Kenyan Podium Sweep as Kyla Jacobs and Li-Mari Dekker First Home for Team SA at WXC24 Belgrade

Kenya’s WXC defending champion Beatrice Chebet stormed to a 3-second win of the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in a time of 31:05, finishing ahead of Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi for an all-Kenyan podium in the Senior women’s race at Friendship Park in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday, 30 March, 2024.

Kyla Jacobs was the best of Team South Africa’s six-women contingent, increasing her overall race position on each of the four lap circuit to overtake compatriot Glenrose Xaba in the race’s finish straight for a 28th-place finish, in a time of 34:07.

Xaba finished in 32nd place in the field of the 90 WXC finalists running, in a time of 34:20 for the second South African home, ahead of compatriots Cacisile Sosibo (34:40 in 40th position), Karabo Mailula (35:17, 49th) and Lisha van Onselen (37:58, 67th). Tayla Kavanagh was steady through her first two laps, but did not finish.

Earlier, Ethiopia’s whitewash of the junior women’s podium was lead by Marta Alemayo breaking the tape in a time of 19:28 to win the U20 gold medal, four seconds ahead of compatriots Asayech Ayichew, and a lead of 10 seconds on bronze medalist, Robe Dida, who lead home a 14-strong contingent before the first non-African finisher, the USA’s Ellie Shea home in a time of 02:50.

18 year-old Li-Mari Dekker was the first South African home in the 6km distance race, posting a time of 21:43 for her 31st-place finish in a field of 84 finalists, leading home South Africa’s contingent of 16yo Omaatla Dikao (22:39 in 50th position), 16yo Lara van der Merwe (22:44, 54th), 17yo Wiepke Schoeman (23:01, 60th), 15yo Paballo Dlothi (23:35, 65th) and 15yo Anoxolo Mcetywa (23:47, 71st).

South Africa finished the mixed cross-country race in ninth position in 23:37, a minute and 22 second off the pace of gold medalists Kenya, who finished 28 seconds ahead of second-placed Ethiopia, with Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland a further 17 second later to complete the podium with bronze.

Christopher Swart took the duties of the first leg for Team SA in a seven-place split, passing the wrist-band to Danielle Verster for a 6th-place split on the women’s leg, before Boikanyo Motlhamme ran a very fast second mens’ leg to allow Simonay Weitsz to complete the race’s longest leg to finish in ninth for South Africa.

Final Standings of World Athletics’ WXC 24 Belgrade, in Serbia, on Saturday, 30 March, 2024
(Position, Country, Points)

1. Kenya 119
2. Ethiopia 83
3. Uganda 43
4. United States of America 15
5. Japan 13
6. Great Britain and Northern Ireland 10
6. Spain 10
8. Morocco 8
9. South Africa 7
10. Australia 6
11. France 4
12. Eritrea 3
13. Kazakhastan 2
14. Canada 1

SA Senior Women Cross Country Running Team

Kyla Jacobs 
Glenrose Xaba
Karabo Mailula
Cacisile Sosibo
Lisha van Onselen
Tayla Kavanagh 

SA U20 Women Cross Country Running Team

Paballo Dlothi
Anoxolo Mcetywa
Omaatla Dikao
Lara van der Merwe
Wiepke Schoeman
Li-Mari Dekker

SA Mixed Cross Country Running Team

Simonay Weitsz
Danielle Verster
Boikanyo Motlhamme
Christopher Swart

Main Photo Caption: Beatrice Chebet, Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi of Kenya pose on the podium after the Women’s Senior race during the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 2024 on 30 March, 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia. Photo: (c) Adam Nurkiewicz for World Athletics

Photo 2 Caption: Kyla Jacobs (third from right) was the best of Team South Africa’s six-women contingent, increasing her overall race position on each of the four lap circuit for a 28th-place finish, in a time of 34:07 at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 2024 in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday, 30 March, 2024. Photo: jakesjacobswp on Instagram

Photo 3 Caption: Li-Mari Dekker (second from left) lead Team SA’s Woman’s U20 women runners home for her 31st-place finish in a field of 84 finalists on Saturday. Photo: jakesjacobswp on Instagram

Photo 4 Caption: Danielle Verster (from left), Christopher Swart, Boikanyo Motlhamme and Simonay Weitsz brought Team SA home in ninth place in the mixed race. Photo: jakesjacobswp on Instagram