Agnes Ngetich Talks Pressure and Joy of Winning Women's Senior Title After Beatrice Chebet Opted Out

Agnes Ngetich has opened up about the immense pressure that drove her to secure the women’s senior title at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday, January 10.

Heading into the race, Agnes Ngetich was widely regarded as the favourite, especially after two-time champion Beatrice Chebet announced she would not defend her title as she prepares to start a family.

With Kenya having maintained an unbroken winning streak at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships since 2009, Ngetich was fully aware of the responsibility on her shoulders to uphold the nation’s legacy and continue the remarkable consistency.

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“Yeah, when Beatrice Chebet said she would not defend her title, the whole weight came to me, and I was like, if the title was in Kenya, I have to fight for it,” Agnes Ngetich said after the race.

Agnes Ngetich further expressed her joy and relief after claiming the title, saying she was thrilled to finally achieve an individual victory.

The 10km world record holder revealed that she had been striving for this moment for a long time, often finishing just outside the top spots, but had never lost hope.

Despite previous disappointments, she remained determined and kept pushing herself, and now she felt a profound sense of accomplishment and happiness at reaching the pinnacle of her efforts.

“I am so happy. I love what just happened. I mean, this is my first time being able to win a title. I mean, an individual title. I've been chasing many times, but I've been in position four, four, four. But I didn't give up. I just go on and on. Like, I'm so happy,” she revealed.

Agnes Ngetich described the race as challenging despite the smaller hurdles, explaining that it was not an easy start to the season.

She also mentioned that the event marked the beginning of her competitive year, and she intended to take it as a stepping stone, looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season unfolds.

“The hurdles. The hurdles were small, and then it wasn't very easy. Yeah, this one was just us opening the season, and then we will see how it goes next,” she added.

In the race, Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek settled for silver in 32:10, while Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew claimed bronze in 32:13.