World track stars to look out forpublished at 20:48 GMT 13 December
BBC Sport
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,
Nadia Battocletti became the first woman in championship history last
year to win individual titles at U20, U23 and senior level. She looks primed to
defend her title this year, but will face tough competition from Turkey’s
Yasemin Can, although the 29-year-old is yet to find her earlier career form
that saw her win four successive titles between 2016 and 2019. Belgian Jana van
Lent, Great Britain’s Megan Keith and Portugal’s Mariana Machado will all pose
a threat to the title.
Jimmy Gressier has won golds in both the 10,000m at the World
Championships and the half marathon at the European Running Championships in
Brussels-Leuven in 2025. The world champion will be aiming to complete a set of
three titles on three different surfaces this year in what will be his first
appearance at the Cross Country Championships since 2021.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen was due to race for his fourth senior men’s
title after winning gold in Antalya last December. It’s been an injury-plagued
2025 season so far for the Norwegian, whose withdrawal this week came after
previously announcing that he would return to competition where he made his
debut as a 16-year-old.
Dominic Lobalu, of Switzerland, also poses a threat to
Ingerbritsen’s title in the men’s race, with Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo and
Ruben Querinjean of Luxembourg also in contention.
