On Sunday, the third race of the World Athletics Cross Country Gold Tour unfolded in Seville, Spain. Competing on familiar terrain, Rodrigue Kwizera achieved his third victory at this event, marking his second consecutive win and equaling Ethiopian icon Kenenisa Bekele’s record for the most wins on the course. While Kwizera solidified his reputation in cross-country racing, Habtom Samuel, a standout from the NCAA, made history at the 2026 Boston Half Marathon by completing the course in a record-breaking time of 59:49. Additionally, on the inaugural day of athletics at the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Nigeria’s Gift Bright and Rosemary Nwankwo made headlines by winning gold in both the men’s and women’s 100m events, respectively.
Nigeria’s Rosemary Nwankwo after winning the 100m at the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar. Photo: OIS mc/ic
Cross-Country Milestone
The Cross Internacional de Itálica 9.55K in Spain is renowned for its picturesque route that weaves through ancient Roman ruins, making it one of the most visually appealing cross-country races on the World Athletics circuit. This year’s competition boasted a particularly strong field, with Kwizera narrowly clinching victory in a time of 27:37. The race concluded with the top three athletes finishing within just two seconds of one another. Right behind him were two Kenyans: 19-year-old Charles Kiprono, who secured second place in 27:38, and U20 World XC Champion Frankline Kibet, who took third in 27:39.
Kwizera previously triumphed in this race in 2021 and 2025 while representing Burundi. Bekele, on the other hand, captured victories in the events of 2003, 2004, and 2007. In 2003, Bekele also won the World Championships in the 10,000m, followed by an Olympic gold in the same distance in 2004, and another World Championship gold in 10,000m in 2007.
Although Kwizera may not have the same prestigious accolades as Bekele, he is certainly an athlete to watch. He recently won the Valencia Marathon in October with a time of 58:03, surpassing Andreas Almgren’s European half-marathon record of 58:06, which was set just a month earlier. Kwizera became a Spanish citizen this past summer, and while he now holds a national record, World Athletics has not acknowledged it as a European record. Although there is no XC World Championship this year, Kwizera is awaiting confirmation on whether he will be eligible to represent Spain at the European Championships in December.
Spain’s Rodrigue Kwizera at the 2025 World Athletics Gold Tour race in Seville. Photo: Cross Italica
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw dominated, finishing in 30:41, marking her second victory in the XC Gold Tour this season. She previously won the 5K title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships on September 19, just six days after claiming the 5,000m title at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships. Uganda’s world U20 5,000m champion Charity Cherop finished second in 30:49, while Kenya’s Cynthia Chepkirui secured third place in 30:57.
Exceptional Performance in the U.S.
Habtom Samuel, who previously won five NCAA national titles with the University of New Mexico, signed a professional contract with Hoka on October 30. Just eight days later, he made history in Boston by becoming the first athlete to finish a half marathon in under 60 minutes on Massachusetts soil. Finishing second, Andrea Kiptoo of Kenya trailed by over a minute, completing the race in 1:01:03, while fellow Kenyan Abel Kipchumba took third in 1:01:16.
Habtom Samuel wins the 2026 Boston Half Marathon. Photo: Kevin Morris
Samuel’s 2026 season has been nothing short of remarkable; with this latest victory, he has secured 14 consecutive wins in the U.S., including the gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events at the NCAA Championships. He also triumphed at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K in New York on October 31, clocking in at 13:31, just a day after turning professional. As the 22-year-old athlete begins to participate in more prominent road races, he is emerging as an exciting new talent in the international athletics scene.
Nigeria’s Sprint Triumph
Nwankwo brought home the 100m gold for Nigeria, marking the nation’s first victory in this event since Rosemary Chukwuma’s win at the Buenos Aires Games in 2018. Nwankwo finished with a wind-aided time of 11.16, while Arwa Ali of the United Arab Emirates finished second in 11.41, and Dana Salem from Qatar claimed bronze in 11.48.
Shortly after Nwankwo’s victory, Bright secured his own title in the men’s 100m, setting a new Games record of 10.28. From the moment the race began, his victory was never in question. Hangyu Zhang of China followed in second place with a time of 10.57, while Poland’s Szymon Dolega rounded out the podium in 10.61. Remarkably, Bright had been contending with a hamstring injury just a day prior to the race.
Nigeria’s Bright Gift after winning 100m at 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar. Photo: OIS mc/ic
Neither of the Nigerian stars are scheduled to compete in the 200m races on Tuesday.