Belgrade Hosts Highly Anticipated World Athletics Cross Country Championships, with a Challenging Course and Top Competition

The upcoming World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia will see some of the world’s top athletes compete for medals. Kiplimo, who won gold at the most recent event in Bathurst, Australia, is set to defend his title. Cheptegei will also be there, hoping to add to his collection of bronze medals.

The course in Belgrade offers a flatter terrain compared to previous events, which should provide a challenge for all runners. Aregawi and Sawe of Ethiopia and Kenya respectively are also expected to be strong contenders for medals.

The race will take place at Friendship Park in Belgrade, with a loop of 1887m and start/finish straights of 270m/320m respectively. Unique features such as arch bridges, a hay maze, and traditional cross country hurdles will make the course challenging but exciting to watch. Music stations will mark the turning points on the loop.

The women’s U20 race will start at 11am (CET), followed by the senior men’s race at 1:30pm. Viewers around the world can catch the action via livestream on the World Athletics YouTube channel or World Athletics Inside Track, with some local broadcasters also providing coverage. Start times vary across different regions including 1pm in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda; 6am in New York; 3am in Los Angeles; 7pm in Tokyo; and 9pm in Sydney.