AK raises alarm over 2026 World Cross Country date
World cross country champion Beatrice Chebet celebrates with the flag after winning the five-kilometre race at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on October 1, 2023.
Following the World Athletics Council meeting in Nanjing, China, on Tuesday, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe announced that the biennial event will be held on January 10, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
This means national federations must select their teams by December 2025, significantly reducing the rest period for athletes coming off a packed 2025 track and field season that concludes with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (September 13-21).
Athletics Kenya (AK) has expressed concerns over the tight timeline for the 2026 World Cross Country Championships, warning that long-distance athletes will have minimal recovery time before the global event.
Following the World Athletics Council meeting in Nanjing, China, on Tuesday, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe announced that the biennial event will be held on January 10, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
