Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically 3–12 kilometres (1.9–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road and minor obstacles. It is both an individual and a team sport; runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method. Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country, which usually takes place during autumn and winter, and can include weather conditions of rain, sleet, snow or hail, and a wide range of temperatures.
The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to 3 miles 188 yards or 16,404 feet 2 inches. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over 12+1⁄2 laps of a standard track. The same distance in road running is called a 5K run; referring to the distance in metres rather than kilometres serves to disambiguate the two events. The 5000 m has been present on the Olympic programme since 1912 for men and since 1996 for women. Prior to 1996, women had competed in an Olympic 3000 metres race since 1984. The 5000 m has been held at each of the World Championships in Athletics in men's competition and since 1995 in women's.
Helah Kiprop Jelagat is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes in the half marathon and marathon. Her personal bests for the events are 1:07:39 minutes and 2:21:27 hours, respectively.
Mosinet Geremew is an Ethiopian middle-distance and long-distance runner.
Aron Kifle Teklu is an Eritrean long-distance runner. He is the bronze medallist from the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia. Aron is also the silver medallist in the 10000m from both the 2016 World U20 Championships and the 2019 All-African Games.
The Kenyan Cross Country Championships is an annual cross country running competition that serves as the national championship for Kenya. It is organised by Athletics Kenya and has permit race status from the International Association of Athletics Federations. It is typically held in February in Nairobi, the country's capital, and entrants are almost exclusively from Kenya. Entrants represent their home region or one of the high level national works teams, such as Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Police, Prisons or Universities. These teams host their own annual team championships in order to decide their selections for the national event.
Selemon Barega Shirtaga is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, silver for the 5,000 metres at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and bronze in the 10,000 metres at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Barega is a two-time 3,000 metres World Indoor Championship medallist, taking silver in 2018, and a gold in 2022.
Andreu Blanes Reig is a Spanish orienteering competitor and long-distance runner. He was born in Onil. He won a silver medal in sprint at the 2011 Junior World Orienteering Championships, and placed fourth in the relay. He competed at the 2018 World Orienteering Championships in Latvia, where he placed seventh in the sprint final. He has competed in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 World Orienteering Championships. His best World Championship result before 2018 was a seventh place in the sprint at the 2015 World Orienteering Championships.
Philemon Rono, nicknamed the "baby police", is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. He holds the Canadian all-comers' record in the marathon, having run the fastest marathon ever in Canada of 2:05:00 to win the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Rono is a three-time winner of this marathon, having won the race in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Judith Jeptum Korir is a Kenyan marathon runner.
Samwel Chebolei Masai is a Kenyan middle-distance runner.
The Sirikwa Cross Country Classic is an annual cross country running race held in Eldoret, Kenya. It is a Gold Standard Meeting in the World Athletics Cross Country Tour, attracting large crowds and a world-class, mainly Kenyan, field. The first edition was held in 2022 and was named the Agnes Tirop Memorial Cross Country. In 2023, it assumed the current name - referencing an Iron Age tribe from the region. It is held in Lobo Village, on land owned by three-time Boston Marathon winner, Ibrahim Hussein.
The Senior men's race at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships was held at Bathurst, Australia, on February 18, 2023. Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda won the gold medal by 9 seconds over Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi, while Joshua Cheptegei finished third.
Chimdessa Debele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner.
The Senior women's race at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships was held at the Bathurst in Australia, on February 18, 2023. Beatrice Chebet from Kenya won the gold medal by 8 seconds over Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselama, while Agnes Jebet Ngetich finished third.
The U20 women's race at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships was held at the Bathurst in Australia, on February 18, 2023. Senayet Getachew from Ethiopia won the gold medal by 7 seconds over Ethiopian Medina Eisa, while Pamela Kosgei finished third.
Habtom Samuel is an Eritrean long-distance runner. He won a bronze medal in the 3000 metres at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships and in the 5000 metres at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships. He placed 17th in both the 10,000 metres at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and the senior race at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
Senayet Getachew is an Ethiopian track and field and cross-country runner. She won gold medals at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in the U20 women's individual race and for Ethiopia in the junior team race. In January 2024, she set a new world U20 5000 metres indoor record.
Pamela Kosgei is a Kenyan track and field and cross-country athlete. In 2023, she became the Africa Under-20 champion, and the Kenyan senior national champion, at the 3000m Steeplechase.
The Senior women's race at the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships was held at Belgrade, Serbia, on March 30, 2024. Beatrice Chebet from Kenya won the gold medal by 3 seconds over Kenya's Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Kenya's Margaret Kipkemboi, who finished third.
