Kenya seeks another sweep of team gold medals in Serbia, just like last year in Australia, with American champion Kelati competing against one of the deepest women’s lineups in meet history; Uganda seeks first men’s title since 2019 in Denmark, led by Kiplimo, Cheptegei

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The United States hasn’t secured an individual or team medal in either the men’s or women’s senior 10-kilometer competitions in more than a decade at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships.

But Weini Kelati, the women’s individual winner Jan. 20 at the USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park in Virginia, has the potential to be the first American female athlete to place in the top 10 at a global final since Shalane Flanagan earned bronze in 2011 in Spain.

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Kelati leads the U.S. women’s lineup, which also includes Katie Camarena, Emma Grace Hurley, Cailie Logue, Abby Nichols and Allie Ostrander, into competition Saturday at the Park of Friendship in Belgrade, Serbia.

Kelati returns from last year’s World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, where she finished 21st after enduring a fall, as well as miscounting laps. The Americans placed fifth overall, trailing Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and host Australia.

The U.S. women haven’t secured a team medal since back-to-back bronze performances in 2010 and 2011 in Poland and Spain. Since then, the Americans finished fourth in 2013, fifth in 2015, 2017 and last year, along with earning eighth in 2019.

Following four consecutive Kenyan gold medals from 2009-13, Ethiopia and Kenya have traded victories at the past four World Championships. Kenya prevailed with 16 points last year in Australia after boasting the lowest women’s championship score in meet history with 10 points in 2017 in Uganda.

Kenya is led by reigning champion Beatrice Chebet, with its lineup also expected to include Agnes Ngetich, Emmaculate Anyango and Lilian Rengeruk.

Ethiopia is led by Girmawait Gebrzihair, with Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto and Uganda’s Rachael Chebet also capable of top-five performances. Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal triumphed March 17 at the New York City Half Marathon and is scheduled to compete at the World Championships for the first time since 2010 after capturing her third consecutive European title in December.

Dutch standout Sifan Hassan had indicated earlier in the year that she was interested in competing at the World Championships, but decided to withdraw from racing in Belgrade to focus more on marathon training.

Following eight consecutive top-10 finishes from 1986-93 by Lynn Jennings, including three titles from 1990-92 and five overall medals, only four American female athletes – Joan Nesbit, Deena Kastor, Colleen de Reuck and Flanagan – have finished in the top 10 in the past 30 years.

The American women have 19 team medals overall and 13 individual podium appearances in meet history.

The U.S. men have captured nine team medals at the World Championships, but only three male athletes have achieved podium finishes, the most recent coming in 1982 with Alberto Salazar securing silver, following back-to-back titles from Craig Virgin in 1980-81.

Bill Rodgers achieved bronze in 1975 in Morocco, as the first American men’s medalist, with Julie Brown winning the first women’s title for the U.S. during the same year.

Since the American men’s team captured silver in 2013 in Poland, the U.S. has finished seventh in 2015, fifth in 2017, 11th in 2019 and sixth last year in Australia.

Anthony Rotich, who placed 45th for the Americans in Bathurst, returns to lead the U.S. lineup and is expected to be joined by Christian Allen, Emmanuel Bor, Reid Buchanan, Anthony Camerieri and Ahmed Muhumed.

Cooper Teare, who won the men’s 10-kilometer title Jan. 20 in Virginia, decided not to compete for the U.S. in Serbia.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda are again the top medal threats in Belgrade, with the countries combining to produce 14 of the top 15 finishers last year in Australia.

Kenya secured its first men’s team gold medal last year since winning six straight championships from 2006-11.

Jacob Kiplimo, the reigning champion, along with returning bronze medalist Joshua Cheptegei, are expected to compete for Uganda.

Berihu Aregawi, last year’s silver medalist, is scheduled to return for Ethiopia, along with Tadese Worku and Boki Diriba.

Kenya’s lineup is highlighted by Sabastian Sawe, Nicholas Kipkorir and Ishmael Kipkurui, the Under-20 winner last year in Bathurst.

The top European competitor could be Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, who previously represented Burundi and was a top-10 competitor at the 2019 World Championships in Denmark.

The last American male athlete to finish in the top 10 at the global final was Ben True securing sixth in 2013 in Poland. Sam Chelanga, who took 11th for the U.S. in 2017, was also the top competitor for the Americans last year with a 21st-place performance in Bathurst.

The U.S. mixed relay lineup of Ella Donaghu, Katie Izzo, John Reniewicki and Kasey Knevelbaard is seeking the first podium appearance for the Americans since the event was added for the first time in 2017 to the meet schedule.

The U.S. placed sixth in the inaugural mixed relay in Uganda, followed by fourth in 2019 in Denmark and fifth last year in Australia.