Ethiopian athletes tipped to conquer WXC Bathurst 23

Addis Ababa, February 10, 2023 (FBC) – World champion, Letesenbet Gidey and other fellow Ethiopian senior and U20 athletes are tipped to shine in the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23, to be held in Australia, on 18 February.

According to the World Athletics official report, entry lists for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23 confirm that 453 elite runners from 50 teams will descend on Australia for the global event on Saturday 18 February.

It is stated that more than 230 athletes (134 men, 102 women) are entered for the individual senior races, while more than 150 (81 men, 73 women) will be in action in the U20 races. 15 teams have been entered for the mixed relay.

World 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia, a two-time winner of the U20 title, will seek to earn her first senior world cross-country title in the women’s race. Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel are expected to provide tough opposition.

World U20 champions Medina Eisa of Ethiopia, Faith Cherotich and Reynold Cheruiyot of Kenya will all feature in the U20 races.

Ethiopian athletes will defend their title in the mixed relay, helped by world and Olympic steeplechase finalist Getnet Wale. Steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech features on a strong Kenyan team, while host nation Australia also has a formidable quartet, which includes the likes of Ollie Hoare, Stewart McSweyn and Jess Hull.

Including Ethiopian athletes, the senior men’s podium finishers from the last edition in Aarhus in 2019 will clash again as defending champion Joshua Cheptegei and fellow Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo take on two-time winner Geoffrey Kamworor.

Hundreds of other runners will take to the start line in Bathurst for the various mass participation races held in conjunction with the championships.

According to the official report from World Athletics, the final start lists will be available on Friday 17 February.