World Cross Country Championships preview, schedule and stars to watch: Joshua Cheptegei and Letesenbet Gidey lead stacked Bathurst 23 fields

It’s been a long time coming, but the World Athletics Cross Country Championships are finally set to return as the world’s best race for glory in Bathurst, Australia on Saturday 18 February.

The last championships took place almost four years ago in 2019, as Uganda’s Olympic 5000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri were crowned champions in Aarhus, Denmark.

Once again, Cheptegei leads a stacked men’s field in Bathurst, while the women’s race will feature a number of top runners including Ethiopia’s 5000m and 10,000m world record holder Letesenbet Gidey.

Read on for the Olympics.com guide on the Bathurst 23 schedule, stars and how to watch the whole event live.

When and where will the World Cross Country Championships take place?

Organised by World Athletics, the elite races of the championships take place on 18 February in Bathurst, Australia with the 8km mixed relay, senior women’s 10km and senior men’s 10km races all being contested on the same day.

The Bathurst 23 course is located in the region of New South Wales, Australia against the stunning backdrop of Mount Panorama. The course will offer a unique challenge to the athletes competing with an uphill start followed by a run through a vineyard and a rapid 350m downhill section before an uphill run at the end of the 2km loop. The finale of the race will feature a fast 180m section that winds downhill towards the finish line.

Stars to watch at the World Cross Country Championships

Cheptegei heads stacked men’s World Cross Country Championships field in Bathurst

The entire men’s podium from the 2019 edition returns for the upcoming race in Australia, led by the Olympic 5000m champion Joshua Cheptegei. The Ugandan won the race in 2019 but will need to be at his best to overcome the challenge of compatriot Jacob Kiplimo and twice-winner Geoffrey Kamworor.

Cheptegei is the current world record holder at both 5000m (12:35.36) and 10,000m (26:11.00) which were both set in 2020. He is also the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000m and won silver in the 10,000m at Tokyo 2020.

The winner of the 10,000m at the last Olympics will also be present this weekend, as Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega prepares to race. Other notable athletes set to take part in the men’s race include Diamond League champion Nicholas Kipkorir (Kenya) and the victor in last season’s World Cross Country Tour, Rodrigue Kwizera of Burundi.

Top runners to watch in the World Cross Country Championships men’s race

• Joshua Cheptegei, Uganda
• Selemon Barega, Ethiopia
• Jacob Kiplomo, Uganda
• Geoffrey Kamworor, Kenya
• Nicholas Kipkorir, Kenya

World record-breaking Gidey the favourite in senior women’s World Cross Country Championships race

This Saturday’s women’s race looks equally as enticing as the men’s, as Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey looks to add World Cross Country gold to the world 10,000m track title she secured at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

Gidey is the current world record holder at 5000m, 10,000m and half marathon, and at 24 years old is entering the prime years of her career.

For someone with such an impressive CV, Gidey has yet to win the World Cross Country title, finishing third in 2019 - the same position on the podium she achieved in the Tokyo 2020 10,000m race.

She will face a strong challenge from Eritrea’s 21-year-old Rahel Daniel, who leads the World Athletics Cross Country tour, Kenya’s world 5000m silver medallist Beatrice Chebet and Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba.

Also watch out for veteran cross-country racer Emily Chebet of Kenya who has taken the cross country world title on two occasions.

Top runners to watch in the World Cross Country Championships women’s race

• Letesenbet Gidey, Ethiopia

• Beatrice Chebet, Kenya

• Rahel Daniel, Eritrea

• Francine Niyonsaba, Burundi

• Emily Chebet, Kenya

You can view and download the full entry lists for the senior men’s and women’s races here.

World Cross Country Championships schedule

Saturday 18 February

• 3:30 pm local time/1:30 am CET: Mixed relay
• 5:30 pm local time/3:30 am CET: Senior women’s Race
• 6:30 pm local time/4:30 am CET: Senior men’s Race