The Kenyan cast named on Saturday the World Cross Country Championships set for January 10, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida (USA) has a gigantic task of replaying the 2024 script.

Kenyan stars battled for their tickets to Florida in hotly contested races at the National Cross Country Championships, which acted as the trials for the global show.

Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet, who is defending her 2024 title, has a wild card and will be hoping to write history once again in 2026. She did not participate in the trials.

The national trials were staged under slightly cold conditions at the Eldoret Sports Club.

Big shots displayed pure class as they booked their places in the team that is expected to carry the hopes of the nation just after the 2025 World Championships, which saw Kenya finish second internationally behind the USA.

Fresh from competing at this year’s Chicago Marathon, where he placed 13th on October 11, world 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu Ebenyo oozed class in the senior men’s 10km category, defending his national cross country title and announcing his return to the Kenyan squad after disappointments in 2024.

Ebenyo, a world half marathon silver medallist, said the country will come first when he leads the senior men’s brigade at the World Cross Country Championships in Florida.

“I was a bit fatigued from the Chicago Marathon, but when I was called upon by my employer, the National Police Service, to come and rescue the service, I gladly accepted to do duty,” Ebenyo said after punching his ticket.

Ebenyo said he was ready to maintain Kenya’s status as a cross country superpower at the global championships.

“I’m happy to win an automatic qualification. Cross country is in my blood and veins,” said Ebenyo.

He went on to say: “I’m happy to have defended my title, and if all goes well, we will see each other in Florida. I thank the national police service for believing in me.”

“My coach encouraged me to use my mind to win the race. We will go back to the drawing board and plan.”

Ebenyo produced a brilliant run, dictating the proceedings from gun to tape, timing 30:11.1, followed by Kevin Chepsergon (30:12.0), representing Central Rift, as South Rift’s Denis Kemboi came in third in 30:13.0.

Shadrack Koech of Kenya Prisons (30:14.3), Police’s Weldon Kirui (30:21.8) and his teammate Robert Kiprop (30:25.3) sealed the top six positions.

While Ebenyo won the men’s contest, Maurine Chebor reigned supreme in the women’s category, edging Brenda Jepchumba in a hotly contested race.

Chebor, who had defended her Machakos Athletics Kenya cross country meet at the onset of the season, ran 34:16.4 for the top honours. The policewoman was second at the 2025 Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour in May.

Jepchumba finished second in 34:19.8, while Glorious Jepkirui closed the podium in 34:26.8 as 2017 World Cross Country Championships, Lilian Kasait, Rebecca Mwangi and Caren Chebet placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Chebor said she had prepared well for the national championships-cum World Cross Country trials.

“I will be working with my coach to sharpen my tactics in readiness for the World Cross Country Championships. I feel more inspired and motivated by the performances of my seniors,” Chebor, who had bounced back from an injury last season, said after the hard-fought victory.

Under-20 stars produced thrillers in the men’s 8km and women’s 6km contests.

Emmanuel Kipkorir and Cynthia Chepkurui were crowned national champions and earned their automatic spots in Team Kenya to Florida.

Kipkorir, who clocked 24:22.5 to deliver a clean podium sweep for the North Rift region, was followed in second place by Frankline Chebet (24:25.4) and World Under-20 champion Andrew Alamisi (24:29.7), who placed second and third, respectively.

Edwin Sanutia, Kevin Biwott and Andrew Kiprop managed to finish within the top six in the highly competitive under-20 8km race.

Under-20 men ran a cautious race, which saw a large leading pack sticking together until the last lap, when Kipkorir, Biwott and Alamisi broke away as they produced their killer kicks.