Kenyan-Born Bahraini Winfred Yavi Puts Faith Cherotich on Notice as She Confirms First Stop of 2026

Olympic champions Winfred Yavi of Bahrain and Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia are the top contenders for this Sunday's Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza in Elgoibar, Spain.

The event marks the 11th Gold-level meeting of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour season, and the duo will be out to continue working around the clock ahead of kickstarting their track seasons.

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Winfred Yavi, the reigning Olympic and world steeplechase champion, is the overwhelming favourite in the women’s 7.62km race.

The 26-year-old, who placed third here in 2021, is in formidable form, having secured a dominant victory in Seville last November. She followed that performance with a steeplechase and 5000m double at the Islamic Games in Riyadh.

Her main competition is expected to come from Sheila Jebet. The 20-year-old Kenyan has demonstrated remarkable consistency in her European campaign this season, securing second-place finishes in Cardiff, Soria, and Atapuerca before a strong third-place showing in Alcobendas.

Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani, who finished just behind Yavi for fourth place in the steeplechase at last year's World Championships, is another athlete to watch.

The 28-year-old recently finished second at a cross-country event in Soest, Netherlands, on New Year's Eve. The Spanish contingent is led by rising star Marta Serrano, the European U23 steeplechase silver medallist.

She will be joined by Isabel Barreiro, who just set a new 10km personal best of 31:31 in Valencia, Angela Viciosa, and Irene Sanchez-Escribano, who is returning to competition after becoming a mother last year.

The men’s 9.7km race features an equally impressive lineup, headlined by Berihu Aregawi. The Ethiopian is fresh off securing his third consecutive silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee last week. Aregawi is no stranger to success in Elgoibar, having won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.

With his previous rival, Rodrigue Kwizera, absent, Aregawi's primary challenger may be Kwizera's training partner, Thierry Ndikumwenayo.

Now representing Spain, Ndikumwenayo won the European cross-country title in December and achieved a career-best eighth-place finish at the World Cross in Tallahassee.

Eritrea's Saymon Amanuel, an 18-year-old talent, is also a strong contender. He won the prestigious Cinque Mulini race in November and holds impressive personal bests of 13:01.85 for 5000m and 27:10 for 10km.

Another podium threat is Kenya's Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto, who recently claimed the biggest win of his career at the Chepsaita Cross Country in Eldoret.

The Spanish challenge will be bolstered by Aaron Las Heras, who finished ninth at the European Cross-Country Championships, national half-marathon record-holder Carlos Mayo, and Nassim Hassaous.