Jacob Kiplimo is back where history beckons, his sights set on Tallahassee as the 2026 World Cross Country Championships reach their defining moment in the senior men’s final.
The Ugandan star arrives chasing a rare third straight world title, having ruled in Bathurst in 2023 and Belgrade in 2024.
Another win at Apalachee Regional Park would complete the three-peat and earn Kiplimo a fourth world cross country gold, adding to the Under-20 crown he won at home in Kampala in 2017.
This run is about more than personal milestones. Victory would give Uganda a fourth consecutive senior men’s title, extending a golden streak that began with Joshua Cheptegei in 2019 and has since placed the Pearl of Africa among the sport’s elite.
Only two nations have ever managed such dominance. Kenya did it through John Ngugi from 1986 to 1989, while Ethiopia followed with a legendary stretch led by Kenenisa Bekele from 2002 to 2006.
Ngugi, a five-time champion, and Bekele, who won six times, remain the benchmarks their feats achieved in an era of annual championships and a punishing 12km race.
Today’s 10km, biennial format makes comparisons tricky, but the legacy still looms large.
Now Kiplimo has a chance to carve his own space in that lineage.
Uganda will send a 26-strong team to Tallahassee, competing across all events and aiming to better its last showing, which brought home five medals, including gold.
The depth reflects a nation whose strength now stretches well beyond its headline names.
Saturday’s finals, timed in East Africa Time (EAT), promise a full evening of action. The Mixed Relay final starts at 5:45pm, followed by the Women’s Under-20 race at 6:20pm and the Men’s Under-20 final at 6:55pm.
The senior races follow, with the Women’s final at 7:35pm before the spotlight falls on the Senior Men’s Race at 8:20pm, Kiplimo’s moment.
Uganda’s presence extends beyond the course. Beatrice Ayikoru will serve as a technical official, overseeing key aspects of competition as the world’s best gather in Florida.
