record in the 10km from Valencia 2024, where she clocked a 28:46 performance.
The 24-year-old has run the second and third fastest half marathons in history with her 63:04 performance from Valancia in 2024 and 63:08 from Lisbon on October 2026. Only Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey has run faster with her 62:52 from Valencia in 2021.
ResultsPos.AthleteNat.Time1Agnes Jebet NGETICHKEN31:282Joy CHEPTOYEKUGA32:103Senayet GETACHEWETH32:134Asayech AYICHEWETH32:445Aleshign BAWEKEETH32:496Rispa CHEROPUGA32:527Alem TSADIKETH33:008Maurine Jepkoech CHEBORKEN33:069Sarah CHELANGATUGA33:2010Ednah KURGATUSA33:2811Caren CHEBETKEN33:3112Shure DEMISEETH33:3313Lauren RYANAUS33:4714Maria FOREROESP33:5315Leanne POMPEANIAUS33:5316Rebecca MWANGIKEN33:5517Karissa SCHWEIZERUSA33:5818Sarah LAHTISWE34:0019Hannah GAPESNZL34:0120Rebecca CHELANGATUGA34:0621Niamh ALLENIRL34:1922Joyline CHEPKEMOIKEN34:2023Fiona EVERARDIRL34:2224Katie IZZOUSA34:2525Megan KEITHGBR34:2526Lemlem NIBRETETH34:2727Martha CHEMUTAIUGA34:3028Idaira PRIETOESP34:3229Poppy TANKGBR34:3930Carolina ROBLESESP34:4231Chloe THOMASCAN34:4632Grace HARTMANUSA34:4733Emily VENTERSUSA34:4834Glenrose XABARSA34:5135Phoebe ANDERSONGBR34:5236Maudie SKYRINGAUS34:5437Brenda Jepchumba KENEIKEN35:0438Makenna FITZGERALDCAN35:1739Bronte OATESAUS35:2440Weini KELATI FREZGHIUSA35:2541Verity OCKENDENGBR35:2942Grace FETHERSTONHAUGHCAN35:3243Kyla JACOBSRSA35:3644Holly CAMPBELLAUS35:3845Cacisile SOSIBORSA35:4046Sheyla EULOGIO PAUCARPER35:4447Ceili MCCABECAN35:4748Wakana ITSUKIJPN35:5749Kereen CHEMUSTOUGA36:0950Karabo MAILULARSA36:1451Angela VICIOSAESP36:2052Sabrina SALCEDO GARCÍAMEX36:2153Momoka KAWAGUCHIJPN36:2154Caitlin ADAMSAUS36:2455Cian OLDKNOWRSA36:2556Juliana SAKATGHA36:2857Florence CARONCAN36:3158Sophie HICKSNZL36:5059Glynis SIMCAN37:0460Sora SHINOZAKURAJPN37:1061Qingqing LICHN37:1362Katrina ANDREWNZL37:1963Liis-Grete HUSSAREST37:2964Layla ALMASRIPLE37:3365Benita PARRA SÁNCHEZBOL37:3666Zarita SUÁREZPER37:3767Zanele MAISARSA37:4368Arian Iveth CHIA HERNÁNDEZMEX37:4469Yuan LICHN37:5370Panpan WANGCHN38:1171Caroline Fungisai MHANDUZIM38:3872Marta VAZQUEZMEX38:5573Maribel AYQUIPAPER38:5774Shuanglu PANCHN39:0875Liz Anani DURANDPER39:1476Yuxuan CHENCHN39:3277Vanessa Ying Zhuang LEESGP41:2278Nicole LOWSGP41:2779Louise GROSGOGEATPYF41:3380Nathania TANNMI41:4881Xuan Jie NGSGP41:5782Rachel CONHOFFISV42:2583Monica KALUAPNG44:2484Nada EL KURDILBN44:3185Nour AL GHOUSSAINILBN44:3986Faith Zhen FORDSGP44:5787Karine SHRAIMLBN46:4488Yangyang WUMAC46:5689Jennifer TOMAZOULBN48:09 Answer Brandietta TASARAZIMDNF