Winfred Yavi Takes Unusual Route to 2026 Comeback in Bid to Halt Faith Cherotich

The World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold series continues this weekend with two major events, the Cardiff Cross Challenge on Saturday and the Cross Internacional de Italica in Seville on Sunday, with Winfred Yavi among the headliners of the latter.

The historic Cross Internacional de Italica is set to deliver another high-quality competition, attracting some of the season's most prominent athletes.

The women's 9.2km race is headlined by in-form Ethiopian Likina Amebaw, who started her season with a victory at the Amorebieta meet.

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However, all eyes will be on Bahrain's Winfred Yavi, the reigning Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion, who is expected to be a strong podium contender.

Winfred Yavi endured a tough 2025 season, settling for silver behind Faith Cherotich at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Now, in a bid to return to her dominant ways, Winfred Yavi will kickstart her season with the cross country to build her endurance and line up as a threat to her serial rival Faith Cherotich.

Meanwhile, Kenya's challenge in the race is led by Maurine Jebor, winner of their recent World Cross Country trials, and Celestine Jepkorir, who just secured a comfortable win in San Sebastian. Kazakhstan's Daisy Jepkemei, last year's runner-up in Seville and a sixth-place finisher at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships, also returns.

The men's 9.2km race will also be a fascinating duel between training partners Rodrigue Kwizera of Burundi and Spain's Thierry Ndikumwenayo, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the weekend's action.

Kwizera, a two-time Cross Country Tour champion, boasts an impressive history at the Itálica meet. He has secured first place in 2021, second in 2022, third in 2023, and was the runner-up again last year, narrowly losing to Ndikumwenayo, who also claimed victory in 2022.

Both athletes, who live and train in Castellon under coach Lluis Torla, are in contrasting form. Kwizera recently set a new national record at the Valencia Half Marathon, finishing second with a blistering time of 58:39.

Meanwhile, Ndikumwenayo, who finished ninth in the 10,000m at the World Championships, is just returning to peak condition.

He spent October in his native Burundi for the birth of his first daughter and made his season debut last Sunday, finishing a close second to Kwizera at a local cross-country race.

A formidable Kenyan contingent is expected to challenge the favourites. The squad includes Denis Kipkoech Kemboi, Robert Koech, and Edwin Kiplangat, who placed third, sixth, and seventh, respectively, at the Kenyan trials for the World Cross Country Championships.

They are joined by Titus Kibet, who won last weekend in San Sebastian, where Naibei Kiplimo and Kiplangat finished third and fourth.

The elite field also features Tunisia's Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui, who finished fourth in the 3000m steeplechase at the Paris Olympics. Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana and Emile Hafashimana, who started his season with a win in Amorebieta, will also be in contention.

Spanish hopes will be pinned on Ndikumwenayo, Aaron Las Heras, and Dani Arce. In a rare appearance over the 9.2km distance, Olympic and world 800m finalist Mohamed Attaoui will also compete, leveraging his high-mileage training early in the season.

Athletes can expect ideal racing conditions, with weather forecasts predicting a sunny day and temperatures between 18-20°C for the elite events on Sunday.

Athletes from eight nations, including Kenya, Canada, and Spain, will descend on Llandaff Fields in the Welsh capital for a highly anticipated day of racing.

The men's race features a strong Kenyan contingent, led by world 5000m finalist Mathew Kipsang. He is joined by compatriot Stephen Kimutai, who returns to Cardiff after a fifth-place finish in the city's half-marathon in October. Promising young talent Victor Kimosop, fresh off a win in the Betika Cross Country Series, will also be in action.

Adding to the international flavour is Morocco's 17-year-old Osama Er Redouani, a 2024 World Cross Country Championships competitor.

Ethiopia's Kadar Omar, a previous Cardiff Half Marathon winner, and Dutch runners Jesse Fokkenrood and Nathan Houwaard are also set to compete.

The British and Irish challenge is formidable, with Irish cross-country champion Keelan Kilrehill and Great Britain's Zakariya Mahamed, a two-time runner-up on this course, in the lineup. Welsh hopes will be carried by 5km record-holder Osian Perrin and Dafydd Jones.

In the women's event, Great Britain's Megan Keith aims to reclaim the title she won in 2023 before going on to become the European U23 cross-country champion.

She faces stiff competition from Kenya's Sheila Jebet, who finished second here last year and recently won the Cross Cup De Hannut. Her 17-year-old compatriot, Cynthia Chepkirui, will also be one to watch.

Other top contenders include Canadian 3000m steeplechase record-holder Ceili McCabe and Denmark's Sofia Thogersen. Kate Axford, the top British finisher in third place last year, returns, while Cari Hughes leads the Welsh entries.

The event will also feature mile races serving as the Great Britain trial for the mixed relay at the upcoming European Cross Country Championships.