The curiosities raised by the 2023 World Cross Country Championships in the year ahead

That is the second column by Justin Lagat on the World Cross Nation Champs in Bathurst. On this column, Justin Lagat asks outloud what’s going to the outcomes be of the fiftieth World Cross Nation Champs? 

1. Will Jacob Kiplimo turn into the subsequent massive star to beat within the 5,000m and 10,000m distances?

After successful the world cross nation U20 title in 2017, to working the brand new world document of 57:31 for the half marathon in November 2021, Kiplimo has rapidly reworked into an enormous star to observe each on the roads and within the distance observe occasions. He adopted his 2022 world bronze medal with two gold medals within the 10,000m and 5,000m on the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham.

The 22-year-old has began the yr properly with a world cross-country title and stays the star to beat within the upcoming distance observe competitions, particularly on the Budapest World Championships.

2. Will there be a rematch between Letensebet Gidey and Beatrice Chebet on the observe this yr?

The anticipated duel between Gidey and Chebet within the senior girls’s race did materialize. Gidey pushed herself an excessive amount of, stumbled, and fell with lower than 20m to the end line as Chebet ran previous her to win the world title.

Not solely the followers however maybe the 2 runners are additionally keen to search out out who’s the stronger one between them in a race the place nobody will get to fall.

3. Might Emmanuel Wanyonyi attempt the 1500m occasion as properly?

From the Athletics Kenya cross nation meets, to the Kenyan trials and as much as the world cross nation championships, Wanyonyi has been so spectacular within the 2km distance, which is greater than double the gap coated in his particular occasion.

The 2021 world U20 800m champion might discover this an indication that he ought to attempt the 1500m observe occasion, which is far nearer to the 2km.

4. Will Jessica Hull of Australia be an enormous star to observe within the middle-distance races within the Diamond League collection?

Jessica Hull, who holds the Australian data of three:58.81 for the 1500m, 8:39.79 for the 3000m, and 14:43.80 for the 5000m, was arguably the star of the combined relay, having overtaken South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso and Kenya’s Miriam Cherop to place her nationwide group on the lead on the second leg of the 4 x 2km combined relay –the place she ran 5:47.

Ultimately, Australia received the bronze medal. It will likely be fascinating to see what the Aussies will do with the motivation she obtained from that efficiency on dwelling soil.

5. Will the ten,000m draught for Kenyan males proceed previous the Budapest World Championships?

Geoffrey Kamworor was the best-placed Kenyan within the senior males’s 10K race in fourth place. He was the one one within the main pack of the 4 medal contenders within the final lap of the race. Nevertheless, he might be working the London Marathon in April, and the cross-country coaching will in all probability assist him run properly there, though the restoration time after the marathon will have an effect on his observe season preparations. He might not get sufficient time to be again in kind for the ten,000m occasion forward of the World Championships in August.

However, the truth that Kenyan males adopted in 5-6-7 positions and that Stanley Waithaka Mburu, the 2022 World silver medalist for the ten,000m occasion, was not within the race supplies some hope for the Kenyan followers.