African Cross Country Championships

International running competition

African Cross Country ChampionshipsSport| Cross country running

|

Founded| 1985; 38 years ago (1985)
2011; 12 years ago (2011)
Continent| Africa (CAA)

The African Cross Country Championships is a regional cross country running competition for athletes from Africa.

## History[edit]

The competition had a one off edition in 1985 in Nairobi, Kenya, and the medallists were mostly from the host nation.[1] Following an announcement by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that the IAAF World Cross Country Championships would change to a biennial format, the Confederation of African Athletics stated that the 2011 African Cross Country Championships would be held in Cape Town, South Africa, marking a relaunch of the competition.[2]

While all other continental regions defined by the IAAF have had their own regional cross country championships on an annual or biennial basis, Africa did not have a regular competition in this mould for a long period. This may have been due to a number of factors including: the high status of annual cross country meetings such as the Kenya National Cross Country Championships and the Jan Meda International Cross Country (which doubles as the Ethiopian championships),[3] the size of the region, the prominence of smaller regional championships, and the comparative lack of resources available to the Confederation of African Athletics.

The fact that the majority of the sport's top competitors come from Africa means that the top runners at the World Cross Country Championships, especially in the men's section, are largely the same ones which would form the field of an African Championships – at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships the top 25 finishers in the men's race, and the top 12 in the women's race, were all African-born.[4][5] Commenting on the dominance of the competition, IAAF president Lamine Diack said that the competition had "become not only an African affair but an East African affair, and these days you don't even get athletes from West Africa competing".[6]

A number of smaller regional championships have been held in Africa: the East African Cross Country Championships and the Maghreb Cross Country Championships in North Africa are both well-established competitions.[7][8] West and Central African competitions have also been held in past years.[9][10]

## Editions[edit]

Edition  | Year  | Venue  | City  | Country  | No. of
athletes

|
|
|
|
|

—  | 1985  |  | Nairobi | Kenya  |
1st  | 2011 | Koerboom Park  | Cape Town | South Africa  |
2nd[11] | 2012 | Koerboom Park  | Cape Town | South Africa  | 160
3rd[12] | 2014 | Kololo | Kampala | Uganda  |
4th  | 2016 |  | Yaoundé | Cameroon
5th[13] | 2018 |  | Chlef | Algeria

## Champions[edit]

Year  | Men's senior race  | Women's senior race  | Men's team  | Women's team  | Mixed relay

|
|
|
|
|

1985  |  Paul Kipkoech (KEN) |  Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) |  Kenya |  Kenya | —
2011 |  John Nzau Mwangangi (KEN) |  Mercy Cherono (KEN) |  Kenya |  Kenya | —
2012 |  Clement Langat (KEN) |  Joyce Chepkirui (KEN) |  Kenya |  Kenya | —
2014 |  Leonard Barsoton (KEN) |  Faith Kipyegon (KEN) |  Kenya |  Kenya | —
2016 |  James Gitahi Rungaru (KEN) |  Alice Aprot Nawowuna (KEN) |  Kenya |  Kenya | —
2018 |  Alfred Barkach (KEN) |  Celliphine Chespol (KEN) |  Kenya |  Kenya |  Ethiopia

## 1985 medallists[edit]

### Individual[edit]

Race  | Gold  | Silver  | Bronze

|
|
|

Men's senior  |  Paul Kipkoech (KEN) |  Andrew Masai (KEN) |  Joshua Kipkemboi (KEN)
Women's senior  |  Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) |  Marcelina Cheboi (KEN) |  Florence Mwangechi (KEN)
Men's junior  |  Peter Rono (KEN) |  Jeremiah Chelego (UGA) |  Samuel Okemwa (KEN)

### Team[edit]

Race  | Gold  | Silver  | Bronze

|
|
|

Men's senior  |  Kenya (KEN) (21)  |  Uganda (UGA) (83)  |  Tanzania (TAN) (141)
Women's senior  |  Kenya (KEN) (10)  |  Tanzania (TAN) (40)  |  Uganda (UGA) (44)
Men's junior  |  Kenya (KEN) (10)  |  Uganda (UGA) (46)  |  Tanzania (TAN) (48)

## References[edit]

1. ^ African Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
2. ^ CAA Council Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Confederation of African Athletics (Autumn 2009). Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
3. ^ Ethiopia Cross Country Championships Archived December 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Time to Run (2008-02-06). Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
4. ^ 2009 Senior Race - M Final Archived 2010-06-10 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF (2009-03-28). Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
5. ^ 2009 Senior Race - W Final Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF (2009-03-28). Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
6. ^ Africa fears changes in marathon format is bad news. The Indian Express (2009-09-16). Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
7. ^ East African Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
8. ^ North African Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
9. ^ West African Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
10. ^ Central African Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-02-23.
11. ^ Williamson, Norrie (2012-03-19). Langat and Chepkirui take African XC titles in Cape Town. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-25.
12. ^ Kyeyune, Elly (2013-06-11). Uganda To Host World Cross Country. ChimpReports. Retrieved on 2013-06-19.
13. ^ 5th CAA African Cross-Country Championships - Chlef 2018

