- Italian star Battocletti defends her crown while Kenya’s Kipsang wins a “photo finish” points battle to claim global title
By Our Sports Reporter
The grueling 2025/26 World Athletics Cross Country Tour has come to a dramatic close, proving once again that when the going gets tough—and muddy—the tough get going.
Italy’s golden girl Nadia Battocletti and Kenya’s powerhouse Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang have officially been crowned the king and queen of the world’s most demanding running circuit.
But while Battocletti’s path was a masterclass in dominance, Kipsang’s victory came down to the absolute wire in a tie-break that had fans holding their breath.
For Nadia Battocletti, the season was less of a race and more of a victory lap across Europe. Successfully retaining her overall title, the Italian sensation showed why she is the most feared name on the turf.
Starting her campaign with a statement win in Atapuerca, she rarely looked back. Despite a narrow runner-up finish in Alcobendas, she found a “second gear” to storm to victory at the European Championships in Lagoa.
To put the icing on the cake, she returned to home soil in San Giorgio su Legnano to claim the Campaccio title, finishing the season with a perfect 3,600 points.
Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw put up a valiant fight to take second, with Kenya’s Sheila Jebet consistently bagging bronze for the second year running.
On the men’s side, things couldn’t have been closer. Kenya’s Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang and Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera both finished the season on a staggering 3,600 points.
Kipsang’s season was built on a hat-trick of gold-standard wins in Cardiff, Soria, and Atapuerca. However, with the two rivals inseparable on points and world rankings, officials had to dig deep into the rulebooks.
”In the end, it was Kipsang’s grit in the head-to-head battles that proved the difference. He beat Kwizera in their two clashes this season, ultimately handing him the crown.”
Eritrean teen sensation Saymon Amanuel signaled a changing of the guard, finishing an impressive third overall and proving that the next generation of distance running is already snapping at the heels of the elite.
It wasn’t just about the podium finishers. British fans have a reason to cheer as Megan Keith fought her way into the world’s elite.
Finishing 6th overall in the women’s standings with 3,480 points, Keith has solidified her position as one of the brightest prospects in UK athletics, holding her own against the giants of East Africa and Italy.