## External links[edit]

* Athletics Africa website

* v
* t
* e

Championships of the Confederation of African Athletics

* Senior Championships
* Champions
* Records
* U20
* U18
* Combined Events
* Cross Country
* Mountain Running
* Race Walking

Senior|

* 1979
* 1982
* 1984
* 1985
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1992
* 1993
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2022

U20|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1997
* 1999
* 2001
* 2003
* 2005
* 2007
* 2009
* 2011
* 2013
* 2015
* 2017
* 2019

Youth|

* 2013
* 2015
* 2019

Cross Country|

* 2011
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018

Regional|

* North
* Combined Events and Race Walking
* Cross country
* Half marathon
* Track and field
* East
* Cross country
* Half marathon
* Track and field
* South
* Cross country
* Half marathon
* Track and field
* West
* Track and field
* East and Central Africa Junior Athletics Championships

* Athletics at the African Games
* African Marathon Championships
* African Half Marathon Championships
* Central African Athletics Championships
* Maghreb Athletics Championships

* v
* t
* e

International cross country running championships

World|

* IAAF World Cross Country Championships
* FISU World University Cross Country Championships
* CISM World Military Cross Country Championships

Continental|

* Asia
* Africa
* Europe
* North America, Central America and Caribbean
* Oceania
* South America

Regional|

* Americas
* Arab
* Balkans
* Central American and Caribbean
* Central American
* Nordic
* Commonwealth Mountain and Ultradistance

See also: Modern pentathlon • International Cross Country Championships (1903–1972)

* v
* t
* e

International athletics competitions

* World Athletics
* World records
* Hall of Fame

World|

* Olympics
* Paralympics
* World Championships
* World Para Athletics Championships
* INAS World Athletics Championships
* World Indoor Championships
* World U20 Championships
* World Masters Championships
* World Military Championships
* World Athletics Relays
* World Cross Country Championships
* World Half Marathon Championships
* World Mountain Running Championships
* World Race Walking Team Championships

Continental
championships|

| Asia|

* Outdoor
* Indoor
* Cross Country
* Marathon
* Race Walking
* Masters

|
|

Africa|

* Outdoor
* Cross Country
* Combined Events
* Mountain Running
* Race Walking

Europe|

* Outdoor
* Indoor
* Team
* Cross Country
* Mountain Running
* Race Walking
* Para-athletics

North America|

* Outdoor
* Cross Country
* Mountain Running

Oceania|

* Outdoor
* Combined Events
* Cross Country
* Marathon/Half Marathon
* Race Walking

South America|

* Outdoor
* Indoor
* Cross Country
* Marathon
* Half Marathon
* Road Mile
* Mountain Running
* Race Walking

Regional|

* Arab
* Outdoor
* Cross Country
* GCC Championships
* Ibero-American Championships
* Balkan
* Outdoor
* Indoor
* Cross Country
* Central American
* Outdoor
* Cross Country
* Race Walking
* Central American and Caribbean
* Outdoor
* Cross Country
* East Caribbean Championships
* Pan American
* Combined Events
* Cross Country
* Race Walking
* Southern African
* West African

Seasonal|

* World Marathon Majors
* Diamond League
* World Continental Tour
* World Indoor Tour
* World Cross Country Tour
* World Race Walking Tour
* World Combined Events Tour
* World Label Road Races
* IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge
* WMRA World Cup

Defunct|

* Golden Events
* Golden Four
* Grand Prix
* Grand Prix II
* Super Grand Prix
* Final
* World Athletics Tour
* Final
* Golden League
* World Challenge
* Indoor Permit Meetings
* World Cross Challenge
* Cross Country Permit Meetings
* Race Walking Challenge Final
* Hammer Throw Challenge
* International Cross Country Championships
* Women's World Games
* World Marathon Cup
* World Road Relay Championships
* World Women's Road Race Championships
* World U18 Championships
* Continental Cup
* East and Central African Championships

Sport of athletics portal

* v
* t
* e

African Championships

Olympic
sports|

| Team|

* Basketball
* men
* women
* 3x3
* Field hockey
* men
* women
* Football
* men
* women
* Handball
* men
* women
* Rugby sevens
* men
* women
* Volleyball
* men
* women

|

Individual|

* Archery
* Athletics
* outdoor
* cross country
* marathon
* race walking
* Badminton
* teams
* BMX racing
* Boxing
* Cycling
* Fencing
* Gymnastics
* artistic
* rhythmic
* Judo
* Mountain biking
* Swimming
* Table tennis
* teams
* Taekwondo
* Triathlon
* Weightlifting

Non-Olympic
sports|

| Team|

* Beach soccer
* Cricket
* men
* women
* Futsal
* men
* Minifootball
* men
* Korfball
* Rugby Union
* men
* women

|

Individual|

* Chess
* individual
* junior
* team
* Draughts
* Mountain running
* Rally
* individual
* Snooker

*[KEN]: Kenya
*[UGA]: Uganda
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template